How To Stop a Cockapoo From Barking: A Complete Guide


Do you have a Cockapoo that won’t stop barking? Does he drive you insane, barking at other dogs, in the middle of the night, or at visitors? Owning a Cockapoo that won’t stop barking can be annoying; luckily, there is a process that can reduce your Cockapoo’s unwanted barking. 

You can stop barking in Cockapoos by providing regular exercise, ample attention and playtime, and a toy or treat for distraction. It’s important to identify barking triggers, then remove your dog from the situation. If a specific trigger can not be identified, ignore and reward when the barking has stopped.

This article will discuss the many reasons why Cockapoos might bark excessively. You will also learn how to reduce your dog’s barking, along with a few handy tips to help you handle specific barking situations.

Why Do Cockapoos Bark?

The Cockapoo is a breed that isn’t known for excessive barking. However, that doesn’t mean that your Cockapoo will never bark or that they will not have a predisposition to barking excessively. 

Genetic and environmental factors will determine just how much your dog barks. If your Cockapoo barks incessantly, he may have inherited the behavior from their parents. However, dogs bark for a variety of reasons. 

Because Cockapoos cannot utilize language as humans do, they bark in order to communicate and express themselves.

However, that doesn’t mean that this barking isn’t annoying! Nor does it mean that it can’t be a problem. The first step in solving any problem is identifying the cause, and barking is no exception.

While genetic and environmental factors affect barking behavior, Cockapoos most commonly bark in order to:

1. Communicate Danger

Almost all family dogs are loyal and protective to some extent. That includes your little Cockapoo. When your dog senses danger, they aren’t going to just sit there and be quiet! They want to alert you so that you and your family stay safe. 

If you are ever truly in danger, then your Cockapoo’s barking will be a good thing. However, this is highly dependent on what your Cockapoo thinks is a threat. 

If your dog’s barking wards off a burglar or anyone else unsavory, then you’ll probably be grateful for this barking behavior. However, If your Cockapoo determines that your friendly neighbors are a threat, you will want to calm them down and show them that the neighbors are friends.  

2. Seek Attention

Cockapoos are very social dogs and constantly seek the attention of other dogs and humans. The best way for them to do this is by barking at them! If your Cockapoo frequently barks in a friendly manner at you, your friends and family, or other dogs, then they may just be seeking attention. 

However, barking can also be a sign of loneliness and neglect. Have you been ignoring your Cockapoo recently? Or have you been too busy to show them any love or attention? If so, your dog may be barking at you because they are lonely and want to spend time with you. 

3. Intimidate

Like many other dog breeds, your little Cockapoo can be a loyal guardian. Though tiny and adorable, Cockapoos are fiercely loyal and protective of their families. If your Cockapoo believes that your visitors or other dogs are a threat, they may bark at strangers or other dogs to intimidate them and keep them away. 

Cockapoos can also be territorial and bark at strangers to keep them away from your home. 

4. Boredom

Barking is a way that a bored Cockapoo can interact with their surroundings and stimulate themselves. When humans are bored, they often socialize with their friends and family to entertain themselves. 

Dogs do the same thing. Cockapoos will often bark at their family, friendly dogs, or even inanimate objects as a way to entertain themselves. 

5. Fear and Anxiety

Your Cockapoo may also bark out of fear or anxiety. This can be any situation that scares your pooch or causes them emotional distress. 

For example, you may accidentally scare your dog by walking into the room unexpectedly or by making a loud noise. If this happens, your Cockapoo may bark as a natural reaction, thinking that you are a source of danger. 

The same goes for any stressful situation. Your dog may bark when in a situation that is causing him distress. He may even bark at the cause of this distress. 

Excessive barking in cockapoos can result from separation anxiety. Some Cockapoos may become distressed whenever they are alone. Cockapoos may begin barking to find someone to be with them.

If your Cockapoo shows any signs of separation anxiety, talk to a vet or trainer about how to overcome this problem.

6. Excitement

You probably experience this every day when you come home from work. Cockapoos love greeting their owners when they come home, which often includes some friendly barking. 

Like all dogs, Cockapoos bark when they are excited. It’s an excellent way for them to communicate their joy and happiness with their owners. 

Another time your Cockapoo may bark excitedly is when playing with other dogs. Dogs bark during play to communicate their joy and playfulness when interacting with other dogs. 

Excited barking is usually very obvious as it is usually accompanied by tail wagging, cuddles, kisses, jumping around, and other signs of joy. 

7. Dementia

It may be sad to admit, but Cockapoos, like most dogs, are susceptible to dementia. As your pooch ages, he may become confused or exhibit odd behaviors. 

One of those behaviors is barking and nothing. Barking at nothing obvious can be a symptom of cognitive dysfunction in dogs.

Your Cockapoo may think that something is near him or may be triggered by something else. If your elderly Cockapoo is barking for reasons unknown to you, then he may be experiencing dementia. You should discuss this situation with a vet to determine a proper course of action for this condition. 

How Do I Stop My Cockapoo From Barking?

Training your Cockapoo to stop barking can be a challenge. Barking is a dog’s primary source of communication and self-expression. But of course, all that barking can be annoying. You don’t want to stop all barking, as that is how your Cockapoo communicates and expresses itself.

A great behavioral training course can really help when bark training your dog. I found a fantastic training system called Brain Training for Dogs. I really liked the private member’s area where I was able to connect with other dog owners to get solutions to issues I had with my dog’s training. If you need any behavioral training at all for your dog, I would highly recommend this course! Check it out here

Owners can stop excessive barking in Cockapoos by following these steps:

1. Determine the Causes of Barking

In many situations, your Cockapoos excessive barking will have an apparent cause. For instance, if your dog barks at you when you come home from work, they are obviously happy to see you. If they are barking and growling at neighbors passing by, then they are being protective or territorial. 

However, there are situations where it’s not easy to determine why your Cockapoo is barking. Maybe there is something in the house that is distressing your Cockapoo.

Perhaps he is anxious or lonely. Maybe he is feeling bored. Discovering the cause of the barking will help you figure out how to stop it. You may even need to consult a vet or a trainer to determine the cause in some cases.  

2. Reduce Barking Triggers

Once you have determined the cause, you need to reduce the trigger. For example, if your Cockapoo is barking at other dogs or people outside, then close the blinds. If the television or radio is triggering their barking, then turn those off. 

Depending on the cause of the barking, you can also either distract your Cockapoo or ignore their barking. If the dog is barking at the neighbors outside, distracting them may stop the barking immediately. Your Cockapoo will likely forget about the neighbors within seconds. 

If your Cockapoo is barking at you, he may very well want attention. Therefore, any attention will positively reinforce the behavior. Ignoring them will show them that their efforts are not working. 

You don’t have to eliminate the barking triggers permanently. This is just a method to reduce the problem until you reinforce calm behaviors in your dog.

3. Reinforce Calm Behavior

The best way to get your Cockapoo to stop unwanted behavior is to positively reinforce the desired behavior. Every time your dog calmly expresses their needs or stops barking, you should show positive reinforcement through treats, pets, and cuddles, or loving words and praise. 

Positive reinforcement is far more powerful than scolding or punishing when your Cockapoo is barking.

Negative reinforcement may not solve the problem and will only serve to make your dog fearful of you. Positive reinforcement will increase your Cockapoo’s desire to be calm. 

Cockapoos are great dogs that genuinely want to make their owners happy. When your Cockapoo sees how happy you are when they are calm, then he will continue that behavior to keep you happy.

Showing your Cockapoo how happy you are through positive reinforcement is a great way to encourage your Cockapoo to be calm and quiet. 

4. Be Consistent

The most important part about training your Cockapoo is consistency. Don’t just reward your dog’s calm behavior every once in a while.

Reward him every time he shows calm behavior around a previous trigger. Don’t just reduce barking triggers when you feel like it; reduce them every time, consistently, so you can stop this excessive barking behavior permanently. 

Furthermore, if you live in a home with others, they must be consistent with this training as well. Your Cockapoo won’t get the message to stop barking if some household members allow them and some don’t. Ensure your entire family is clear on how to reduce your dog’s triggers and positively reinforce good behaviors. 

5. Consult a Trainer or Vet

If all else fails, you should ask a professional for help. In some cases, your Cockapoo may just be stubborn about its barking habit. In other situations, your vet may need to get involved to check for possible medical problems. 

The only situations that may cause concern are if your Cockapoo is frequently scared or anxious, or in distress. Your vet may be able to determine the cause of your dog’s anxiety or stress, even if you can’t. Furthermore, they will know what to do to reduce your dog’s anxiety and make them happy pups again. 

If your Cockapoo is barking at nothing or for an undetermined reason, your vet may know the cause. As mentioned earlier, elderly dogs that bark at nothing are often diagnosed with dementia.

In rare cases, barking is a sign of a more rare medical condition. If this is the case, your vet will be able to evaluate your dog’s health and determine the cause. 

6. Do Not: Yell at or Abuse Your Dog

Excessive barking can be very annoying. However, it’s important not to scream, yell, or discipline your Cockapoo harshly. Even though barking is irritating, it is the most important way for a dog to communicate.

Yelling at your dog for expressing themselves will prevent them from being comfortable around you.

You only want to limit the problematic barking. You don’t want to force your dog to stop being a dog. 

Additionally, you don’t want to damage your relationship with your Cockapoo through harsh action, neglect, or abuse. Excessive barking is no reason to hurt your dog.

Positive reinforcement and consistent action should be enough to take care of your dog’s barking problem. If not, then you can discuss the situation with a vet or professional dog trainer. 

How To Stop Your Cockapoo From Barking at Other People

The first thing you want to do is determine why your Cockapoo barks at other people. Do they think they are a threat? Are they territorial? Or are they barking at them because they are excited? All these situations require varied solutions. 

The best way to stop a Cockapoo from barking at people is to show them that visitors are friends. You should Interact with your guests in obviously friendly and positive ways, employing treats and positive reinforcement. Inevitably, your dog will sense your tone and behavior and accept visitors to your home.

Another option is to bring people over more often. Many dogs are territorial or aggressive simply because they have not socialized with humans much.

Once your Cockapoo is socialized properly, he should show calmer and friendlier behaviors around visitors. Make sure to give positive reinforcement during successful interactions. 

If your Cockapoo barks incessantly at passersby, you may need to try other approaches. One option is to keep the blinds closed to prevent your dog from seeing pedestrians. However, you probably don’t want to keep your blinds closed all the time. 

You can also distract your dog to stop their barking, but this can become tedious or exhausting if you have to do this every time someone walks by the house.

Some owners train their dogs to go to a specific spot when they begin barking at strangers. If you decide on this, you should reward your dog when he goes to this spot and calms down. 

How To Stop Your Cockapoo From Barking at Other Dogs

Cockapoos may bark at other dogs because they feel playful and excited or because they are territorial or feel threatened. Whether your dog is friendly or not will determine how to approach this barking situation. 

Properly socializing your cockapoo is the best way to stop them from barking at other dogs. Many dogs bark aggressively simply because they have not had the opportunity to interact with other dogs. Ample playtime, regular walks, and frequenting dog parks are all excellent ways to socialize an aggressive dog.

You will need to train your Cockapoo to show their excitement more quietly if they are barking at other dogs due to excitement. You can do this by teaching him the command, “Quiet.” When your dog quiets down, reward him with a treat. 

Stop Your Cockapoo From Barking When Home Alone

If your Cockapoo starts barking once you leave them alone, they may be experiencing separation anxiety, boredom, or fear. 

Exercise is an excellent way to stop a cockapoo from barking when home alone. Dogs are calmer and have less energy for barking when exercised, sometimes even napping when you leave. In addition, providing toys and games to play with can reduce loneliness and boredom, resulting in less barking in your dog.

If your Cockapoo is lonely, try keeping some familiar sounds on while you’re out of the house. For example, you can keep the television or radio on to make them feel as though a human is present. 

If your Cockapoo shows severe separation anxiety or fear after you leave your home, talk to your vet about other ways to treat the situation. There may be underlying issues or conditions causing your pup’s anxiety which your vet will be able to figure out. 

Final Thoughts

Incessant barking is irritating. Luckily, there are many ways to deal with your Cockapoos barking.

To stop their barking, determine the cause, remove the trigger, reinforce positive behavior, and be consistent. Following these steps will ensure that your Cockapoo remains calm and barks less and can also be used to stop other unwanted behaviors. 

If these ideas don’t work for your dog, get a professional involved. In some cases, your Cockapoo may just be stubborn. In other cases, they may have an underlying condition or be in distress. A vet or trainer will be able to help you in these situations. 

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Brent Hartman

I'm Brent Hartman. I've been a dog lover my entire life and have owned many animals over the years. When my black lab Angus passed away, I was looking for another friend to share my life with. As a result of my research, I've come to love poodles and wanted to share some of what I've learned with you. Whether you're looking to adopt a poodle, or already own one, I created Poodle report to be the ultimate guide to help you find the answers you need.

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