The Watch-dog bark or Alert Barking occurs when your dog identifies an unfamiliar presence near their territory. The scene of the barking is usually near your window, terrace, balcony or front door when the doorbell rings, and sometimes even your car.
Alert barking is loud, persistent, and designed to get attention, specifically directed towards the object of interest, usually a new visitor in or around your house. Their body language often includes upright or forward-facing ears, a raised tail, a stiff posture, and an intense gaze.
This type of barking can occur due to multiple reasons including breed dispositions, lack of socialisation, and territorial behaviours due to general temperament. To address it, work with a canine professional to desensitise your dog to visitors, passing dogs, doorbells, or whatever the trigger may be. Instead of simply yelling a “no” or “quiet” command, redirecting your dog’s energies towards incompatible behaviours such as a place command, sniffing at a busy box, or holding a toy might be more productive.