Top 8 Soundproofing Methods Against Dog Barking!

Let’s face it, dogs can be pretty loud, especially puppies that haven’t been trained yet. The following tips are for both dog owners and neighbors who need to stop dog barking noise.

So regardless of which side of the wall you happen to be, you will find some very effective ways to eliminate or drastically reduce the dog barking noise with these home modifications.

1. Dog barking is airborne noise and it’s easy to block

Airborne noise is transmitted through air (loud TV, yelling, barking..) while impact noise resonates on the hard surfaces and causes vibration. Construction sites are a prime example.

It’s much easier to block airborne noise because it doesn’t require reconstructing a wall, a door or any other barrier to add soundproofing materials inside the structure. You can simply thicken these barriers from the outside by applying the material directly on the surface.

If the wall is already complete, reaching the studs would require tearing it down first. With airborne noise this is often unnecessary. You can simply install soundproofing panels on the wall surface, install extra drywall, move heavy furniture in the area etc.

Unless of course the wall is currently under construction. In that case I highly recommend adding rockwool batts (affiliate link) and perhaps MLV (aff link) directly on the studs, since it wouldn’t be as difficult and it would block all noises to a larger extent.

2. Soundproof the dog crate or kennel

Soundproofing a dog crate or a kennel is not REALLY possible but people are googling this question all the time and I want to give you a straight answer.

It can’t work because full soundproofing involves also hermetically sealing an area so that no air can pass through. A wall is a hermetically sealed structure so to speak. If there were holes in a wall it would leak even the slightest of sounds. But with a living creature inside a dog crate requiring oxygen it’s obviously not the brightest idea in the world to seal it with walls.

However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t muffle the sound to a significant extent. You can cover the crate/kennel with soundproofing materials all around, while leaving one side of it open for air. By doing so you can contain the noise to some degree and prevent it from moving in all directions.

Effective materials for covering a dog crate or kennel are mass loaded vinyl, soundproofing panels and thick moving blankets (aff links).These are the same materials you would typically use on a wall. There are also professional dog crate covers available. Of course, you’re not limited to just one option, feel free to combine them to maximize noise-reduction.

Having said that, moving blankets are perhaps the easiest option since you can just spread one across the surface. If it’s not doing the best job, fold it to double its effectiveness or add more blankets. You can just as easily remove them at any time and put them to use for some other noise-reduction project or for moving furniture.

Learn more: How to soundproof a dog crate

3. Use dense soundproofing panels

Don’t get me wrong, soundproofing panels are effective, practical and some are pretty affordable. So I recommend you use them for this project.

But choose wisely. Those foam panels that have an egg crate or similar design are not really effective at blocking noise. They’re typically used to improve the acoustics in the room by preventing the sounds from bouncing off the hard wall surfaces. They don’t block sound well because they’re not dense enough.

In order to block dog barking you need a barrier with a high density so that the sound can’t pass through easily. It’s like a dense spider web vs a loose spider web. Which one is more likely to trap a fly? Correct. So here are my top 6 soundproofing panel recommendations, feel free to use them!

4. Seal all gaps, cracks and holes in the walls, doors and windows

Air is the vehicle by which airborne noise travels. If you can block air, you can contain the dog barking to a single area. Cup your hands and try talking. It’s already quieter! Now apply this logic to your doors, walls and windows.

• Seal off any holes and cracks in the wall or cover them with soundproofing panels and/or heavy furniture.
• Seal the gaps in the door and window with foam insulation tape (aff link). That’s the gap on the frame, which is apparent when the door is closed. Alternatively, apply polyurethane caulk with a caulking gun.
• Also cover the under-door gap with a rubber door sweep (aff link).
• A large, gaping keyhole is another overlooked area. At least place a key in it, or stuff it with paper.

Even a millimeter wide gap that is as long and as wide as a door or a window can make a huge difference so do your best to cover all of these areas.

5. Hang noise-reducing curtains on the window

These types of curtains are thick and fairly heavy so they’re effective sound and thermal insulators. For best results get curtains that are heavy, as well as wider and longer than the window so that more of the area is covered.

These are my curtain recommendations. You can also double your soundproofing efforts by getting a double curtain rod (aff link) and hanging two curtains at once.

Moving blankets can be used for the same purpose but they don’t look as nice and there’s no price difference anyway. But if you have some laying around already, might as well use them as a temporary solution.

6. Move your bed away from the noise source

If the dog barking is coming from the outside, move your bed away from the window. If it’s coming from the left, move it to the right. Distance makes a difference.

7. Use large pieces of furniture to muffle the noise

Move large pieces of furniture closer to the noisy area in order to create an extra barrier. Large bookshelves and closets are ideal candidates. Finally the many items of clothing and dusty books can come in handy!

8. Cover the floor with carpet or underlayment

If the dog barking is coming through the floor, carpets and rugs are the most simple and affordable noise barrier available. The thicker the better. Unfortunately, all other floor soundproofing projects such as installing subflooring require a larger investment and reconstruction by adding material under the floor surface.

Learn more: How to soundproof floors: Top 3 Ways

Final Word on Soundproofing Against Dog Barking

Dog barking can be really annoying as I’m sure you’re quite aware. To minimize your project expenses focus on the main barrier that separates you from the dog.

Invest your maximum effort and resources to improve this barrier with dense materials along with sealing off any gaps and cracks. If the barking is coming from outside, the window is often the weakest link and noise-blocking curtains should be your first line of defense.

So I hope this helps. Make sure to check out the links provided throughout this article for the best soundproofing methods and products. Good luck.