It seemed like it was almost non-stop. I guess it wasn't; it just seemed like it. Hour upon hour it was incessant. I kept thinking at some point he'd get tired--I know I was. From the moment I walked up to the house, and most of the night, the dog just barked. It wasn't a deep "I'll rip you to shreds" bark, but a yappy, "I'm kind-of-scared" bark. It didn't seem to have anything to do with me since I'm pretty quiet. He had to be making his owners nuts, if they were even there. Someone suggested earplugs, though I confess I was thinking more along the lines of weaponry, like muzzles and shotguns. Really, it was quite annoying.
It seems that there are a number of people who spend their days barking too. Regardless of what is going on, they complain, grouse, and are generally unhappy. On and on they drone, forcing others to hear them whether they want to or not. It's a "look at me and be afraid" kind of bark. They push others away with their noise, protecting their territory. Insert presidential candidate of your choice here.
But what I know about this kind of behavior is that mostly such people are just scared. They are afraid of anything threatens their comfort zone, and push people away before they even have a chance to get close. They think it's safer to keep people at a distance so they can't get hurt.
In my experience though, they really do want to make friends. They are just afraid of intimacy. Perhaps it's because they have been hurt before or never known kindness and love. A kind word or two, and a scratch behind the ears will usually calm their fears. It just takes a more cautious approach. It's easy to say "wag more, bark less," but it takes the kindness and love of another to truly help allay their fears. Without it, they will just keep barking away.
To borrow from Barbara Woodhouse, there is no such thing as a bad person. Love, kindness and faith will help them, and you, to make a kinder, gentler world. The phrase, "kill them with kindness" is better than using your own weapons.
But keep the earplugs handy, just in case.