How do I get my dog to stop barking at strangers when walking?

Hello Muditha, Recruit friends and family pup doesn't know to walk past them while on leash. Watch pup's body language and have the person stay far enough away that pup stays relaxed. As the person passes pup and pup is reacting well (don't reward while aggressive or acting fearful), then have the person toss several treats gently toward pup's paws and continue walking. Have lots of different people do this in lots of different place - without approaching pup after. You want pup to begin to associate the people with something fun happening and take the pressure of petting away at first before pup is ready for that part. As pup improves, have the people gradually decrease the distance between them and pup. Once pup can handle people walking right by and dropping treats, practice the protocol from the video linked below. The dog in that video has a history of aggression. In your case, pup is just lacking in socialization, so I wouldn't add in the discipline like Jeff does in the video, instead just focus on the rewards or interrupting pup with your voice if needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIJoEJfTS-E Finally, during all of this, practice desensitizing pup to handling and touch using their food. As often as you can, feed pup their meals one piece at a time. Gently touch pup in an area while feeding a piece of food. Touch their should - feed a piece. Touch their back - feed a piece. Touch an ear - feed a piece. Touch their collar - feed a piece. Touch their paw - feed a piece. Touch their belly - feed a piece. ect... Do it gently and start with areas pup is most comfortable and work up to the other areas as pup improves. When pup enjoys your touches, add in other people pup knows touching, like family members. When pup can handle that add in gentle strangers once pup has completed the other training and is more comfortable with strangers. Don't rush these things but do practice very often and with lots of different people. Watch pup's reaction and go at a pace where pup can stay relaxed - the goal isn't just for pup to act good but actually feel better about people - so pup staying relaxed and happy around people is what you want to reward, which will mean going at the pace or distance pup an handle. When pup is a little more comfortable with people, as soon as possible enroll pup in a puppy class. In order to be entered in a puppy class pup will need to be no older than 6 months, so don't wait long. Expect pup to bark a lot the first couple of classes, many puppies do. Often a puppy will hide and bark and watch the other puppies play for the first couple classes, then start to get curious and want to play themselves after a couple classes and pick one puppy to engage with. From there pup's social skills will usually grow until they are playing with multiple puppies by the end of the six weeks. Pup needs a lot of socialization as you know, and the best way for a puppy to get used to other dogs is with other puppies who have similar ways of interacting and playing, to learn social cues and confidence from. You likely won't find a class that meets every one of the criteria from the article below, but this article will at least give you an idea of what to look for, to get closer. Prioritize classes that have time for moderated off-leash puppy play, and a variety of puppies, instead of just one other puppy. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/puppy-classes-when-to-start/ You have to wait a while for some classes, so while you work on socialization with people, I would go ahead and find a class you want to do and potentially register for the future class to start. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

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Barking is a normal part of how dogs communicate. The bark can mean many different things but when it is excessive or at times you find it inappropriate then it can be a very annoying canine behavior.

There are a lot of negative consequences to barking that includes angry neighbors, decreased sleep, eviction, frustration, getting kicked out of rental units, anger or even legal action.

Barking at strangers is one of the poor dog behaviors that lead to dogs being given up for adoption, abandoned, rehomed or even euthanized. Barking dogs can also suffer from abuse.

Before evaluating excessive barking, let’s look at why do dogs bark.

Why Do Dogs Bark

The bark is one type of vocalization made by dogs, and others being howling and whining. The bark is a way dogs vocally communicate. Barking is normal. The bark can mean many different things depending on the context. A bark can communicate “hello”, “I missed you”, “a danger is near”, “I feel threatened”, “I’m lonely”, I heard something”, “where are you”, “stay away”, or “I’m scared” or “let’s play!”

Some dogs are more vocal and bark more frequently than others. This can vary by breed and by the dog. Dog breeds that tend to be bigger barkers than others include Beagles, fox terriers, Yorkshire terriers (Yorkie), miniature schnauzers, West Highland white terriers (Westie), chihuahuas, bloodhounds, basset hounds, Scottish terriers, German shepherds, and Shetland sheepdogs. Dogs that are less inclined to bark are greyhounds, King Charles cavalier spaniels, whippets, and Basenjis.

Why Do Dogs EXCESSIVELY Bark

Barking can be acceptable or even good unless it is excessive. Then it is considered a behavioral problem. It is important to determine the underlying cause of the excessive barking to best deal with the problem.

Some dogs bark due to separation anxiety, to receive attention, as part of their play behavior, to communicate needs such as “I have to go out” or “I want a treat”, medical problems, and as a reaction to specific stimuli such as noises, other dogs, other animals such as cats or wildlife, delivery people, and/or unfamiliar noises.

When a dog barks at strangers, it is generally an arousal response as a way to communicate an alert, a way to show fear, or as an act of protection. This bark can be reinforced by your behavior, by other dogs barking, or can even be self-reinforced as dogs will wind themselves up.

Dogs that bark at strangers can be demonstrating territorial barking. This type of barking can occur when your dog sees strangers as a possible threat. While a bark that communicates an alert may be ok, some dogs overdo it. This is especially true in dogs who are fearful and anxious as they tend to be more reactive. Dogs with fears and anxiety will often bark at just about anything and can take a while to settle down.

How to Stop your Dog from Barking at Strangers

Some behaviorists called “barking at strangers” as alarm barking or territorial barking. Some tips on how to stop your dog from barking at strangers include:

1. Promote wellness. Ensure your dog has a good wellness schedule. Ensure that he is physically getting everything he needs including good nutrition, flea and tick prevention, and recommended vaccinations to prevent disease. A healthy dog is a more content dog.  Learn more about How to Promote Dog Wellness.
2. Exercise. It is important that dogs get enough exercise. A healthy dog that gets exercise is generally healthy and has fewer behavioral problems. Learn about 8 Different Ways to Exercise Your Dog.
3. Train. Dogs are pack dogs and respond to a leader. It is critical for you to be the pack leader to minimize behavioral issues in your home. If your dog knows basic commands such as come, sit, stay, you can also train “no bark”.
4. Train No Bark. You can provide positive reinforcement to your dog for silence.  You can do this by training “No bark” when there is barking and no stranger around. Next, have a stranger approach. As they do, the stranger stops in their tracks. When your dog stops barking, your dog gets a reward. This can take time but can be effective.
5. To stop your dog from barking at strangers, let it bark 3-4 times, then stand over it and calmly give it the command, “Quiet.” Go to your dog and gently hold its muzzle closed with your hand and say “Quiet” again, then release its muzzle and step back.
6. Negative Reinforcement. Although behaviorists prefer positive reinforcement for good behavior, some dogs do respond better to negative reinforcement. There are bark collars that spray citronella that can be a barking deterrent. There are also ultrasonic devices that automatically emit a sound only detectable by dogs in response to barking.
7. Barriers. You can also create barriers such as cover windows, build a solid fence as options to prevent dogs from seeing the strangers and barking.
8. Behaviorist. One very good option for dogs, especially those with barking and anxiety, is to seek the support and guidance of a trained veterinary behaviorist. This can help you identify triggers and support you in ways to help your individual situation.

We hope these tips help you with how to stop your dog from barking at strangers.

Additional Articles that May be of Interest About How to Stop your Dog from Barking at Strangers

If you believe your dog is barking simply to get your attention, try to ignore them. Regular exercise and the use of puzzle toys can keep your dog occupied during a work call or when you're watching TV. Preventing your dog from barking in the first place — by tiring them out or giving them something to do — is easier than trying to get them to stop barking.

When your dog barks when confined

• If you use a crate or a gated room when you leave the home or have visitors over, be mindful not to let them out of the room or crate when they're barking. Again, the use of puzzle toys and ample exercise before they are confined can really curb their barking. If they are barking, wait until they've stopped — even for a second — to open the crate door or gate or to reward them with a treat or fresh puzzle toy.
• As they catch on that being quiet gets them a treat, lengthen the amount of time they must remain quiet before being rewarded.
• Keep it fun by varying the amount of time. Sometimes reward them after five seconds, then 12 seconds, then three seconds, then 20 seconds and so on.

Desensitize your dog to the stimulus

If your dog barks at specific triggers, gradually get your dog accustomed to whatever is causing them to bark. Start with the stimulus (the thing that makes them bark) at a distance. It must be far enough away that they don't bark when they see it. Feed them lots of good treats for maintaining eye contact with you and not barking. Move the stimulus a little closer (perhaps as little as a few inches or a few feet to start) and feed treats. If your dog starts barking, you ‘ve gotten too close to the stimulus.

Don ‘t be stingy with treats. For example, if you need to pass by another dog on your dog walk, keep some high-value treats in your hand and feed them constantly as you walk quickly by the other dog and then stop once there is enough distance between your dog and the other dog.

when your dog barks at other dogs

• Have a friend with a dog stand out of sight or far enough away so your dog won't bark at the other dog.
• As your friend and their dog come into view, start feeding your dog treats.
• Stop feeding treats as soon as your friend and their dog disappear from view.
• Repeat the process multiple times.
• Remember not to try to progress too quickly as it may take days or weeks before your dog can pay attention to you and the treats without barking at the other dog.
• If you are struggling with your dog ‘s barking around strangers or other dogs, seek out the help of a positive-reinforcement based dog trainer.

Ask your dog for an incompatible behavior

When your dog starts barking, ask them to do something that's incompatible with barking. Teaching your dog to react to barking stimuli with something that inhibits them from barking, such as lying down on their bed.

When your dog barks at visitors at the door

• Toss a treat on their bed and ask them to "go to your bed."
• When they're reliably going to their bed to earn a treat, up the ante by opening the door while they're on their bed. If they get up, close the door immediately.
• Repeat until they stay in bed while the door opens.
• Then increase the difficulty by having someone ring the doorbell while your dog is in bed. Reward them for staying in place. You may need to keep a leash on your dog so you can help guide them to their bed when visitors come in.

Keep your dog tired

Make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a dog who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on their, age and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys.

Contact a certified professional dog trainer

If you believe your dog is barking reactively to strangers, family members or other dogs, or if the above tips prove unsuccessful, consider reaching out to a certified professional dog trainer for help.