From a dog’s perspective, another dog that he does not know and is walking straight toward him may be considered a threat. Your dog is keen to protect his territory by telling the other dog to keep its distance. In a way, they are trying to create space between themselves and the other dog who is perceived as an intruder.
Unfortunately, events like these are hard to avoid since pathways are made to be so narrow, and almost always humans and their pets come head to head as they pass each other.
In this guide, we will provide tips on how to indirectly correct this behavior and eventually create other outlets for your dog. This is so that he may learn to appropriately socialize, even with strangers.
Why Is It Important to Control Excessive Barking?
A constantly reactive dog can turn into a nuisance every time he goes out, making the walk less enjoyable for everyone else including the owner.
On the other hand, If we take the time to train him not to be too aggressive by teaching him how to be calm, it will always do wonders for you and your dog’s physical and mental health. We can reduce uncontrolled barking by increasing the desired behavior of your dog as he learns to be calmer and more friendly.
Bear in mind that it’s not possible to completely remove the natural territorial instinct from your pet, but instead, you can manage it and replace it with better sociable behaviors. So, don’t get frustrated when after training he doesn’t execute 100% of the time. Most dogs like being vigorous and intense at times.
The best way to go about solving your dog’s lunging and excessive barking is through proper training and positive reinforcement. Even if punishment may also stop him, redirecting instead of correcting your dog for this particular skill is the better option.
Lastly, you can also do some quick fixes just to remedy a barking situation as it comes. These quick fixes come in handy, especially when your dog seems to have forgotten his training.
Two Types of Solutions to the Problem:
- Short-term Fix
- Avoidance Training for Long-Term Results
You can choose from either of the two, what is important is that you accurately identify the cause and apply the right solution. Some of the short-term fixes may fix the problem long-term.
How to Train Your Dog to Stop Barking At Other Dogs
This training will teach your dog how to ignore other dogs as well as be friendly enough to socialize instead of barking and being aggressive. The goal is to have your dog learn a different desired behavior which you can achieve by being proactive as well as using positive reinforcement.
The Avoidance Method (for long-term results)
Step 1: Prepare High-Value Treats in Smaller Pieces
Prepare plenty of small treats to take with you on that regularly scheduled walk with your dog. To increase attention and to retain whatever your dog will learn in this particular training you may want to go with high-value treats such as cheese and pieces of roast chicken. Make sure to keep the pieces small so the reward sessions will last longer than usual.
Step 2: Capture Desired Behavior and Reward It
Put him on a leash as you get out of the house and onto the walkway. Walk your dog as normal, then capture and reward your dog’s behavior for simple actions like looking at you. The goal is to teach your dog to pay attention to you most of the time when you are on a walk.
Don’t give any command, just wait patiently until he looks at you. When he does, click your clicker to mark the action or say “yes” as a verbal marker followed up with a treat. Reward him consistently every time he checks on you.
Repeat the exercise until your dog gets used to looking up at you often enough to make eye contact.
Step 3: Avoid Other Dogs
When encountering another dog that could potentially become a perceived threat, immediately turn around and change direction to distract your dog from engaging the other animal. As he obeys and follows your lead, mark and reward your dog by giving him a high-value treat and enthusiastic verbal praise.
Repeat the exercise until checking on you becomes a habit for your dog. Keeping his focus on you will relax your dog and give him the chance to ignore other dogs. Note the behavior replacement as you are teaching your dog a new trick instead of resorting to correction after the behavior.
Pro tip
Although other skills/tricks may work well when correction is used, this particular skill requires the avoidance method for effectiveness.
What this method does is just merely modify an instinct that is natural and inherent in your dog. Proactive and positive reinforcement comes in as a very good training method to modify, but not eliminate a core trait of your dog. Although you might still see some minor reactions, they can quickly dissipate as a result of being trained for the long term.
Step 4: Desensitize Your Dog
Take your dog to a good viewing spot where he can see other dogs at a distance. Make sure it’s a place where they don’t meet head-on. Ideally, a good 20-30 feet away from each other will suffice. Go to that designated place each training session and stay there for about five minutes with your feet planted firmly on the ground.
Do not cue your dog. Wait for him to check on you after seeing the other dogs. Immediately mark and reward every time he checks in on you and doesn’t bark. This procedure is called counter-conditioning wherein it changes your dog’s physiological response to these triggers.
Repeat the exercise until your dog finally learns to ignore the triggers.
Step 5: It’s Now Time to Proof Your Dog
Assuming that you have spent a reasonable amount of time and effort doing the first 4 steps, it will be safe to assume that it may have taken at least 1 or two weeks per step (depending on your dog’s progress) to complete all four. Your dog is now ready to be tested in an actual encounter with another dog.
Always remember, the goal is not to eliminate his core trait of wanting to protect his territory but to reduce the intensity and increase the habit of the replacement behavior.
Repeat the exercise until your dog learns to sniff first before barking, or maybe not bark at all.
Step 6: Do the Same Avoidance Method Inside the House with a Twist
It is normal for your dog to instinctively protect his house. However, if he barks at anything and everything that he sees out of the window, it’s time to replace that behavior with a more calm and relaxed demeanor.
- Remove your dog’s access to your window so your dog won’t have to see everything that comes around the corner (quick fix)
- Use the isolation method. This method involves you the owner, taking over the role of protector over the territory. (long-term results)
Use yourself as an example for your dog to keep calm. Every time he sees something outside and barks, lead him off from the door or window using the leash and look out the window yourself. Make him see that you are looking out calmly – your dog will likely pick up on your body language and start being calm too.
Isolate him in another part of the house for about 5 minutes, just enough for him to remember, then bring him back out.
Repeat the exercise every time your dog barks excessively at something outside. Remember to look outside while keeping a calm demeanor. Do the isolation exercise until your dog gradually reduces his bad habits.
Read also: An Off-Leash Dog Approaches Me and My Dog |What Should I Do?
What are Some of the Causes of Excessive Barking?
Cause #1 Territory
Dogs are naturally territorial and tend to defend areas that they believe they have a responsibility to protect. The most natural reaction they have when they encounter another dog is to be more on the defensive side rather than curiosity. Depending on a dog’s reactivity level, he either avoids the other dog or tells him off by barking loudly. In some cases, they bark to investigate.
Scenarios like these only get aggressive when the other dog is in the same nervous defensive state as your dog is. He’d want to get nearer to the other dog, pulling even harder on the leash. Anything else beyond that depends on the two dogs.
Short term fix
Leave the place to avoid further confrontation Simply show your dog other things that might interest him. You will be redirecting your dog to another route. This temporarily solves the problem, but you will have to eventually engage your dog in avoidance training later on.
Cause #2 The Inability to Get Away or Come Closer to the Perceived Threat
When your dog is kept in restraint like being on a leash, or maybe being inside his crate, seeing another dog may bring up feelings of frustration that he cannot escape or go forward to confront the other dog. He then resorts to lunging and barking aggressively trying to tell the other dog to go away. Whenever he sees that the other dog moves away or responds to his barking, he is likely to repeat it. And as time goes by, the barking will only get louder.
Short term fix
- Crate: Avoid frustrating your dog by putting his crate in places where he can see other dogs enjoying a walk.
- Being On a Leash: Using the leash, leave the area whenever possible. Avoidance is one of the ways to control your dog’s barking as it will also calm him down.
Long Term Method
Training your dog with the complete avoidance method can create lasting desired behavior which can make your dog a calmer and more social animal.
The goal here is to add skills such as being able to approach other dogs without being afraid or aggressive and maybe eventually playing with them too. This type of training requires more time and patience as it is meant to create lasting results that could somehow teach your dog to control part of his impulses.
Cause #3 Your Dog Is Not Socialized Enough
Some dogs rarely see other dogs for various reasons. Let’s have a look at two main reasons and some short-term fixes that can help you reduce the barking during the walks.
1. Lack of consistency in socializing with other dogs.
If in the past you allowed your dog to say hi to other puppy dogs, and for some reason you no longer do, this inevitably creates frustration. It could be that you are now a little bit concerned about the adult dogs and restrains your dog’s ability to make new friends.
Be consistent with how and when you let your dog go near other dogs. It would be better to feed his curiosity and allow him to make some mistakes than to be too overprotective. Of course, dogs that are known to have a history of aggression must be avoided.
2. The dog is Kept in the Kennel For Most of the Day
If your dog spends most of its time in the kennel without human contact, the dog may be even more nervous outside of it. Chances are, they become very reactive by either wanting to lunge or get away from other dogs at first sight.
If being kept in the kennel is unavoidable, schedule at least 3 days a week of walking your dog regularly. Walk him. This will give your dog a chance to release that pent-up energy.
As with all other things that you might want to change, correcting your dog’s behavior before it happens is better than waiting for it to happen. Proactive action allows you to establish a habit without having to struggle with overcoming an old one.
Read also: How to Train a Dog Not to Pull on the Leash | a Step-by-Step Guide
Cause #4 Your Dog Could Be Anxious Because of Previous Bad Experiences
For example, your dog becomes aggressive at another dog that is behind the fence. He might have experienced being ganged up on by a group of dogs barking behind a fence.
Try to get your dog a calmer dog partner that will help him or her become friendly to other dogs again. Reward him with treats as he learns to interact with the more relaxed dog. If your next-door neighbor is kind enough to let his “nice” dog play with yours, go ahead and do so. Reward your dog for small interactions as well as big ones.
Cause #5 Your Dog Might Just Be Naturally Excited
Dealing with an excited dog pretty much depends on how much an owner can tolerate things. If your dog is a happy easy-going furball that could hardly hurt a small kitten, it could be a cause for concern if he suddenly gets aggressive, or overly anxious.
You may want to ask yourself: Does your dog need training? Or are these one of those times when other dogs or something else might be the reason that is making your dog afraid or angry?
On the other hand, if your dog is the more sensitive type and is easily aroused and threatened, then he might have to undergo desensitization training. This is because you couldn’t spend all your walking time avoiding all the other people or dogs that you may encounter. The same goes for dogs who are of the median personality but are still easily aroused by another dog even at a distance.
How Do I Know If My Dog is Overly Aroused?
Note the stiff posture with legs splayed open like it is ready to bolt. Its tail can also be up straight and stiff. When your dog is overly aroused, he could either become more aggressive and the barking can become more intense, or he will revert to a normal state where he is relaxed and playful.
What is Reactivity?
Reactivity is a term that dog trainers use to describe and label how much your dog reacts to people and other animals in everyday situations. Every dog is unique in its level and intensity of reactivity.
Reactions are classified as:
- Growling
- Barking
- Lunging
- Pulling the leash toward the perceived threat
- Biting
Levels of Reactivity According to Rising Levels of Intensity
- Excited
- Anxious or scared
- Overly Excited
- Aggressive
It is important to note that sometimes being overly excited and being aggressive may look like the same thing. You may think that your dog is angry but he may just really be so excited to see another dog and can’t wait to approach him.
Some of the obvious signs that your dog is not happy are bared teeth, growling between loud barkings, and a really hard tug on the leash. If your dog salivates as he is calling out to the other dog, it’s time to change paths.
Related: How to Teach Your Dog to “Leave It”
TROUBLESHOOTING: What Not to Do When Training Your Dog
- If your dog becomes annoying, don’t reward him with any attention that will convince him that he is getting something out of his actions. He will continue doing it only because he gets a reward from you.
- Avoid using shock collars as it will cause your dog to become anxious and become an emotional wreck in the long term. Using an electric collar can have negative effects on your dog. Use high-value treats instead.
How Long Does It Take to Train a Dog to Break the Habit?
Since this skill involves teaching your dog to unlearn an unwanted behavior, more time and some effort will be required as compared to some basic skills like “sit”.
Do this for about 1-2 weeks per step mentioned in this guide. But then again, it will depend on the trainability factor of your dog. Some breeds adjust faster than others. Track your dog’s progress and adjust accordingly.
Puppy: You can start training your puppy at 7-8 weeks of age. Train 3 times a week at 2-3 times a day, 5 minutes per session. The shorter attention span of your puppy will require more patience and possibly more time.
Adult Dog: You can also train your adult dog 3 times a week, with 2-3 sessions a day, working for 15 minutes per session. Level up on the steps according to your dog’s progress.
Senior Dog: Just like any other dog, you can always teach an older dog to stop excessive barking. However, you must first discover why your dog barks at other dogs so that you will be able to fix the problem accurately.