How to Stop My Dog From Barking at People
Does your dog bark at everyone? Do you dread walking around the block because your dog bothers your neighbors? Are you tired of your dog barking at all the squirrels in the front yard? If you’ve been wondering about how to stop your dog from barking at people, you’re in luck. Having your dog not bark at others is something you can easily train your dog not to do. It just takes a bit of work and you’ll have a well-behaved dog in no time.
Why is My Dog Barking at People?
Barking at people is not all bad. Actually, that’s a guard dog’s job. Your dog might believe he’s protecting you from intruders. Or your dog may really want to chase after some birds in the backyard. If you want to know how to stop your dog from barking, you’ve got to get to the source of the barking. Why is your dog barking? Once you’re able to answer that question, you’ll better be able to train your dog out of the habit.
Barking at Guests
If your dog is barking when people come to the door, there are likely two possibilities for why they’re barking. One reason for barking could be because they are excited. If a family member or friend is at the door, and your dog has spent time with them before, it makes sense that they’d bark. They know that a friend just came over and your dog is probably just as excited as you are to see them.
The other reason that your dog might be barking at guests is to make them go away. Your dog knows that their bark is a natural deterrent. If your dog is barking at someone who comes to your door, they must think that this person is not welcome. If you are trying to train your dog to stop barking at guests, a first step might be to physically separate your dog from the guest. If you are expecting company, let your dog lie down in their crate and let their excitement fade a bit.
If you have an unexpected guest, it’s likely best to train your dog to perform a different action. Tell them to lie down in a specific location. Give them treats each time they follow your directions too. Eventually, your dog will learn that the doorbell means they should lie in their spot for some treats. Then treat them again after your guest comes in to a calm dog. It might take a while to learn, but the best thing to do is practice, so recruit some friends to help your dog practice.
Barking at Strangers
If your dog barks at every person who passes while on a walk, they probably feel stranger danger. This is made worse when you put a leash on your dog too. Seeing a stranger may trigger a fight or flight mechanism, and a leashed dog can’t run. This means their only option is to fight off the stranger.
To train them out of this issue, you have to practice at bringing your dog near their stranger limit, but not to exceed it. Just seeing a stranger can put your dog on high alert, but you don’t want them to react. If your dog looks at the stranger, give them a treat. They engaged with the stimulus but didn’t bark. By giving them a treat, you teach them to look to you anytime they see a stranger. Eventually, you won’t need to reward them with a treat every time they don’t bark at someone. Just remember that practice makes perfect.
Barking Through the Windows
If you find that your dog is barking at everything outside your window, there are a few ways you can help stop that. The first way would be to simply block their view. The more they bark at people or other animals, the better they get at it and the more normal it is to bark. If you block their view, it’s no longer the ‘normal’ thing to bark at others. Along with blocking their view, consider making some white noise to block outside noises too.
You can also try to play your dog sounds that triggers them. If they bark at the sound of a truck backing up, find an example of that. Play this sound at home, but do it at such a low level that they don’t even respond to it. You can even give your dog something to do like a puzzle treat or a game.
Another trick to use is teaching your dog the word ‘enough.” When your dog is not currently barking at anything, say enough and toss a few small treats on the floor. Practicing this many times will teach your dog to look at the floor when you say enough. This can give you the chance to distract them from their stimulus.
Barking at Me
If you find your dog is barking at you, it’s because they want your attention. It’s really easy to want to snuggle up with your dog, even if they are whimpering or barking at you. The problem with this is that you then teach them that they get pets when they bark.
The best way to get around this is to stop the behavior in the first place. For the most part, your dog will bark at you when they’re bored. They’re trying to tell you that they need some excitement. Therefore, step one would be to give them some exercise or some social time with other dogs. Giving them some enrichment is going to make them better behaved in almost all aspects of their life as well.
Final Tips to Stop a Dog from Barking
We’ll leave you with these tips to remember when trying to train your dog to stop barking.
- Don’t yell; it sounds like you’re barking too.
- Keep your training sessions short and positive.
- Stay consistent otherwise you’ll just confuse your dog.
Keep working with your dog even if they continue to bark. Eventually, they’ll figure out when it’s appropriate and inappropriate to bark.