How do I get my dog to stop barking when meeting other dogs?

If you have a dog with a barking problem, you need to first identify why the dog is barking in the first place. But knowing the why is crucially important when you want to change a dog’s behavior. In Copper’s case, he was uncomfortable around other dogs. Whenever he barked at other dogs, they went away, making him think the barking behavior worked. An easy to stop dog barking is to create a positive association with whatever it is that they are barking at. By creating a situation where Cooper was comfortable being around the other dog by managing the distance, we were able to give him treats while looking at the other dog. Basically we were rewarding him for looking at and not barking at the other dog. This is a great way to stop dog barking if you make sure that you are monitoring the situation properly. The goal is for the dog to practice being around the other dog without barking because the human is managing the situation (keeping enough distance) to make sure the dog feels comfortable. While the engage disengage game rewards the dog for looking at another dog without barking, I also mentioned how to use counter conditioning. This involves giving the dog treats over and over again while they are around whatever it was that made them fearful, but far enough away so the dog doesn’t feel the need to respond or bark. Both of these methods are excellent ways to stop dogs from barking at other dogs. I recommended the guardian continue to practice avoidance; crossing the street or going in the other direction when she sees a dog and is not ready to play the engage disengage game. I made sure to point out to the guardian that this exercise is a very intense emotional response, and that she should practice in short successful sessions.

If your dog is displaying behaviours such as barking, you should arrange to see your vet as there may be a physical cause for the behaviour. It’s common for dogs to react this way if they’re in pain, it’s their way of warning others to back off to protect themselves from further harm. Many dogs are anxious about interactions with others as they didn’t get appropriate social experiences. Another reason might be that they are highly sociable and enjoy playing with dogs, so if they’re on a lead and spot another dog, this causes over-excitement, resulting in frustration which is expressed as barking. Always consider the emotional state of your canine companion when out and about. He or she can only learn if they are calm and not in a distressed state or jumping around in excitement. If you’re ever concerned, increase the distance between you and the other dog so they’re not distracted. Keep your dog on a lead and walk or train them where others are also on lead and under control. Consider muzzle training your dog.