How do I stop my dog from chasing strangers?

When working with dogs with behavior issues, its important to realize that all dog behavior is trying to achieve something. In Zuma‘s case, I believe he is trying to get people to go away by acting in a reactive manner. It is not uncommon for under socialized dogs to feel insecure around new people. Anytime you have a dog that is acting aggressive to people it doesn’t know, it’s important to understand that the dog is not thinking in a clear frame of mind. While many people force their dog to sit, or speak to it as if the dog is acting intentionally, the best thing to do is increase the distance between it and whatever it is reacting to. Outdoor greetings are a great way to introduce someone to a dog who acts aggressive to strangers. If the dog starts barking lunging or showing other signs of being uncomfortable, you should increase the distance and try again later. I recommended that they practice this technique often, but arrange for a very short visits. It’s more important that the dog has a positive experience without reacting than the length of the visit.

Try to avoid situations with lots of strangers. The first thing to do is try to minimise the number of situations where your dog encounters people and feels the need to react. When you are out on walks, try to maintain the distance from people that your dog is comfortable with. This might involve safely crossing the road so that strangers don’t try to approach them head-on, walking on quieter routes, or going out at quieter times. Consider using a muzzle. A muzzle often acts as a visual aid to indicate to people that they should give your dog extra space. That extra space can be useful for a dog who's not comfortable with strangers. Find your dog's “bubble”. It’s useful to understand the smallest distance from a person that your dog is happy with. To do this, imagine your dog has a bubble of personal space around them. Each dog's bubble will be a different size and their bubble will change in size throughout the day depending on how calm or relaxed they are. Stay calm and try not to pull on the lead. Try to remain calm and relaxed and don't anticipate stress before it happens. If your dog feels like they don't have any other options, they will react more, which will trigger a bigger response. Change your dog's response to people using rewards. To change your dog's reaction to new people, you want to change the emotion that your dog feels when they see someone new. With treats in your hand, head out for a walk. As you walk, watch your dog carefully and as soon as they notice a person, calmly acknowledge that they have seen them with a marker word such as ‘yes’ or ‘good,’ and then reward them with a treat. Ideally as you give the reward you want to keep encouraging them and also move your dog away from the stranger.

Stopping a dog from lunging at people is all about making sure the dog feels comfortable and confident. If the dog’s handler manages the situation by helping the dog move away from things before it gets startled or fearful, it is essentially practicing not reacting to strangers. This is a version of something called BAT or Behavior Adjustment Training and its a great way to help a dog who lunges at people. Most dogs bark or lunge at people to get them to move away. Before the lunge, dogs will usually give a number of indicators that they are uncomfortable; freezing, breathing heavily or holding their breath, staring with a closed mouth, going from an open mouth to a closed mouth, burying teeth, growling or trying to move away. If you spot a dog offering any of these indicators, immediately play the find it game or call them away from whatever it is they are looking at. If necessary, you can pull them away on the leash, but this should be your last resort. Tossing the treats on the ground is a great way to stop dog from acting aggressive to people because they often sniff for other things that they detect on the ground when they’re looking for the treat. You want to make sure its a wide open place that isnt too busy, and sniffing is a displacement behavior that can calm down many fearful or anxious dogs, so green space is important. Once your dog has learned to search for things hearing the “find it” cue, you can preemptively stop your dog from barking or lunging at people by tossing the treats away from whatever it is you know your dog’s going to react to. They key is to do this the instant your dog starts to feel anxious or uncomfortable. If you wait too long, the find it wont work.

Whenever your dog sees a stranger and doesn't bark, reward them with a treat or affection. By creating positive associations with seeing new people, your dog learns that staying calm leads to rewards. Consistent training sessions will help reinforce this behaviour. The quiet method involves teaching your dog to stop barking on command. When your dog begins barking at a stranger, calmly say "quiet" and wait for them to stop barking. Once your dog stops, immediately reward them. Over time, your dog will associate the command with the action of quieting down, helping to reduce barking when someone new appears. If your dog's barking is due to fear, gradually increasing human interaction can help. Start by having a friend or family member walk past your home or garden from a distance. Reward your dog for staying calm. Distraction can be an effective tactic. When your dog sees a stranger and barks, gently hold their favourite toy or use a high pitch noise device to divert their attention. This draws your dog's attention away from the stranger and onto you, allowing you to refocus their energy. Once you have their focus, reward them for stopping the barking. If you're struggling with how to stop your dog from barking, it might be worth consulting a professional dog trainer. They can assess your dog's behaviour and create tailored training techniques specific to your dog's needs. Walk the Walk Commit to as many walks as you can with different routes to expose your dog to various environments and people. This regular exposure can prevent barking as your dog becomes accustomed to different scenarios. Understanding Body Language Learn to read your dog's body language to better anticipate their reactions and attempt to step in before your dog starts barking. Stay Calm and Confident Dogs are incredibly perceptive to their owner's moods. Staying calm during encounters with strangers will reassure your dog and prevent them from feeling the need to alert or protect excessively.

Non-retractable leash, stop walking when he pulls and treats when he stays close. He's wary of new people in general and will bark at visitors for a few seconds to half a minute after which he will love them. He works great with other dogs and people at the dog park too. Make sure you check out our WIKI for recommended resources and articles about common problems.