How to stop a dog from barking when meeting strangers

Barking is your dog’s way of communicating with you. As an owner, you probably appreciate dogs barking to warn that someone is at the door. But excessive barking or barking when meeting strangers may indicate that your dog is distrustful or uncomfortable around new people. Using training methods to control your dog’s barking is important so he doesn’t act unduly aggressive toward others.

Table of Contents

Understanding the barking of sovereignty

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Recognize the cause of the sovereign barking. Dogs often bark to show sovereignty when meeting strangers. This barking shows that the dog is afraid and views strangers as a potential threat. They are anxious to protect their territory, so they will bark when they see strangers in familiar places like their homes and yards. ^{[1] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

In fact, a dog may bark so menacingly that it won’t listen to your request to stop barking or any other verbal abuse you may give it. Even if you use severe punishment to stop the dog from barking, it will still try to control its territory by biting someone.
Some dogs also bark when meeting strangers to alert their owners to a potential threat. Visuals and sounds are often the cause of alarm barking. Many times dogs bark to alert strangers even when they are not in their home or yard. Your dog may bark when he sees a stranger in the park, on the street, or in an unfamiliar place.

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Do not scream or scream when the dog is barking. Most dog experts agree that yelling, scolding, or even hitting a dog for barking can actually make them bark more. If your dog barks out of fear or anxiety, punishment only adds to the stress in the dog. Instead, you need to train your dog to respond appropriately to strangers, and to bark only when needed. ^{[2] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

We raise dogs to bark so don’t get upset if your dog barks at random sounds like car doors slamming and street noises. However, dogs that bark at strangers need training to make sure they don’t become too aggressive towards others.

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Avoid relying on muzzles to stop your dog from barking. Some owners may want to use a muzzle to prevent their dog from barking. Usually, a bark collar should be a last resort, not a first choice. Barking collars and muzzles are not as effective as proper dog training and can lead to other behavioral problems. ^{[3] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Limit your dog’s contact with strangers

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Block your dog’s view of strangers at the door. Addressing dog barking by creating an environment that limits their view of others is important. Draw curtains or blinds all day when the dog is at home. You can also make baby gates so your dog can’t get into rooms with large windows where he can look out. ^{[4] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

As a more permanent option, place a movable film or spray a coating on the windows to make it harder for dogs to see people outside. Doing so will limit the dog’s ability to see people, so it will have less incentive to defend its territory and bark.

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Surround the yard with a high fence. If your dog likes to run in the yard, put a high fence around the yard so he can’t see strangers on the street or in the nearby area. This will reduce the dog’s need to bark and allow it to play without being distracted by strangers. ^{[5] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

The fence will also limit the dog’s view of the street when it’s inside, so it won’t be able to see strangers and bark.

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Distract the dog from barking by shaking the keys. The sound will startle the dog and stop barking. Then, call the dog away from the door or window and command the dog to “sit.” Reward the dog and then tell it to “sit still.” If the dog continues to sit and be quiet, reward him for a few minutes then until the stranger has left. ^{[6] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

If the dog starts barking again after sitting, shake the keychain again and repeat the steps.
Avoid encouraging the dog to bark at the door by saying “Who is it?” with the dog and then go to the door. This will put your dog on guard mode and can lead to warning barking.

Train your dog to react to strangers

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Use the “silent” method by holding the dog’s muzzle. This method will teach your dog that he is only allowed to bark when someone comes to the door and will stop when you say “shut up”. Your dog should bark no more than 3 or 4 times and then stop when you calmly give the command: “shut up”. ^{[7] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Use this method when a stranger approaches the door, such as a delivery person. Let your dog bark three to four times. Then, stand near it and say “shut up”.
Approach and gently hold the dog’s muzzle with your hand. Then say “shut up” again.
Release the dog’s muzzle and step back. Then tell the dog to stay away from the door or window by calling its name and saying “come over.”
Ask the dog to sit and reward it afterwards. If it continues to sit and be quiet, reward it after a few minutes until the stranger is gone.
If your dog starts barking while sitting, repeat the sequence and do not reward him until he sits and remains quiet.

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Use the “silent” method without grasping the dog’s muzzle. If you feel uncomfortable holding your dog’s muzzle or if you feel that doing so might scare him, try the “silent” method without holding the muzzle. ^{[8] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Allow your dog to bark three to four times. Then, approach and say “shut up”. Encourage its silence by giving it small pea-sized treats like cooked chicken, hot dogs, or pieces of cheese. Repeat this process several times over several days until your dog seems to understand what “silence” means. Dogs should stop barking when you say “shut up.”
After a few days of training, extend the time between giving the “shut up” signal and rewarding the dog. Say “shut up” and wait 2 seconds before rewarding. Gradually increase the timeout to 5 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 20 seconds. Increase the wait time to 30 seconds before rewarding the dog.

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Use rewards to stop your dog from barking while walking. If your dog is intent on barking at strangers when he’s out of the house, you can distract him from the barking with special, soft treats like: cooked chicken, cheese, or hot dogs. Learn to read your dog’s body language and cues that indicate when it will bark. This will vary from dog to dog but may include: raised hair, perforated ears, or a change in the way you walk. When you notice these changes, distract the dog before it starts barking. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Hold the food in front of your dog’s nose so it can see. Instructing your dog to gnaw on food when passing strangers can cause him to bark. You can also command the dog to sit and eat when others pass by.
Always praise and reward the dog again if it doesn’t bark when someone passes.

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Train your dog to sit in a cage if it barks at a stranger while in the car. Some dogs tend to bark while in the car and may feel nervous or afraid of strangers on the road or in other cars. Keeping the dog in a cage during the trip will limit the dog’s view and make it less likely to bark. ^{[10] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

If your dog is uncomfortable in a cage, you can train him to wear a seat belt while in the car. The seat belt has a reassuring effect on your dog. You can also put a seatbelt on your dog while walking or around the house if it intends to bark. But you should avoid relying entirely on seat belts to get your dog to stop barking. A more permanent solution to the problem is to train the dog not to bark at strangers.

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Take your dog to a professional trainer if it continues to bark. If you’ve tried many methods of training and limiting your dog’s exposure to visual and sound causes but it continues to bark when it encounters strangers, it’s time to talk to a dog trainer for guidance. guide. They will meet with you and your dog to walk through each training method and help you figure out how to stop it from barking a lot and barking when it’s not needed. ^{[11] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

You can find a list of certified dog trainers here. This.

Steps

Understanding the barking of sovereignty

Limit your dog’s contact with strangers

Train your dog to react to strangers

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