How to Stop Dogs From Barking Other Dogs

For dogs, barking is a natural way of communication. Dogs can bark for a variety of reasons, such as to get attention, play, and warn of danger. ^{[1] X Research Source} However, when your dog barks at other dogs, this behavior is troublesome, at least annoying. If your dog often barks when he sees other dogs, you need to train him and try different methods to stop this bad habit.

Table of Contents

Stop your dog from barking by relaxing

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Walk the dog away from other dogs. If your dog barks like crazy when it’s on a leash or is kept behind a fence, it’s in a state of “barrier aggression” – the dog is angry because it’s blocked by the fence. To calm your dog and reduce his aggression, hold the dog on the leash and walk him close enough to see the other dog but far enough away that he won’t react. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Choose a place where people usually take their dogs, such as a dog park or pet store. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
You may have to experiment at first to figure out how far away to walk your dog. If you go to a pet store, you may need to stand on the edge of the parking lot or on the far sidewalk. If you go to a dog park, walk your dog on the edge or in a corner of the park.

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Reward the dog. When your dog sees another dog but doesn’t bark or react, reward him with a treat. ^{[4] X Source of Research} Instead of feeding the dog a whole lot at once, you should feed your dog small pieces in succession as long as he sees the other dog but doesn’t react. ^{[5] X Sources of Research} Such feeding is not only a sustained reward, but also serves as a distraction during other dogs’ passing.

Stop feeding the dog after the other dog has passed. Remember to reduce the amount of food your dog eats at meals to subtract from the rewards you gave him during training. ^{[6] X Research Sources}
As your dog improves in training, replace the reward with praise and cuddling. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Watch for signs that the dog is about to bark (snarling, fur on the neck raised, staring). ^{[8] X Research Source} The goal here is to give the dog a treat before it starts barking or reacting.
As this process is repeated over and over again, your dog will begin to look to you for a reward when he doesn’t bark or react to other dogs.

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Use more voice commands. In addition to giving your dog a treat, you can use voice commands to direct his attention to you and forget about the other dog. Choose a short phrase like (“look at me”) or a one-word voice command (“focus,” “look”) and give the command each time your dog sees another dog. ^{[9] X Research Source} Give the dog a verbal command before giving the dog a treat so that it associates the voice command with the reward.

It’s important that you and your family use voice commands consistently so your dog knows when not to bark. ^{[10] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}

Stop the dog from barking while walking

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Walk your dog on a sturdy leash or harness. The dog walk should be a pleasant experience, not a struggle to stop the dog from barking or attacking other dogs. When you walk your dog on a sturdy leash or harness, you’ll have more control in case it barks or tries to charge at the other dog. A non-tight dog collar is best because it won’t hurt your dog when you need to walk it away or pull it back. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Your first reaction is usually to pull back and hold on to the dog’s leash. However, this action can make the dog want to pull back even more . You should hold the rope firmly but not too tight. ^{[15] X Research Source}
During the walk, if you have to walk the dog away, be sure not to pull on the leash. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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Choose another place to take for a walk. There are many ways to keep dogs from barking at other dogs while walking, and the simplest way is to find another spot. That way your dog has no incentive to bark. ^{[17] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} You should find an open and uncrowded space where your dog can relax more while walking. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

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Take the dog away from the other dog. If you can’t find another place to walk your dog, you’ll have to find other ways to stop your dog from barking when another dog approaches. For example, when you see another dog approaching, turn around and walk your dog away from the other dog. If possible, you should do this before your dog realizes there is another dog – don’t wait until your dog reacts. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Turn to the side the dog is standing and nudge slightly to signal it to come back with you.
Teach the dog to turn back on command. Voice commands (“turn,” “come back”) and use treats to lure the dog back. ^{[20] X Research Source} With proper training and rewards, your dog will learn this command.
Call your dog’s name to get its attention, then run or walk backwards when you face it. ^{[21] X Research Source} This will get the dog to focus on you when you are creating some distance between him and the other dog.

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Distract the dog. If you can distract your dog from the other dog, he will either stop barking or not want to bark in the first place. One way to distract the dog is to throw the treat on the ground. When another dog passes by, your dog is probably still busy picking up his favorite treat on the ground and doesn’t notice the other dog. ^{[22] X Research Source}

You can also bring a dog toy to distract it. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

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Command the dog to stand close to you. When you see another dog approaching, your dog may be tempted to bark and rush over to the other dog. Commanding the dog to follow you closely will prevent it from charging. Reward your dog when it stands close to you. ^{[24] X Research Source}

Note that your dog may still be unable to control the barking, even if you control its movements.

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Create more challenges while walking. These challenges force the dog to focus more on you instead of the other dog. For example, if you normally walk your dog on a flat road, you can now choose a steep path. ^{[25] X Research Source} You can also challenge your dog by surprising him when he walks: changing speed or direction, walking around bushes or trees, going up and down the curb (with case there is no passing vehicle). ^{[26] X Research Sources}

Choose which challenge your dog will enjoy. ^{[27] X Research Source}

Prevent dogs from barking at home

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Teach your dog the “speak” and “shut up” commands. If your dog barks at other dogs in front of the house, you can prevent this by controlling its barking behavior. First, you need to teach your dog the “speak” command. Issue the “speak” command and do something that causes the dog to bark, such as knocking on the door. After the dog barks for a few hours, hold the treat above the dog’s nose and reward it when it stops barking to sniff the treat. ^{[28] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}

Once your dog has learned to bark when you say the “speak” command, teach him the “shut up” command to stop barking. Hold another treat in front of your dog’s nose and feed it when it stops barking. With regular practice, your dog will learn to stop barking at other dogs when you say “shut up”. ^{[29] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
It’s best to teach the “im” command where there are no distractions. ^{[30] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source} You can then practice this command where your dog is likely to see or hear other dogs.
Don’t shout “shut up”. If you yell at him, the dog will think you bark as well!

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Have the dog do another activity. The goal here is for the dog to do something that is the opposite of barking. ^{[31] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} For example, when your dog starts barking, tell him to play dead or roll around. Both games do not allow dogs to bark. In addition, the dog will not be able to bark when it has to make an effort to carry out these commands.

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Block the dog’s access. If you keep your dog outside in a fenced-in yard, the sights and sounds of other dogs can stimulate him to bark. You can prevent this by bringing your dog into the house to block its access. ^{[32] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} Once the dog has entered the house, you can close the curtains or blinds. ^{[33] X Research Sources}

If your dog can’t see or hear the other dog, he won’t have anyone else to bark with.
The dog can participate in the “fence fight”, which will run back and forth along the fence and bark to drive the other dog away. ^{[34] X Research Sources} This behavior may be fun for the dog, but it’s probably not fun for you, the other dog, and its owner. Bring your dog in if he starts doing so.

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Give the dog something to play with. As with walks, pastimes can draw your dog’s attention away from the other dog. Foraging toys are a great pastime, as the dog can focus on it and play for a long time. You can also play games with your dog, such as hide-and-seek or scavenger hunts, to distract him. ^{[35] X Research Source}

Advice

The adrenaline released when the dog barks will keep the dog happy. ^{[37] X Research Source} Your dog may enjoy barking at other dogs, but this behavior is discouraged.
It can take days to weeks for you to teach your dog not to bark at other dogs. ^{[38] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} The longer this behavior goes on, the longer it takes to break the habit.
If you find yourself squeezing your dog’s leash when you see another dog, compensate by giving the dog a treat. ^{[39] X Research Source} This allows dogs to be positively associated with a behavior that would make them more likely to bark at the other dog.
Before you take your dog for a walk, you might consider tiring him out a bit with a pick-up game. ^{[40] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} Your dog is less likely to bark at other dogs if he’s tired.
Stay calm when walking your dog. If you’re stressed, your dog will sense the mood and stress too. ^{[41] X Research Source}
Contact your veterinarian or animal behavior specialist if you cannot stop your dog from barking at other dogs. ^{[42] X Research Source}

Warning

If not addressed immediately, the dog’s barking and aggressive behavior towards other dogs can get worse and worse. ^{[43] X Research Source}
Adrenaline can cause dogs to quickly go from excited to aggressive. In addition, excitement in some situations (at a dog park, dog grooming salon) can make your dog more reactive in other situations. ^{[44] X Research Source}
Don’t shout “No!” when the dog is barking. To dogs, your screams sound like barking. ^{[45] X Research Source}
Your dog barking at the wrong time could be caused by an underlying medical condition. Take your dog to the vet to rule out a medical cause for the problem in your dog’s barking behavior. ^{[46] X Research Source}

Steps

Stop your dog from barking by relaxing

Stop the dog from barking while walking

Prevent dogs from barking at home

Advice

Warning

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