Dogs are territorial creatures by nature and will often bark at other dogs when they see them. However, barking can be a problem if you’re trying to take your dog for a walk or if you have guests over and your dog is barking incessantly. The good news is there are several things that you can do to prevent this from happening. This article will give you some helpful tips to stop your dog from barking at other dogs!
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Training Your Dog
The first thing you can do is train your dog not to bark at other dogs. If your dog is barking because they are excited or scared, it’s a good idea to teach them a command that will make them stop barking when other dogs approach. You should do training techniques in a low-distraction environment to ensure that your dog’s attention is only on the training and not on other dogs. The command that you teach your dog should be something along the lines of “quiet” or “speak.” Once you have trained your dog to bark on command, you can teach them to quiet down when they hear this command.
Keep Your Dog Calm Before Seeing Other Dogs
Before taking your dog out to see other dogs, try to keep them calm. You don’t want your dog to become overly excited before they see another dog because this will heighten their energy and excitement levels and make it harder for you to get them to stop barking at the other dog.
Feed your dog a meal about thirty minutes before taking them out to see other dogs. The food will cause them to be more relaxed. You can also try taking your dog for a walk before the other dogs come around. Having them wear a halter is also recommended because it prevents their body from tensing up, which makes it easier for you to get them to stop barking at the other dog.
Take Your Dog Out For Long Walks
If you find that your dog is barking at other dogs while on your daily walk, it might be because they are becoming energized or frustrated. If this is the case, try taking your dog for a long walk each day. A longer walk will help tire them out and prevent them from becoming too worked up. You can also try taking your dog for a jog and playing with them during the walk. If you take your dog out for a long walk each day, they won’t have as much energy left to bark at other dogs while on your daily walks.
Give Them A Treat To Calm Them Down
If you’re worried about your dog getting too excited, you can always practice training them to calm down using treats. Get a bunch of small pieces of cheese or something else your dog loves and show it to your dog before seeing another dog. Tell them “quiet,” and when they listen, tell them “good boy/girl” and give them some of the treats. This way, they will learn that when you see another dog, it’s time to be quiet and get rewarded.
Distract Your Dog
Another excellent way to keep your dog from barking at other dogs is by distracting them with something else. For example, you can get their attention by asking them to do tricks or letting them sniff around other areas. When your dog is enjoying something else, they won’t have time to bark at other dogs!
Don’t Punish Your Dog For Barking
Barking, especially at other dogs, comes naturally to most dogs. So although it can be irritating, you shouldn’t punish them for doing something instinctual. If you punish your dog for barking at other dogs, it’s not going to help them learn what to do. They might become more stressed and start behaving worse than before. Instead, praise your dog when they behave well and give them treats to show that you are proud of them.
Practice Makes Perfect
If you’re looking for a way to stop your dog from barking at other dogs, the best thing that you can do is practice. If you consistently take your dog out and practice having them behave around other dogs, you can eventually get total control over the problem by using some of the other methods listed above! The more your dog sees other dogs and responds well, the better they will get and the less likely they will bark at them.
Conclusion
There are many ways to stop your dog from barking at other dogs. The method you choose will depend on your dog’s personality and temperament, so make sure to experiment with each method listed above. If needed, you can also use two of the methods at the same time to get better results. With a bit of patience and consistency, your dog will stop barking at other dogs in no time!