Mild shock collars, treats, toys, and intentional distractions may be some of the answers you may have found to stop your dog from barking at unfamiliar people. However, do these results actually work?
The answer is that each resolution may generate a different response or behavior from your dog than may be expected. A few of these results may cause more harm to your dog.
A longer-term resolution to stop this seemingly haphazard behavior is to know the cause and use the information collected to create a life-long solution for your pet.
Brief Summary
There are some ways that you can stop your dog from barking at strangers, and it is possible to teach your dog newer behaviors for their overall welfare. For instance, the way to train your pet to stop barking at strangers can be related to three dissimilar breed attributes.
The three attributes that you will need to keep in mind are if your dog is an aggressive breed, a non-aggressive breed, or a mixture of the two. A brilliant example of this is that you would not take the same approach to training a Golden Retriever, as you would help a Boerboel with this issue.
Likewise, it is possible to use suggestions and general tips for any dog breed, but the approach used to apply each tip will be dependent on the dog’s breed. Additionally, the unique personality of your dog should be taken into consideration for the best outcome to this problem.
For instance, some dogs within a single breed can have various personality types that range from being shy, more active, or displaying characteristics as being friendlier than the defined standard for a breed.
Stop My Dog From Barking at Strangers
There are many ways that you can stop your dog from barking at an array of strangers, and this includes your stay in control as well as emotionally. Among the numerous reasons why dogs bark at strangers, social isolation seems to be a common factor.
A good example of this is leaving your dog home for hours at a time (while you may have to go to work) regularly, and neglecting to socialize with your pet around other people or you for longer periods. Here are a few situations and ways to stop your dog from barking at strangers.
Prevent Social Isolation and Exercise
It is possible to prevent the social isolation that your dog may be experiencing by walking your dog daily. By walking your dog daily or as needed, it provides mental and physical stimulation for your pet.
While on walks, you may notice that your dog may be barking at a stranger, and here are a few ways to combat this issue. The first step is to maintain relaxation mentally and physically. It’s a good idea to do this to prevent your dog from feeding off your emotions and causing your dog to continue to bark.
Another good idea is not to yell at your dog for barking because it can make matters worse. Also, it is possible to make your dog more aggressive towards strangers by using loud yelling or similar tones to scold your pet.
A good idea is to train your dog to sit as a command when this happens. In adjacent to this command, you can teach your dog how to remain quiet when sitting. After your dog has followed all of your commands,
It is important to show your dog that the commands that were followed through on were correct. You can do this by praising your dog verbally, giving your dog a treat, and continuing with the walk.
Routine Behavior
One of the reasons why dogs bark at strangers is because they do not have routine training for this behavior set in place when this happens. No matter what technique you decide to use for your dog, it is important to have a routine whenever it happens.
For example, if your dog were to bark at strangers while you are in a park, you can command your dog to stop barking. Yet, if your dog does not start barking after commands, there must be consequences set in place that the dog will recognize. A great example of this is leaving the park, not giving your dog a treat, commanding your dog to sit beside you, and not rewarding your dog for bad behavior overall.
FAQs
Can your Dog React to Your Behavior After a Command?
Yes, your dog can react to your behavior after commands are given. For example, if you are agitated after the command is given or during a command, your dog can react to your emotional energy by not following through on your command.
Is it a good idea to Use Shock Collars to Prevent Excessive Barking at Strangers?
No, it isn’t a good idea to use shock collars to curb this behavior in the long term. Many of the shot callers that are available on the market can hurt your dog and cause pain.
Is it possible That a Professional Can Help Me Resolve This Issue With My Dog’s Barking?
Maybe, working with a dog trainer is generally a collaborative effort. After your dog has been trained, all the efforts that were made to prevent this from happening can easily be undone if not followed through at home as well. It is important to follow through when trying to train your dog to stop barking at strangers excessively.
