How to Stop Your Dog From Barking at Strangers
Managing your dog’s barking can feel like an endless struggle, especially when barking at strangers or unexpected sounds.
But once you understand the reasons behind this behavior and implement targeted bark training strategies, you’ll likely be able to help your dog stay calm.
In this blog post, our Certified Dog Trainers cover a few essential training techniques and management tips to help you control excessive barking.
Why Dogs Bark at Strangers and New Sounds
Many dog breeds originated for the express purpose of alerting their humans to unexpected visitors or environmental changes. But what was once highly valued, this behavior has now become a challenge for dog owners when dogs bark at every passerby or delivery person.
Recognizing that your dog’s instinctive alert and guard behaviors may be hard-wired into their genetic code is an essential first step in addressing and modifying this behavior.
3 Reasons Why Dogs Bark at You
It’s normal for dogs to feel protective of the place they eat and sleep! But that doesn’t mean all dogs are barking at strangers for the same reason.
Understanding the reasons behind your dog’s barking can help you implement the right approach for training.
At Urban Pawsibilities, we’ve worked with hundreds of dogs and helped to reduce their barking. In that time, we noticed that dogs typically bark for one of three reasons:
Alert Barking: This is often triggered by unfamiliar sounds or sights, like someone approaching your home or a loud noise outside. It’s your dog’s way of saying, “Hey, something’s happening!” Alert barking is usually accompanied by a stiff posture and intense focus on the source of the sound or movement.
Attention or Frustration Barking: Known as “demand barking,” this occurs when dogs want something specific—food, a toy, or attention. You’ll often see your dog adopt a more relaxed posture and maybe even wag its tail as they bark.
Fear-Based Barking: Dogs may bark out of fear, typically as a distance-increasing behavior. This is your dog’s way of telling a perceived threat to stay away. Fearful barking is often accompanied by tense body language and attempts to create distance.
How to Reduce Dog Barking
Once you understand why your dog is barking, you can take steps to manage their environment and reduce exposure to common triggers.
For Dogs Alert Barking: Block their view by closing blinds or curtains or position furniture to limit their access to windows. Set up barriers, like baby gates or exercise pens, to prevent your dog from being able to go up to windows or doors where problem barking is occurring. A sound machine or calming music can also help mask outdoor sounds that trigger barking.
For Attention or Frustration Barking: Keep your dog mentally stimulated during times when you can’t pay attention to them with enrichment toys or chews. By offering an enrichment toy before your dog begins barking during your Zoom call, you can preemptively interrupt the behavior and help them focus on an acceptable activity instead. Furthermore, it can be helpful to utilize forms of confinement, like crates or baby gates, to prevent your dog from having unfettered access to you all day long.
For Fear-Based Barking: In the beginning, avoid exposure to triggers whenever possible. For instance, if your dog has had no training and is barking at other dogs while on a walk, consider walking during quieter hours or finding a private area for exercise. During training sessions, practice controlled exposure to those triggers utilizing desensitization and counterconditioning techniques to lessen your dog’s emotional response when presented with a trigger.
How to Stop a Dog From Barking When Strangers Arrive
If you invest time into consistently training your dog, they can learn to relax and wait for your cue before interacting with strangers.
We recommend you start by establishing a quiet spot in the house. Train your dog to exist calmly in a designated confinement area, like their crate or a baby-gated room, when a guest arrives.
Once they’ve learned that, practice having them come out on leash and reward them for being calm in the presence of the stranger. If they can exist calmly in the presence of a stranger, and they are interested in interacting with that person, then you can let them interact with the stranger.
With enough practice and the right approach, dogs are typically able to learn new behaviors, like not barking at strangers. It just takes consistency & patience!
Need Help Training Your Dog to Stop Barking?
If you’re finding it difficult to curb your dog’s barking at strangers, professional support can make all the difference.
At Urban Pawsibilities, we specialize in training methods that help dogs feel calm and comfortable in any situation. We’re a top-rated dog training facility located in Portland OR, so if you’re local to that area schedule a free discovery with us. We’ll give you some personalized training advice and help you determine which programs is right for you and your dog.
If you want to learn more about reducing barking at strangers in and around your home, we are here to help! Schedule a free discovery call with us today.
