Snapshot: Have you ever had those embarrassing moments where your dog suddenly just starts to bark at a stranger? Well no more. Read on and see some great tips that could help you to treat the nonstop barking of your dog when in public. Interested to know how? Start scrolling then!
If you are a parent of a dog, then you must have experienced those awkward moments when your dog starts to bark at some random stranger for no apparent reason. It does not even have to be a person, your dog could also be screaming at another fellow dog. The problem here, therefore, is not at home your dog starts to bark, but the barking itself.
Even though quite naturally at the time most of your focus shifts to hiding your embarrassment at the moment, but have you ever thought afterward as to why your dog started barking in the first place? There is always some reason behind every action that is committed by anyone be it a person or a dog. So why is your dog behaving that way? Is there any way you could help to make the situation better? If these are some of the questions that are clouding your mind then read on.
Why is your dog barking?
Barking of course is a form of communication for dogs. It is just like humans talking amongst ourselves. However, at times, your dog might seem to be barking quite excessively and persistently. You could be going down a street, everything could be fine, but your dog could just start barking – just like that, out of nowhere.
This kind of unnatural amount of barking could have a variety of reasons for it. Even though the following are based on daily observations of various dogs and their behaviours, we have listed some of the probable reasons as to why your dog could be barking so persistently.
- The most common and usual reason behind your dog barking relentlessly could be that it is trying to make another dog aware of its territory. The territorial or protective nature in dogs is pretty common and quite natural. These kinds of barks are usually very aggressive and loud.
- Another very common stimulus that good causes your dog to start barking relentlessly would be then it is frightened or startled for some reason. This kind of bark has a certain anxious tone to it as if trying to alarm you. This could happen a lot when maybe you have taken your dog out for a walk and some kind of an activity by a random person on the streets startles it. It indeed becomes very difficult to manage the otherwise obedient animal in such cases.
- Separation anxiety in dogs could also trigger them to keep on barking relentlessly. This also is a kind of bark that has fear mixed in it. The fear in this case is the fear of abandonment. If you notice your dog starts barking as soon as you get ready to leave the house, it could signify that the barking is coming from a sense of anxiety instilled in the mind of your dog.
- Another very common reason behind a dog barking would be that it once attention. This could be symptomatic of simulated separation anxiety where your dog has a firm understanding that if it behaves oddly, it will be rewarded with attention. This is also a mental condition of your dog that needs immediate attention. This also stems from a certain depth of its mind where it has a feeling that it might get ignored.
Your dog could also start barking out of loneliness or during the time of play. These however are quite natural in dogs and on more occasions do not stem from any deeper unresolved issues in the dog’s mind. These, in most cases, could be minimized with affection and care. If you have moved recently then giving your dog a bit of time to settle down could also prove to be quite fruitful.
What to do to stop your dog from barking outside?
Excessive barking in your dog is a sign of some kind of irritation. If only when you visit the vet regarding this problem chances are that they could provide you with different drugs that but help to come to the nerves of the dog and help them cool down.
But in the long run, it would not be a smart or healthy decision to treat your dog with drugs, especially when these animals when trained properly are obedient and faithful. Furthermore using drugs would not be a permanent cure but just treatment in the process.
To help you out with your situation, we have enlisted some of the ways by which you could reduce or control the barking of your dog, especially in public. These are some training tips and tricks that you could use. But make sure that you are consistent in your approach. Only when you are consistent would these have any effect on the barking of your dog.
- Training is an important aspect of maintaining a dog. Training and disciplining a dog helps it realise what it is expected to do and not do at the same time. Therefore training your dog consistently as to when it should keep quiet is one of the most fundamental steps that you must take to curb its barking in public.
- When your dog starts barking out of nowhere in public, choose a particular word that you could use at those moments to make your dog understand that you want it to stop barking. This could take a bit of time, but eventually, the repetitive use of that particular word or phrase will make your dog realise that it is time to quiet down.
- Every time your dog stops barking on your command bet him or reward him with a treat. Make the treat a tasty one such as crumbs of chicken that would make it seem worth it for the dog. But to make sure that this process of rewarding with a treat does not become a habit. It would then run a chance of losing the essence and significance of the reward that is attached to it.
- Last but not the least, make sure that you are always calm while asking your dog to quiet down when it is barking outside. You must have a composed voice while you are commanding your dog, otherwise, it could think that you are just joining in the shouting parade.
What not to do when your dog starts barking outside?
Just like there are some things that you must do to make your dog stop shouting or barking in public, there are also a few things that you should stray clear off while asking your dog to stop barking.
We have enlisted some of the acts and practices that you should try not to indulge in while trying to make your dog understand that you want it to quiet down. Remember that this list of don’ts is as important as the list of the dos.
- Never shout at your dog to keep it down, while it is barking at its top volume as well. This would just create an impression for the dog that its owner is commending the act and it would therefore keep up with the act more persistently.
- Try not to involve your dog in activities that take a lot of time. It could render the dog impatient and irritated. This in turn would lead the dog to relieve extension in form of barking excessively even at the mildest of inconveniences.
- If you are going with the rewarding method to keep your dog from barking at strangers art any random thing when outside, then make sure that you never produce the treat to the dog when it is still barking. Needless to say, this little mistake could have a very opposite result than what you desire.
- You also need to keep in mind that you never make the dog quiet down in the lure of a treat. Produce the treat only when your dog has stopped barking. The treat is symbolic of a reward and is not to be used as an enticement. This would make the dog feel that every time it barks it would be provided with a treat. This could in some cases even lead to simulated separation anxiety in the dog as we discussed earlier.
Using force will get you nowhere with your dog. If you are experiencing search situations where your dog keeps on barking whenever outside, the only way to deal with the situation would be by analyzing the same. You need to understand and realize why exactly is your dog barking, what is triggering such a response in your dog. You should thereafter engage yourself and your dog in a process of training that would help both of you overcome the situation. The tips provided above could help you along the way.
