Is your dog barking at other dogs? Understand the reason why!
Okay, so my dog, Buster, he's usually a pretty chill dude. But lately, he's been going bonkers whenever we see another dog on our walks. It's been driving me nuts, so I decided to figure out what's going on and, more importantly, how to fix it.
Digging into the Why
First, I observed Buster like a hawk. I noticed a few things:
- He only barked at dogs he didn't know. Familiar dogs? No problem.
- He got especially riled up if the other dog was bigger than him.
- His tail was wagging, but it was a stiff, high wag, not his usual happy, loose one.
- body would be very tense, and he stared intently at the other dog.
I tried to get closer to another dog owner one time, and he barked a lot, I mean, A LOT.
Trying Stuff Out
Based on what I saw, I figured Buster was either scared, trying to be dominant, or maybe just overly excited. So I started trying a few things:
- Distraction: When I saw another dog approaching, I immediately tried to get Buster's attention with a treat. It worked sometimes, but if he was already fixated, forget it.
- "Leave It" Command: I've been working on the "Leave It" command with him, and it helped a little. He'd look at me for a second, but then go right back to barking.
- Changing Direction: If I saw a dog coming, I tried to quickly change direction, make us go across the street.
- Creating Distance: I also tried to find the "sweet spot" – the distance where Buster could see the other dog but wouldn't freak out. This was tough because it kept changing.
Making Some Progress
Honestly, it's been a slow process. The distraction and "Leave It" are working better now that I've been super consistent. I also realized I needed to be calmer myself. When I got tense, Buster picked up on it and got even more worked up.
The biggest win so far? I've managed to get him to walk past a few smaller, calmer dogs without a full-blown meltdown. We're talking a couple of barks instead of a screaming fit. Progress!
It's still a work in progress, but I'm feeling more hopeful. I learned that patience and consistency are key. And I'm definitely getting better at reading Buster's signals. We'll get there... eventually!
