Stop the Barking: Solutions for Dogs Who Bark at Others on Walks.
Okay, so my dog, Buddy, used to be a real pain on walks. Every time we'd see another dog, he'd go nuts – barking, lunging, the whole nine yards. It was embarrassing, and honestly, stressful. I started avoiding other dogs, taking weird routes, and even cutting our walks short. Not fun for either of us.
First thing I did was observe Buddy closely. I noticed he wasn't aggressive, just overly excited and maybe a little fearful. He'd start barking even before the other dog was super close, so I figured it was a "get them before they get me" kind of thing, mixed with a healthy dose of "OMG A DOG LET'S PLAY!"
My Little Experiment
- Started with distance. When I saw another dog coming, I moved Buddy to the side, as far as possible, and kept him focused on me. Treats were my best friend here. High-value stuff, like little bits of chicken.
- Used a "watch me" command. Every time Buddy looked at me instead of the other dog, click and treat! I literally said "Buddy, watch me" and the instant he made eye contact. We practiced this at home first, where there were no distractions.
- Gradually decreased the distance. Over several walks, I let Buddy get a little closer to other dogs, always watching his body language. If he stayed relatively calm, treat and praise. If he started to tense up, I increased the distance again. Baby steps, really.
- Also I changed up my method, sometime when see the dog, I try to cross the road, or turn around, change the route.
It wasn't a miracle cure overnight. There were still some barks, some moments where I had to practically drag him away. I did that. But, slowly but surely, it got better. He started to associate seeing other dogs with getting treats and paying attention to me, instead of freaking out.
Now, walks are so much more enjoyable. Buddy still gets excited when he sees other dogs, but it's manageable. He might let out a little "woof," but he's mostly able to keep it together and keep walking. We can even pass other dogs on the sidewalk without a major incident. It's a work in progress, but the progress is definitely there!
