Every living being endowed with a voice inevitably uses it to communicate — each in its own way: people talk, babies cry, and dogs bark. That is how they tell us what is on their mind, and that is why they have so many different ways of barking — one for every emotion they want to convey. It is up to us, their owners and friends, to interpret and understand what they are saying. Let us explore why dogs bark at people and how to keep it from becoming a nuisance…
Whether directed at something or someone, a dog barks — and in doing so, it speaks. But how can we understand what it is saying, what it is trying to tell us? We need to know our animal very well, to be able to read canine verbal and body language, and to look into their eyes — which are expressive enough to communicate even more clearly than their voice.
Why do dogs bark at people?
Is it normal for a dog to bark at people? Yes, it is — as long as it does not become a pathological behaviour. When a friend comes to our home, the dog barks — but why? Isn't it happy to see them? On the contrary, that is its way of saying welcome. You can recognise it because while barking, the dog wags its tail and keeps its muscles and ears relaxed, sometimes panting a little because it simply cannot contain its joy. What about when a stranger walks in? The dog barks all the same, but in that case it is not happy — it is sending a message of alertness, fear or aggression.
In these situations, it shows this by curling in on itself with its tail between its legs and ears lowered if it is afraid, or by puffing up its coat and raising its tail to appear larger in the stranger's eyes and baring its teeth if it wants to be aggressive, or by pricking its ears to full attention and standing perfectly still if it is on alert about something or someone it cannot quite identify — and which therefore represents a potential threat.
You can see, then, that there are many reasons why dogs bark at people. For example, the motivation may be closely tied to a dog's sense of territory, which will lead it to bark at anyone who approaches you or your belongings, as well as at anyone who walks along a route you and your dog regularly take on your walks. Or more simply, very young dogs bark because they want to play — and the more confident ones will do so even with strangers.
How to stop your dog from barking at people
We have already said that barking is as natural for a dog as talking is for us or crying is for a baby — so if the goal is to have a dog that never barks, the only solution is to not get a dog at all. However, there are methods to keep what can become a real problem in check. If your dog barks constantly and for any reason, steps need to be taken. To make sure the barking is not compulsive behaviour stemming from a behavioural disorder or a state of distress, it is a good idea to consult a veterinary behaviourist. Once it has been confirmed that no such issues are present, we can move on to the second step: teaching the dog not to bark at people.
Very often — and we will never tire of saying it — our dog's unwanted behaviours stem from poor or inconsistent training, or from a lack of attention on our part. So it is we who need to change our behaviour towards them. Here too, we can turn to a professional dog trainer who knows more than we do and will give us the best advice.
Ideally, we should teach our dog how to behave from a young age, never losing sight of the fact that a dog is naturally an alpha creature. Unless we make it clear from the very beginning who sets the rules in the home, it will feel free to do whatever it pleases. A good method for teaching a dog not to bark at people is to socialise it with strangers from puppyhood. Take it for frequent walks in busy places, or bring it along when you visit friends.
How to teach your dog not to bark at people
If my dog barks at people and is already an adult, how can I teach my dog to stop barking? We can make it clear that we disapprove of this behaviour. The most effective approach is to turn our back on the dog until it stops, and then — after it has stopped — wait a couple of seconds before rewarding it with a treat, so that it clearly understands the reward is for having stopped barking. Teaching the dog a quiet command is also an excellent solution, but it takes time and patience. When the dog is barking, we should not scold it, or it will think we are barking too. Instead, clap our hands firmly to interrupt the barking; once it has gone quiet, say our chosen command as a single word — typically "quiet". Reinforce the concept by bringing your index finger to your lips.
Avoid rewarding the dog with cuddles, eye contact or attention of any kind, and do not speak to it at all until it stops barking. Finally, try to prevent the behaviour altogether — when we see someone approaching along the street, give the lead a gentle tug and say the quiet command before the dog even starts barking; then reward it with a stroke once the person has passed without it having barked. We can also teach our dog to pick up and offer a toy to anyone who comes to visit, rewarding it afterwards for doing so.
It will gradually learn that we prefer this kind of welcome to barking. Teaching a dog these commands is not always easy, though — if we do not get good results on our own, there is no shame in asking a trainer for help. In a short time, they will teach both our dog and us a much more appropriate way to behave.
