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How to Stop Your Dog From Barking at Another Dog

May 23, 2019 by Mary Telesz

a dog that is being walked barking at another dogBarking is a dog’s natural way of communicating with other canines, but it can often be unwelcome. Barking can often stress out other dogs and people along the way, and controlling it can create a more pleasant experience for everyone. So, if the dog you are walking is barking at another dog, what should you do? Follow these quick tips and tricks to begin training your dog not to bark and to calmly handle the situation if it occurs.

Choose the Right Leash

Dogs often lunge at other dogs while they are barking. If this happens, having your dog wear a strong leash and harness combination can help you control their behavior. Choose a no-pull harness, which will not harm your dog if you need to make some sharp movements to pull it back. Hold the leash firmly but not tightly, and try not to pull on the leash. Doing so can make your dog pull and bark even more.

Explore Different Locations

If your dog frequently barks at other dogs, it may be time to find a new route. Find an uncrowded area that’s less popular with other dog walkers to remove your dog’s reason for barking entirely. This can help you avoid stressful situations until you find a long-term solution.

Walk Away

Sometimes, encountering other dogs on your walk is unavoidable. If you see another dog approaching and know that your own dog will likely bark at them, turn around and walk the other way quickly and calmly. This prevents your dog from seeing the other one, reducing their incentive to bark. Teach your dog to turn on cue by giving them a verbal command and a treat. If your dog is still not paying attention, call its name and walk backwards as you face it to provide a distraction.

Create a Diversion

dog walker giving dog treats to distract them from barking at another dogIt may not always be practical to simply walk away. In these cases, causing a distraction can help. Throw a few treats on the floor for your dog to pick up and to occupy them while the other dog is present. A squeaky toy or other favorite toy can also divert their attention just long enough for approaching dogs to pass by unseen and prevent barking.

Practice Relaxation

Dogs often feel anxious about being on a leash or being too far away from other dogs for their liking. Allow your dog to stand close enough to other dogs that they can see the dogs, but not so close that they are encouraged to react. Determining the right distance can take some trial and error, so be ready to move closer or further away as necessary to figure out where your dog feels most comfortable. Reward your dog with treats and verbal praise for not barking, and gradually move closer to other dogs as your own gets better at remaining calm and ignoring the other dogs. In time, your dog will begin to understand that refraining from barking will earn them a reward.

Heel!

To prevent your dog from lunging (or barking), train your dog to heel (in silence) when asked, and offer them a treat when they obey. Your dog may still bark, but in time they can learn to come to a heel instead. Keep practicing with your dog when you aren’t already on walks and reward them accordingly to reinforce the behavior and provide them with a strong incentive to not bark.

Add Challenges to Your Walk

Distractions can often be a critical shortcut in preventing your dog from barking. By adding new challenges to your walk, your dog will have to focus more on each new element than on their surroundings, helping curb barking. Change your speed and direction, walk around trees, go from the sidewalk to the street and back (when safe), and change the incline of your route when possible. These distractions not only help prevent barking, they also help your dog keep their mind sharp and provide a healthy mental workout in addition to the physical activity.

couple walking dog in secluded park to distract the dog barking at another dog

Support from Professional Dog Walkers

Speak to the professional dog walkers at Local Paw Pals for more information about how to prevent your dog from barking during walks. The company’s experienced walkers are trained in the best dog walking techniques, including those that help stop barking, to keep your dog safe and happy on their walks together. Local Paw Pals can send a professional to walk your dog while you’re at work, check in on your pets during long days away, and even provide dog sitting services while you’re out of town to ensure that your pet is receiving the best care possible.

Filed Under: Dog Walking, Pet Advice

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Centreville – 20120, 20121
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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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