Mary Allen
Does your dog bark at other animals or people out of insecurity during a walk?
Constant barking when going for a walk can quickly become a stress test.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay that way.
With our tips, tricks, and a little patience, the barking problem will soon be a thing of the past.
In a nutshell: Dog barks out of insecurity – what to do?
Dogs that bark at pedestrians, cyclists, or other dogs while walking usually bark out of insecurity. Young dogs in particular are strongly oriented towards their owners.
If you project insecurity, your dog will bark defensively. Therefore, one thing mainly helps with this problem: a calm, confident dog handler.
Dog barks out of insecurity – that’s the reason
Barking at other dogs or pedestrians underlies the insecurity in us and the dog. Before a dangerous situation arises, your dog prefers to bark and thus warn the other person.
In order to prevent your dog from barking at everything and everyone out of habit at some point and making the walks a real challenge, we have compiled all the important information on confident dog leadership for you in this article.
On a short leash…
Many dog owners take their dogs back as a precaution or put them on a short leash if another dog shows up. The reasoning behind it may sound logical at first, but it is counterproductive.
The short leash prevents the other person from jumping, but it makes your dog even more insecure, because by cutting it short you are making a kind of “preparation” for possible escalations. So you are inadvertently preparing your dog for a possible threat.
Inner insecurity
If it has already happened that your dog has become loud during walks, a certain inner insecurity is normal in you. However, it is precisely this fear that ensures that such reactions of your dog occur more and more frequently.
So your dog senses, “Aha, something is wrong here. My human is insecure.” and reacts naturally with a defensive reaction to possible enemies.
Changes in the environment
Dogs also have to process changes such as relocation or a change of owner. If a lot of changes have taken place recently, it can suddenly make your dog feel insecure.
Stress from bad experiences
Bad experiences with other people or dogs can also trigger defensive barking. Your dog is trying to protect itself (and you) from another difficult situation and is barking at other people or dogs.
Solutions – You can do that
Dogs that bark out of insecurity need a strong and confident owner. Dealing confidently with unpleasant situations forms the basis for success.
Stay calm
You see another dog?
Leave the leash as it is.
Taking a deep breath calms you down and has a positive effect on your dog’s reaction. Try not to see the other dog or pedestrian as a possible reason for escalation yourself. In fact, simply ignoring and hiding them can help.
Have trust
The more trust you place in your dog, the more secure he will feel in his actions. Briefly explain to yourself that you can trust your dog and that nothing bad will happen now.
Stand up for yourself and remind yourself that you and your dog make a good team – feel free to walk past each other. You can do it together.
Have patience
If a lot of changes have taken place, it may take a while for your dog to settle down. So show understanding and patience. In some cases, the problem with the insecurity resolves itself after a short time.
Even if an attempt goes wrong, you have to keep at it. No matter how well trained a dog is … they are living creatures and can therefore have a bad day.
The next time you go for a walk, the world will look different again.
Practice, practice, practice
Whether you are out and about with or without your dog: remind yourself as often as possible that you can easily walk past possible dangers. The more routinely you approach these things calmly or ignore them, the easier it will be for you to deal with such situations.
Practice creates masters.
Conclusion
In order to get your dog to stop barking out of insecurity, you should work on your own attitude and give it enough time. Calm handling, a confident demeanor, and trust in your dog will solve the problem.