Why Does My Dog Bark at Other Dogs?

Why does a perfectly normal walk with your dog suddenly turn into barking, lunging, and chaos the moment another dog appears? In this episode, canine behavior consultant Scott Sheaffer explains why barking at other dogs is one of the most misunderstood behavior problems owners face. You’ll learn why “leash reactivity” is often only a description of the behavior rather than the diagnosis, why fear is frequently the real driving force, and why understanding the underlying cause is far more important than simply stopping the barking.

Scott also discusses the concept of behavioral rehearsal, common mistakes that unintentionally strengthen the problem, and why today’s standard of care focuses on changing a dog’s emotional response rather than suppressing outward behavior. If your dog struggles around other dogs on walks, this episode will help you better understand what’s happening and what effective treatment typically looks like.

You can visit USADogBehavior.com for lots of dog behavior resources—almost all of them are free—including videos, blog articles, and past podcast episodes to help you understand your dog.

If you'd like to learn more about working with Scott, please visit his website below.

Find us at USADogBehavior.com.
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Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. If your dog is displaying aggression toward humans, consult an experienced and knowledgeable canine behavior professional who uses humane, non-aversive methods, and always take precautions to keep others safe.

Scott Sheaffer and USA Dog Behavior, LLC, are not responsible for any outcomes resulting from the use or interpretation of the information shared in this podcast.

Transcript

Welcome to the USA Dog Behavior Podcast, where we explore one simple question.

Why is your dog behaving this way?

Whether it’s aggression, fear, anxiety, resource guarding, excessive barking, or another challenging behavior, every behavior has a reason, a root cause.

I’m Scott Sheaffer, a certified canine behavior consultant and aggression specialist based in Dallas, Texas. Through comprehensive online behavior assessments, I work with dog owners throughout the United States to better understand their dog’s behavior.

Let’s get started.

Have you ever been walking your dog and everything seems perfectly fine until another dog appears?

Within seconds your dog is barking, lunging, pulling at the leash, and carrying on like they’re completely out of control. People stare. You apologize. It can be really embarrassing. Maybe you’ve even started avoiding certain streets or walking at odd hours because it’s become so stressful. You didn’t sign up for this.

If that sounds familiar, you’re certainly not alone.

In fact, barking and lunging at other dogs is the most common reason people contact me.

Today we’re going to answer a simple question.

Why does my dog bark at other dogs?

The answer is probably not what you think.

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that owners believe the barking itself is the problem.

It’s actually not.

One of the things I tell nearly every client is this:

The barking isn’t the problem. It’s information.

Think about that for a second.

The barking is simply your dog’s way of telling us that something emotional is happening inside their head that’s not good.

If we spend all of our time trying to stop the barking without understanding why it’s happening, we’re treating the symptom instead of the problem.

That’s never a recipe for long-term success.

Many dog professionals use the term leash reactivity to describe this behavior.

That’s perfectly fine.

It describes what you’re seeing.

But, I also think that term sometimes causes owners to stop asking the most important question.

Why is my dog reacting?

The answer to that will tell you what needs to be addressed in your dog.

Animal behavior science tells us that the most common reason for dog to dog reactivity… i.e., dogs barking at other dogs…is actually fear.

That surprises people.

Owners often tell me,

“Scott…he looks anything but afraid.”

Exactly.

Fear doesn’t always look fearful. Fear has many different ways of presenting itself in dogs…and in humans too if you think about it.

About 95% of dog reactive dogs bark; growl, or lunge at other dogs when they see them on a walk.

But what are these behaviors trying to accomplish?

Distance.

If barking causes another dog to move away or just move along, at least from your dog’s perspective, the strategy worked. Your dog’s fear is reduced. 

The scary thing left.

Here’s a part of this equation that almost everyone misses…after your dog barks, lunges, growls at another dog walking by…your dog sits in that moment thinking how well that strategy worked. Barking, growling, lunging scared the scary dog away. I’m going to keep doing that! This is called reinforcement and it’s why these behaviors always get worse over time.

Imagine someone who’s afraid of snakes.

When they see one, they don’t usually walk toward it.

They try to create distance in any way possible and as quickly as possible.

Dog reactive dogs do exactly the same thing when they see other dogs.

Now…that doesn’t mean every dog that barks at other dogs is fearful.

Some become frustrated because the leash prevents them from greeting another dog, maybe even in a friendly way.

Some become over-excited at the site of another dog.

That’s exactly why every dog reactive dog deserves an individual assessment.

The barking may look similar.

The reasons behind it can be completely different.

But, the overwhelming majority of this kind of reactivity is caused by fear.

Before we continue, I want to take a second to tell you how I help dog owners dealing with serious behavior problems like this.

If all of this sounds familiar, you’re certainly not alone.

Barking and lunging at other dogs is the most common reason people contact me.

I work with clients throughout the United States through comprehensive online behavior assessments where we identify why the behavior is happening, discuss safety and prognosis, and develop practical recommendations tailored to their individual dog.

If you’d like more information about working with me directly, visit USADogBehavior.com.

Now let’s get back to today’s topic.

There’s another concept I’d like you to understand.

I call it rehearsal.

Every time your dog barks and lunges at another dog, they’re practicing that behavior.

Practice doesn’t only make perfect.

Practice also makes permanent.

The more opportunities your dog has to rehearse barking, lunging, and exploding at other dogs, the more automatic that behavior can become. It’s called habit strength and further complicates the treatment of the problem.

Dogs become more experienced in responding to other dogs in the wrong way.

One of the goals of behavior modification is reducing opportunities to rehearse the unwanted behavior while simultaneously practicing a new response.

One mistake I see fairly often is owners becoming focused on stopping the barking itself.

They yell.

They jerk the leash.

They use punishment.

Sometimes it appears to work.

At least temporarily.

But let’s think about this.

If your dog is barking because they’re genuinely worried about another dog…

…what happens if something unpleasant occurs every single time another dog appears?

Very often the fearful emotional response gets worse.

Here’s an analogy I sometimes use.

Imagine you’re afraid of spiders.

Now imagine someone shocks you every time you see a spider.

Would you become less afraid?

Probably not.

You’d likely become even more anxious because spiders predict something unpleasant.

Dogs can learn in much the same way.

That’s why legitimate behavior professionals are always more interested in changing the underlying emotional response than simply suppressing the outward behavior.

Fortunately, we have very good behavior modification techniques available.

The two you’ll hear about most often are called desensitization and counterconditioning.

Those sound like complicated terms.

They’re not.

Desensitization simply means systematically exposing your dog to other dogs over time at a level where they can still remain calm and capable of learning.

Counterconditioning means pairing that experience with something your dog truly enjoys. Usually that’s a high value treat.

Over time many dogs begin thinking,

“When another dog appears…good things happen and I’m not so scared.”

Instead of,

“When another dog appears…I’m really scared and I’d better drive it away.”

Notice something important.

We’re not trying to force the dog to tolerate another dog.

We’re trying to change how they feel about the other dog.

That’s a huge difference.

Before we wrap up, let me leave you with five mistakes I see over and over by dog owners who have dogs like this.

First…

Owners move closer to the other dog because they think their dog simply needs more exposure or wants to “play”.

Unfortunately, forcing this interaction often backfires. The last thing the dog really wants is to get closer.

Second…

They wait until the dog is already barking before trying to help.

At that point emotions are already running high.

Third…

They tighten the leash the moment another dog appears.

That tension alone can increase arousal in some dogs. It tells the dog, uh oh, something bad is about to happen. It’s called behavioral cueing and it’s a huge thing in dog behavior treatment.

Fourth…

They focus entirely on stopping the barking instead of asking why it’s happening.

Remember…

The barking isn’t the problem.

It’s information.

And finally…

They continue to expose their dog reactive dog to other dogs all the time. Somehow hoping it will get better over time.

Every successful outburst becomes another rehearsal for the dog.

Behavior that’s rehearsed becomes stronger.

What did we talk about today?

If there’s one thing I’d like you to remember from today’s episode, it’s this.

Don’t become fixated on the barking.

Become curious about the reason behind it.

Your dog isn’t trying to make your walk miserable.

They’re communicating something – their fear.

When we understand what they’re trying to tell us, we’re finally in a position to help them.

Sometimes that’s a relatively straightforward process.

Other times it requires a more detailed behavioral assessment and treatment plan.

Almost all of these cases can be improved with treatment as long as the owner is patient, has realistic expectations and is committed to helping their dog.

Real behavior change always begins by understanding the why.

You can find additional articles, videos, podcast episodes, and information about my nationwide online behavior assessment services by visiting USADogBehavior.com.

If you found today’s episode helpful, I’d appreciate it if you’d subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast with someone who has a dog that could benefit from it. That helps more dog owners find the show and supports the work I do.

Until next time, remember:

Your dog’s behavior always has a reason. Find the reason, and you’re much closer to finding the solution.

I’m Scott Sheaffer.

Thank you for listening, and I hope you’ll join me for the next episode.