How to stop your dog from barking on a walk

Are you also the owner of a serial barker and don't know how to keep them quiet when they meet other dogs or people?

If you're tired of the stress and discomfort your dog causes by continuously barking, keep reading; we've summarized for you 3 effective methods that will teach you how to prevent your dog from barking on walks.

Enjoy your country outings and four-legged encounters without anxiety and stress!

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Teach the basic command

The first rule is universal and applies to all three training methods that will follow.

Before starting with the training methods, it's useful to teach your dog the "heel" command, or simply "heel".

This ensures that the dog walks neatly at your side, reinforcing your role as the leader.

Rewards are a valuable tool to reinforce correct behavior, but they must be small, as too many extra calories during training could affect the dog's weight.

To carry them with you and have them ready for use, you can use a belt treat pouch, which won't disturb your walk and will make it easy to extract the reward.

Clickers can help signal the correct behavior. Anti-bark whistles can also be useful, or vibration collars without shock (preferably models with a remote control, which you can use only if and when necessary).

Make sure you have an appropriate collar or harness and leash for your puppy's age and size before starting.

Method 1: Control and Concentration Method

With this method, we aim to teach the dog to control its emotions and to respect your leadership and commands.

It's a non-invasive method based on the master-dog hierarchy, which will accustom Fido not only to not bark but also to respect your orders in general.

Choose the right equipment: Make sure your dog's collar or harness fits well and is secure to maintain better control, especially if your dog tends to lunge. You can opt for a special harness that restrains the dog when it pulls, or one with a harness and lifting handle to stop the dog.
Firm but not too tight: Avoid holding the dog too tightly, as this could make them more prone to bark and pull.
Have them walk at heel: Teaching your dog to walk at heel serves as a distraction from the impending barking behavior. Controlling their movements often means controlling their vocal cords as well.
Reward their successes: Offer a treat when your dog walks at heel and remains calm.
Stimulate the dog: Introduce challenges, such as changing the walking speed or crossing obstacles. This stimulates your dog's concentration and reduces barking.

Method 2: Desensitization Method

With this method, we will teach the dog to divert its attention from the event that triggers barking, making it understand that we do not want it to be involved in what is happening and to respond by barking.

Identify the triggers: If other dogs are the main cause of barking during walks, try to recognize the stimulus from a distance. This method focuses mainly on barking triggered by other dogs, but it also works with other sounds, for example, sirens.
Create a barrier: When your dog reacts to another dog, create a barrier using yourself or an object to separate them.
Keep the dog still: Make the dog sit or lie down, and standing in front of it force it not to move. Continue to repeat no and do not let it pass in front of you.
Reward good behavior: Reward your dog with a small treat and use the clicker if it notices another dog but does not start barking.
Gradually desensitize the dog: Now that it knows it will be rewarded for not barking at other dogs, gradually bring your dog closer to the other dog, offering a treat every time you approach and it does not bark. You can try using this method with a friend's or neighbor's dog, which you know to be friendly.
Continue to practice: Make sure to train in short, targeted sessions, no more than 15 minutes a day.

Method 3: Distraction Method

This method is the most difficult to implement among the three proposed and requires auditory support, but it works over time and once learned is very effective.

Capture the dog's attention: When you predict that your dog is about to bark, attract its attention by calling its name or using the command "look". Or use the dog whistle, much more effective than vocal recall to capture the dog's interest.
Offer a reward: Reward your friend with a click and a treat when it obeys, to divert its attention from the triggering event.

A little trick: when you are at home, use the whistle before giving a treat to the dog, or before feeding it. The dog will associate the sound with the reward, and it will be much easier to capture your attention during the walk.

General rules for not letting the dog bark on walks

Consistency is key: make sure that whoever walks your dog uses the same command when it is about to bark and gives it a treat, otherwise it will quickly return to bad habits. And always do it yourself too.
Choose open spaces and opt for quiet and uncrowded places and free of distractions, which tend to reduce barking.
Move away from the distraction: when you encounter a potential stimulus (dog, cat, bird, or person), walk in the opposite direction to reduce barking.
Bring his favorite toy and distract him when he is about to bark (bring one that makes a sound, the dog's response will be quicker). At this stage, it is important to recognize your dog's stimuli and use this tactic preemptively to avoid rewarding unwanted behaviors. Ideally, bring a sound ball, which you can throw to him to play at home or in the garden, so that he associates that toy with playtime even if you keep it in your pocket while walking.
By following these methods, you can enjoy peaceful walks with your four-legged companion without the annoyance of continuous barking.

When to start training the dog not to bark?

It is best to start training from a young age, once the dog has been vaccinated and has had time for its immune system to process the vaccine, usually about a week after the last dose of the course.

Author's note

I invite all readers to share their experience on this topic in the comments section.

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From the Staff of Khani.co.uk

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Disclaimer

The information on our site is of a general nature and in no way replaces the advice of a veterinarian or industry experts. Always turn to the veterinarian for any doubts.

How to stop your dog from barking on a walk – Step by step guide