Why does my Dog Bark at other Dogs on Walks

The Barking Is Telling You Something

Have you ever been walking your dog when another dog appears and suddenly your peaceful walk turns into barking, pulling and lunging?
It can be embarrassing and frustrating. You might find yourself thinking:

“Why can't my dog just ignore the other dog?”
But barking is behaviour. And behaviour gives us information.

Your dog may be excited. They may be worried. They may want to get closer but don't know how. They may want the other dog to move away. They may be frustrated because they can't reach the dog.

Before we ask, “How do I stop the barking?” it helps to ask, “What is my dog trying to tell me?”

Not All Barking Means the Same Thing

Two dogs can bark at another dog for completely different reasons.

One might be saying:
“Come and play!”

Another might be saying:
“Please stay away from me.”

Another might be thinking:
“I really want to get over there, but I can't!”

The sound may look similar to us, but the dog's body language and the situation around the barking can tell us much more.

Look at the whole dog.
Are they loose and wiggly?
Are they leaning forward?
Are they trying to get closer?
Are they backing away?
Are they stiff?
Are they hiding behind you?
Are they repeatedly looking at the other dog and then back at you?

The barking is only one part of the conversation.

Sometimes Dogs Bark Because They Want to Get Closer

This is one that can be surprising.
A dog who is excited to see another dog may bark, pull and jump because they desperately want to get closer.
They aren't necessarily being aggressive.
They may simply have learned that seeing another dog means something exciting is about to happen.
The problem is that the behaviour can become very difficult to manage once the dog is highly aroused.
At that point, asking for a calm response may be much harder than it was a few moments earlier.

Excitement can make responding difficult too.

Sometimes Dogs Bark Because They Need More Distance

For another dog, the same situation can feel completely different.
The other dog may be worried.
They may feel uncomfortable when dogs approach.
They may have had frightening experiences in the past.
Or they may simply prefer not to interact with unfamiliar dogs.

Barking can be an attempt to create distance.
If the other dog moves away, the barking may stop.

That tells us something important.

The dog may not be trying to start a confrontation. They may be trying to make the situation feel safer.

What Happens When We Keep Moving Closer?

If a dog is already uncomfortable, continuing to approach can make things harder.

We might think: “They need to get used to other dogs.”

But being repeatedly placed in situations that are too difficult doesn't necessarily teach a dog that everything is safe.
It can teach them that other dogs appearing means they need to prepare themselves.

Instead, we can change the picture.
Increase the distance.
Cross the road.
Move behind a parked car.
Turn and walk in another direction.

Give the dog enough space to notice the other dog without becoming overwhelmed.
That isn't avoiding the problem.

It is creating an environment in which learning can happen.

Distance Is a Training Tool

Distance isn't failure. Distance is information.

If your dog can look at another dog from 20 metres away and still eat, think and respond to you, but struggles at 5 metres, that tells us something.
Five metres may simply be too difficult right now.

We can work at the distance where the dog can succeed and gradually build from there.

We don't need to wait for the dog to explode before we start helping them.

What Can We Do Instead of Saying “No!”?

Instead of repeatedly telling the dog to stop barking, we can teach them what they can do.

We can teach them to:

• notice another dog and check in with us

• move away with us

• walk with us when another dog passes

• find reinforcement from us

• settle after seeing a dog

• choose to disengage

• feel safe enough to keep walking

And we can practise these behaviours before the situation becomes overwhelming.

The goal isn't to make the dog pretend the other dog doesn't exist.

The goal is to help the dog learn what to do when another dog appears.

Your Dog Doesn't Need to Greet Every Dog

This is an important one.
Walking past another dog without saying hello is perfectly okay.
Our dogs don't need to meet every dog they see.
They don't need to play with every dog.
They don't need to tolerate every approach.

Sometimes the kindest thing we can teach our dogs is that they don't have to interact.
They can notice another dog, stay connected with us and continue on their walk.

Look at the Dog in Front of You

Just as we talked about with "stubborn" behaviour, there is no single explanation for barking.

Ask yourself:

What happened just before the barking?
How close was the other dog?
What was my dog doing with their body?
Were they trying to move towards the dog or away from it?
Could they still respond to me?
Was the environment already overwhelming?
What happens if I give them more distance?

These questions turn barking from something we simply want to stop into information we can use.

From “Stop Barking” to “How Can I Help?”

This is the shift we want owners to make.

Instead of: “How do I stop my dog barking at other dogs?”
Try: “What is making this situation difficult for my dog?”

Then we can make better training decisions.
Maybe we need more distance.
Maybe we need better reinforcement.
Maybe we need to teach a different response.
Maybe we need to work on the underlying emotion.
Maybe our dog simply needs more time.

When we understand the reason behind the behaviour, we can teach more effectively.

Your Dog Isn't Giving You a Hard Time

A barking dog can be difficult to live with.
That doesn't mean the dog is difficult on purpose.
Our job isn't to win a battle with the barking.
Our job is to understand what the barking is telling us and help the dog learn a better way to navigate the situation.

At BFF Dog Training, we don't expect dogs to simply obey when something feels overwhelming.
We teach dogs, listen to dogs and work with dogs.

Because the goal isn't simply a quiet dog.
The goal is a dog who feels safe, understands what we are asking and wants to work with us