# Dog suddenly started barking at people!



## Iamche (Feb 1, 2010)

Hello, 

My dog has suddenly started randomly barking at people on the street whenever we are out for a walk. Male, female, moving, standing still, it doesn't matter. 

This has to stop because he is beginning to frighten people. He does not show any aggression to either people or dogs but his bark is very loud. So now he is never off the leash. 

He does not bark in the house only outside, and only at people.

He is 13 months old, medium sized, very smart and friendly and a mix of Bernersennun, Border Collie and Flat Coated Retriever. 

The barking began around the same time that he had the "chemical castration" injection but I cannot see how this would have caused the barking. My only other explanation is that he is learning bad habits with the dog walker.

And my thoughts on stopping it - shoot water at him with a water pistol to associate something bad happening to him every time he barks. 1. he hates water and 2. he won't associate me with the bad thing.

Any thoughts or ideas?

PS Or is this just 'teenage' behavior?


----------



## amavanna (Nov 20, 2010)

I would avoid the water gun only because that would make giving him any kind of bath a heck of a lot harder because he has a real reason to be afraid of it. He needs to associate you as the one telling him the barking is inappropriate. When he starts to bark, try making him focus his attention on you, make him sit or lay down and do not continue the walk until he has completed your demands, if does not then take him back inside. This is just a suggestion that I would try as I had lela try to take off from me after a squirrel many many many times on our first few walks and despite her incredible prey drive doing what I described did in fact make things alot easier, its of coarse still a work in progress she still whines at the squirrels and yelps at them but she dosent attempt to drag me on the chase. 

As to weather your dog walker caused this behavior is beyond me but one thing is for sure is you both need to make sure that you walk her the same way and that both you and the dog walker are the ones leading the walk. It sounds to me the dog is too concerned over his surroundings to have any enjoyment of the walk itself leading to believe he feels alpha over you and the dog walker at least during the walks. In which case going back to basics on leash training may help out.


----------



## Pynzie (Jan 15, 2010)

He could start associating the water squirt with the people. Aka, people come around and bad things happen to me! I better bark more so that the people will stay away and I will stay dry. You need to reinforce what you DO want him to do. Start from a distance that he is comfortable with, far enough away that he's not barking. Praise and treats when he notices a person but remains calm. Start moving closer and closer. If he gets to a point where he reacts and barks, you've gone too far. Take a step back to where he is comfortable and start again.


----------



## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

Using the water gun is NOT a good idea. He may begin to associate the sight of the people with the impending squirt from the gun and thus will continue to bark and get anxious.

Reward him BEFORE he begins barking.. let him learn that people approaching is a GOOD thing, especially if he's quiet. Do not punish the barking.. instead, if he barks, reverse direction, or move away from the people, etc. 

Does he bark because he wants to be pet by people? Or, is he weary of people on the street?

Out of curiosity has he been to basic training classes?


----------



## Spunky Dog (Dec 6, 2010)

Just out of curiosity, have you discussed with your veterinarian the issue of the chemical castration? How to Stop Dog Aggression can be a tricky area sometimes, and sometimes can only be explained by an underlying medical condition. Perhaps your dog has had an averse reaction to the castration, or perhaps it has affected him in some other way. I would really want to talk to my veterinarian if it was my dog.

Was he ever properly socialized? Gradually exposing him to strangers in a variety of settings can help, as he will soon learn that strangers are not to be feared.

I hope everything works out for you.


----------



## candace (Aug 1, 2011)

I'm interested to see whether this has resolved. I have a goldendoodle who just turned one year old. I have taken her through obedience class, and she did just fine. She was a little younger than the others and a little more exuberant, but in general she did okay. I have tried to socialize her to lots of different people over the past year. I have had her since she was a little puppy. She has always loved people and wags her tail like crazy to get them to pet her. Suddenly, this weekend, I took her to the beach (same beach we went to back at New Years), and she decided to bark at people. Any people. All people. And if they come near her, she hides behind my legs as though she's afraid of them. What's this about! She's never been afraid of people?!! It was very bizarre.


----------



## unpredictablecatz (Apr 19, 2012)

Mine too! Always been to social class, dog parks, camping, hiking, swimming and never had any issues. Now suddenly at 2 1/2 mixed neutered male, he started barking at people. Used to be just in the dark if they approached us too quickly. Now if anyone comes towards him the wrong way, he backs up as he barks (good thing, meaning not aggressive, but could turn that way if they keep approaching him I'm sure). And also at other dogs who are acting out. He obviously is not convinced I'm the boss and is trying to take control of groups. Yesterday at dog park, whenever he acted this way, I grabbed his collar (as he is deaf when he wants to be), and pull him back just far enough to sit him down and look him in the eye and say "NO". By the end of our park session he would bark at a dog, I would get close to him, stare at him and say "No", and he looked at me and came right to me. I think he got it, but it's repetition and repetition and I have to be more firm. He also has decided he doesn't like other dogs near me or like it when I pet another dog. Same story, I look right at him and say "no", and wait until I can tell he has calmed and not still looking around for more trouble, and let him go again. The worse thing to do is take your dog away from these situations. You or your dog will never learn how to deal with them. Practice, practice, and then more practice.


----------



## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Your dog may be calling people to come say Hello. Get some friends and some small treats, and ask the friends to come over and give the dog a treat. If he is friendly and receptive, then I'd guess that wants some socialization, but doesn't know the rules yet. If so:
1. Start socializing him with lots of people.
2. Ask him to sit when people approach. Ask them to look away or turn away if he barks.
3. However, for the brief time when he's quiet, have them quickly slip him a hidden treat.
Modify this idea to the situation and repeat lots.


----------

