Barking At People And Dogs

[Stretch177 39]

I've got a beddy x whippet and a slight problem that I can't seem to solve. Basically whenever I'm out with her, any new dogs or people we encounter she goes over stands off about 3/4 yards and starts barking, she's not aggressive but obviously it sometimes scares the dog owners or people we meet. I go over and she comes to me, I reassure her and then once I start talking to them she settles down and starts to play with the dog if they have one. Upto now I have put it down to being nervous/timid around new people and dogs, as she sometimes does it in the house when new people come in. She is only 9 months and I have had her since she was 10 weeks, meeting new dogs and people most times we are out and she is always the same. Is there anything I can do, she's a very clever little dog, it's just this one thing I want to nip in the bud if possible, before anything happens.

 

Cheers Stretch

[hutch6 550]

A dog's bark serves two purposes. The main one is to call for back up as the dogs is unsure of the situation, the secondary one is to ward off potential threats.

 

It sounds very much like the first instance with your dog (as with most). You say she barks at things until you go over and settle her down (calling in the back up for reassurance) but what happens if you call her away? Does she come to you? If so put her on the lead and walk back towards the object of her attention. Does she begin barking again or not?

[beast 1,884]

dont reassure her when she does this as you are reinforcing the behaviour. walk up and put her on the lead, and ignore her until she is quiet, then praise. it is good if you engage positively with the people once she is leashed, so stand there and explain to them what you are doing. get her to approach them and have a sniff, and ask them to ignore her so she sees that there is no harm in strangers. walk her up and down your local high street so she just gets totally accustomed to strangers, and work on her recall so you can get her back hwen she starts barking. some dogs just maintain a puppyish outlook for longer than othrs, whether the payfulness with strange dogs, or chasing joggers, or the unconfident barking at strangers. she will grow out of it, but you can speed up the process by following these steps.