As we discussed in my article Stop Dog Barking - Why Dogs Bark and How To Train Them To Stop Barking , there are many reasons why dogs bark. Things like boredom, lack of exercise, and too much alone time are all causes of random, inappropriate barking in dogs.

In the case where your dog only barks at other dogs, it is probably because your dog is not getting enough social time. Remember, dogs are social animals as evidenced by the pack structure. However, since your dog is barking at other dogs, we need to determine whether it is lack of socialization, or a protective instinct. To do this, your dog must complete Introduction Training.

Introduction Training

It is best to find a couple of dogs and owners who you know and trust to be comfortable, safe, and confident around other dogs. Before training, take your dog out to a private area and play with them; this will reduce anxious energy and allow your dog to be more focused.

I like to use the positve reinforcement method when training dogs. For this, you will need some training treats, a correction collar, and a positive attitude.

The Walk Across

First, you need to get your dog into a calm, submissive posture. The best way to do this is to put on the correction collar, and a short leash. Standing in a semi-public area, have your puppy sit down next to you, and keep the leash taught enough so that your dog's head is held level. Now it is time to have another dog walk across your dog's field of vision. They should be at least 10 feet away. As soon as your dog starts to act anxious, give a quick and firm tug on the leash, and use a consistent negative command such as "shhhh" or "stop."   As soon as your dog returns to the calm and submissive state, positively reinforce the behavior by giving it a treat and lavish praise. Repeat this corrective process of negative command, leash tug, and positive reinforcement until the dog can cross your dog 's field of vision without barking or becomming anxious.

If your dog stands and or pulls on the leash, immediately give a tug, and give them a command to sit (only once). If he doesn't sit immediately, give another tug on the leash but do not repeat the command. If he still does not sit and return to a calm and sumbissive state, aggresively and firmly (but not angrily, act as though you expect and will not tolerate the behavior, but remain calm)  place the puppy into the seated position. Do no reward the puppy until it remains seated and in a calm state.

On the off chance that your dog immediately submits to the other dog, possibly turning over on its back, just stand there calmly. Eventually both dogs will assume their natural roles in the realtionship, and everything will be fine.

Up Close Introductions

Now it is time to have your dog directly interact with another dog. Some dogs are (and specific breeds) are more protective of their territory and owner thans others. It is important to understand if your dog's barking is protective, and it will be a bit more difficult tp train them not to bark in this situation.

Once again, have your dog seated and in a calm submissive state. Leave the corrective collar and leash on for now. The first test will be to introduce the new dog while it is also restrained by a leash and controlled by its' owner. Using the same techinque as before, use the negative command as well as the corrective collar and leash to distract your dog and return it to a seated, calm, and submissive state, and then positvely reinforce the behavior.

If your dog is acting in a protective manner, it is quite possible he or she will stand up and aggressively tug, growl, and bark at the other dog. It is important not to over react, and certainly do not reprimand your dog by smacking it. This will only teach your dog that violence is the proper response to agressive behavior. If your dog does not repsond to the negative command and leash tug, you must establish yourself as the dominant (alpha) member of the pack. Instead of using the leash, grab your dogs collar and forcefully restrain your dog and place it in a laid down position. If he tries to get up, escape, or continues barking, continue holding him in the down position and repeat the negative command. Do not allow the dog to get up and continue the behavior before it reachesa calm submissive state. If your dog is signficantly larger than you, it is ok to place the dog in a submission hold by wrapping your arms around the neck and then placing your legs around its waist (infront of the back legs so as not to injur them) and then pulling the dog onto it's back on top of you. This is an extreme submissive position for a dog as it will not be able to move; be sure you are not choking your dog, you are only controling its movement by holding it around the neck. Hold the dog there until it returns to a calm, submissive state, then reward him.

Once your dog no longer shows any kind of anxious or agressive behavior toward the other dog, it is ok to let them off of the leash and they can begin to socialize normally.

Socializing In A More Natural Environment

Now that you know your dog is comfortable and confident around other dogs (or you knew without the introduction training), it is time to socialize them. Remember, the more social time your dog has to socialize, the less likely he is to bark at other dogs. In fact, he'll probably display little to no inappropriate barking behavior.

The best social time your dog can have is spending time actively working and playing with you. Taking your dog on a run, or to the park, or outside and playing a good 30 - 45 minutes of fetch are great ways for your dog to get it's social time, as well as to get proper exercise.

Spending time training your dog is also a great way for your dog to socialize. A key thing to note is that the most important aspect of your dog's life is to serve you and make you happy. I know this doesn't make much sense from a human perspective, but it is absolutely the case with your dog (assuming you have established yourself as the pack leader).

That said, I really recommend the SitStayFetch method of dog training. It teaches you the the latest, most humane and effective training techniques of any book I have ever read. I have worked out a deal with Daniel Steven's, the books author, which will give you a 6 day mini-course which is comprimised with information from the more detailed system.

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Canine Socialization

Of course, I am a realist, and I know that most of us are very busy and may not be able to spend the time with our dogs that they deserve every signle day. Here are some suggestions for allowing your dog to socialize within your busy schedule.

1. Hire the neighbor's kid to come over and play with your dog each day when they get home from school.
2. Use a professional dog walking service
3. This is the best, and I use it with my dog. Send your dog to doggie play group. To find a group in your area, just open up your favorite search engine and type in dog playgroup and your city name. For instance dog playgroup Los Angeles, CA.

Related Articles

- Stop Dog Barking - Why Dogs Bark and How To Train Them To Stop Barking
- Babies and Dogs: How Best to Introduce a Baby to a Dog 
- How To Train A Puppy (Older Dogs Too): The Positive Reinforcement Dog Training Method
- Stop Coprophagia (Poop Eating)
- How To Identify and Cure Your Dogs Separation Anxiety
- The Ultimate Guide To Dog Health - Answers To Dog Health Questions, Problems, And Symptoms

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