How to train your dog not to bark at strangers – 3 top methods

Pets Can Smile – 29 June 2024

Your dog is barking at strangers: 

• Whenever the doorbell rings
• Whenever someone just walks by your house
• Whenever you meet other people during walks 

This is so annoying – to you and to other people.   

You can even get sued!

So what can you do? 

No worries. 

This is how to train dog not to bark at strangers: 

• Distraction method (distract your dog’s attention away from strangers)
• Going to a “spot” (send your dog to a designated spot)
• Proper socialization (create a positive association with strangers)

But there is more you need to know!

This is why this article will tell you everything about: 

• Why your dog is barking at strangers
• How to train your dog to stop barking at strangers (7 methods)
• How to prevent your dog from barking when you’re not around

Let’s do this. 

Let’s help your dog stop barking at strangers – your family members, strangers, and your dog will thank you for this!

Why is your dog barking at strangers?

Your dog may bark at strangers for a number of reasons. 

But whatever the reason, the constant barking can be very annoying (and scary) to other people. 

This is why you need to fix the barking issue as soon as possible. 

But first… you need to know why your dog is barking at strangers. 

Only then you can fix the issue. 

Here are the potential reasons why your dog is barking at strangers. 

Excitement

Excitement is the main reason for dogs barking at strangers. This is especially true for puppies. 

A dog is simply very happy – and is showing its excitement through excited barking. 

Barking out of excitement is usually not threatening, especially when the barking occurs outside of your dog’s territory.

But check your dog’s body language, just to make sure. 

A wagging tail and wiggly butt is often a sign that your dog is barking out of excitement. 

But the problem is, a stranger may not know that the barking is friendly. 

Friendly or not, barking usually scares people – and annoys your neighbors! A lot. 

Territorial barking

Your dog is barking again. 

So again, assess your dog’s body language. 

If your dog’s body is rigid and its teeth are showing, your dog may be defending its territory. 

In short, your dog is seeing the stranger as a threat. 

In addition to teeth-baring, your dog may also raise its hackles. 

The hackles are the hairs that run along your dog’s spine. The hackles are powered by a set of special muscles, which can make the hackles stand up

Your dog may engage in territorial barking when someone comes to the front door or is simply passing by. 

Congratulations, you have a guard dog!

But there is a downside to that. 

No one is going to visit you. 

Plus, that barking will upset you, your family members – and your neighbors.  

Your dog may even attack some poor stranger. 

Fear

Your dog can also start barking at strangers out of fear. 

Yes, fear of the unknown can be very powerful. 

Your doggy can be terrified of new sounds, places, situations, people, and animals. 

A terrified dog will often bark at anyone who approaches you – or your home. 

Lack of socialization

Your dog may also bark around strangers if the poor thing wasn’t properly socialized as a puppy (more on this later). 

Your dog simply doesn’t know how to behave around new people, animals, and situations. 

This is also quite common in rescue dogs. 

Many dogs coming from shelters had very little quality interaction with humans and animals. 

How to train your dog not to bark at strangers?

Yes, your dog’s barking at every stranger is a problem. 

The constant barking: 

• Annoys you, your neighbors, and other people 
• Scares away friends and other visitors from your home
• Is harmful to your dog’s mental wellbeing

The good news is, you can train your dog not to bark at strangers. 

I managed it!

And my dog was quite a barker. 

Any sound or movement outside my house, and my dog was at it. 

My dog also barked at people (and other dogs) on our walks, including in dog parks. It was a nightmare.

I also had complaints from my neighbors, because my dog was also barking when I left it alone at home. 

So I took my dog to a vet, who is also a certified dog trainer. 

My vet recommended a number of methods (explained below). 

Long story short, my dog no longer barks at strangers!

What a relief – for everyone.  

Here are the best methods to stop your dog from barking at strangers. 

Ignore the barking

There is a chance your dog is barking simply to get your attention. 

If you suspect this is the case, ignore the barking until it stops. 

This may take some time – so be patient. 

By the way, this is the first method I tried with my barking dog. 

My vet told me that if I turn my attention to my dog when it’s barking, I’ll reward the barking. 

We don’t want that. 

So I followed these rules whenever my dog was barking: 

• I didn’t talk to my dog
• I didn’t pet or touch my dog
• I didn’t even look at my dog

Yes, I just ignored my barking pup – totally. 

But when my dog finally stopped barking – even if only to catch a breath – I gave my doggy its favorite treat. 

My vet also asked me to gradually increase the time my dog needed to stay quiet before it got a treat. 

Unfortunately, this method didn’t work for my dog. 

But you should definitely try it – this is often the best method to start first. 

Distraction method

Distracting your dog is one of the most effective ways to stop your dog from barking at strangers. 

This is the second method I tried with my dog. 

The method is very simple. 

Just shake your car keys when your dog starts barking. 

Once your dog turns its attention to you, reward it with a treat for not barking anymore. 

Your dog should soon realize that not barking at strangers means tasty treats. 

You can use this method both at home and on walks outside. 

By the way, this method didn’t work for my dog either. 

But you should definitely try this method – it really is one of the best ways of stopping a dog from barking at strangers. 

Spoiler: I managed to stop my dog barking with the below “quiet” method! 

The “quiet” method

Yes, this method worked for my dog!

This is how I did it. 

I allowed my dog to bark at a stranger for a bit (3 to 4 barks).  

Then I approached my dog and gently closed its mouth with my hand while saying “quiet” repeatedly. 

It was important not to raise my voice when saying “quiet”. Say the “quiet” command assertively but calmly. 

Next, I took my hands off my dog’s muzzle. 

When my dog remained quiet, I rewarded it with a treat. 

But when my dog resumed barking, I again closed its mouth with my hand, while repeating the “quiet” command. When my dog remained quiet, I rewarded them with a treat. 

I repeated these steps whenever my dog started barking at a stranger (I hired a friend to pose as a stranger).    

As per my vet’s instructions, I increased the time between saying “quiet” (the dog stops barking) and giving the treats. This allowed for the “quiet” command to properly sink in.  

As I mentioned earlier, this method worked for my dog! Phew. 

Walk away

This is a great method to stop the barking during walks. 

If your doggy starts barking at a stranger during a walk, just turn and walk away from the stranger (with your dog following you on a leash). 

This will show your dog that barking at strangers means no interaction with people on walks. 

But make sure to reward your dog whenever it interacts with a stranger without barking. 

Soon, your dog will learn that barking is bad business – no interactions, no treats. 

Go to a “spot”

If none of the above methods stopped the barking, you should try this. 

Just before your visitors (strangers) arrive, send your dog to a designated “spot” in your house. 

This is how to train your dog to go to a “spot”. 

Designate a location in your house where you want your dog to stay during visits by strangers. 

Make sure the “spot” is at least 8 feet away from the front door. 

Now, say “go to your spot” and toss a treat to that “spot”.

Your dog will most likely go to the “spot” to get its treat. 

Repeat this 10 times (more or less). 

Next, say “go to your spot”… but this time only pretend to toss the treat. 

If your dog goes to the spot, give your dog a treat. If not, toss the treat to the “spot” several times more. 

Eventually, your dog will learn the trick without the need for treats. 

Socialize your dog properly

Lack of proper socialization can lead to behavioral problems in dogs, including barking at strangers. 

Barking at strangers can often be observed in rescue dogs that had little contact with humans in the early stages of their lives.

A dog that is not properly socialized will often be afraid of people and other dogs. This may result in excessive barking at strangers. 

Here is how to socialize a puppy: 

• Start young (ideally, between 3 and 16 weeks of age)
• Acclimate your puppy to new sights, smells, and sounds (create a positive association with as many new things as possible)
• Gradually introduce your puppy to new people (slowly let your puppy meet new people, followed by larger groups)
• Reward your puppy with praise and treats (give your puppy plenty of verbal praise and treats during socialization)
• Visit larger public places (once your puppy is comfortable with small groups of people and small locations, take your puppy to larger public places)

Here is how to socialize an adult dog: 

• Arrange dog playdates (invite a friend who has a dog and let the dogs interact with each other in an environment that is already familiar to your dog)
• Meet other people and dogs on your daily walks (look for friendly dogs on your daily walks)
• Visit a dog park (start by walking around the perimeter fence to let your dog get used to the park visitors from a safe distance, then enter the park)

Exercise

Make sure your dog gets plenty of physical and mental exercise. 

A dog who is getting enough physical and mental stimulation is less likely to bark out of boredom or frustration. 

The amount of exercise and playtime will depend on your dog’s age, health, and breed. 

Speak to your vet if you’re not sure how much exercise your dog needs. 

How to prevent your dog from barking – when left alone

But how to prevent your dog from barking when you have to leave it alone (inside or outside)? 

That’s right, you need some preventative measures to stop your dog from barking at strangers when you have to leave your dog alone in the house or in the yard. 

It’s worth noting that the preventive measures will depend on where you keep your dog – inside your house or in your yard.  

This is what I do. 

When I leave my dog alone inside my house, I close all blinds, curtains, and windows. 

This ensures my dog can’t see any strangers outside my house. 

Regarding my yard, I installed a tall opaque fence. This ensures my dog can’t see past my yard. 

How to train dog not to bark at strangers CONCLUSION

So your dog is barking at strangers. 

Your doggy barks:  

• Whenever the doorbell rings
• Whenever someone walks by your house
• Whenever you meet other people during walks 

And I agree, all this barking can be really annoying – to you and to others. 

So what can you do? 

This is how to train dog not to bark at strangers. 

The most effective methods are: 

• Distraction method (distract your dog’s attention away from strangers)
• Going to a “spot” (send your dog to a designated spot)
• Proper socialization (create a positive association with strangers)

But there is more you need to know!

This is why this article also told you about:  

• Why your dog is barking at strangers
• How to teach your dog to stop barking at strangers (7 methods)
• How to prevent your dog from barking when you’re not around

Our team wishes you (and your dog) a quiet and peaceful life!