How to Teach a Dog Not to Bark at People

Dogs bark at people out of fear the person is invading their territory. Even if the person is across the street or a distance away, the dog might view the person as a threat. Dogs also bark at people to warn owners that someone is coming. The barking can be annoying and make the person fearful. Stopping a dog from barking over the long term takes some time and work.

Things You'll Need

  • Bark collar
  • Can with pennies
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Instructions

    • 1

      Teach the dog the "Quiet" command by shaking a can with pennies or loud objects and yelling "Quiet" as soon as the dog starts barking. Eventually, the dog will respond to the command alone, without needing to shake the can.

    • 2

      Give the dog praise or a reward when it is quiet when someone comes near. Give the dog a treat and say "Good dog" and pet the dog gently.

    • 3

      Move the dog away from people. If the dog constantly barks at children playing across the street, put the dog in the back yard. Avoid as much as possible situations where the dog barks at people.

    • 4

      Teach the dog commands that distract it from barking at people. Teaching "Come" by giving the dog a treat whenever it comes to you is a way to distract the dog. Tell the dog to "Come" when it starts barking. Another distracting command is "Target." Teach the dog to press its nose to your palm when you say "Target."

    • 5

      Put a bark collar on the dog as a last resort. Some critics say the collar harms the dog because they cause fear. The collars works by zapping the dog with a short electric shock or by releasing a scent when it barks.