6 Possible Reasons Why Dogs Bark At Other Dogs

Since dogs cannot speak, they will use different ways to communicate with us, other dogs, and animals. Barking will serve as a form of communicating with others; by barking, your dog could indicate many different things. But what happens if your dog starts to bark excessively at other dogs during your daily walks?

This behavior could be unpleasant for you, and if you don’t know why your dog does it, you come to the right place. Every dog will bark at other dogs at some point in life, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem can arise if your dog starts to bark at every dog he sees. You will have to understand why your dog does it and how you can help him.

Why do dogs bark at other dogs?

Dogs will use barking as a form of communication with other dogs. There are many reasons your dog could start barking at other dogs. No matter the reason behind this behavior, dogs will try to say something to another dog(s), but this behavior can, in many cases, turn into a bad habit that you will have to stop.

These are the 6 most common reasons your dog could start barking at other dogs.

1. Territorial barking

Many dogs are territorial animals, and if your dog barks at other dogs while they are passing near his house or property, territorial barking could be a reason. With barking, your dog will communicate that this is his territory and that other dogs shouldn’t come near unless they want trouble.

This is normal behavior mostly connected to guard dog breeds and is a highly praised trait. You don’t want your guard dog sleeping while intruders come near your property.

german-shepherd barking

2. Social barking

We all know that dogs are social animals and thrive on company, whether a human or the company of other dogs. If your dog starts to bark at other dogs while he has a happy posture, with a wagging tail most common reason for this behavior is because your dog wants to hang out.

With barking, your dog will try to let other dogs know he wants to hang out and play together.

3. Attention-seeking barking

If your dog is in the dog park or somewhere surrounded by different dogs, and he starts to bark at a certain dog, he is probably searching for attention from that dog.

With this barking, your dog will try to start an interaction that could potentially lead to playing.

german-shepherd barking

4. Reactivity barking

Every dog is different, and different dogs could have different activity levels. In general, reactivity is described as an overreaction to certain stimuli; most commonly, this stimuli is another dog.

Your dog could be uncomfortable because of fear, distress, or some bad past experiences, and he may start to bark excessively at another dog. Barking will occur as a reaction to his discomfort.

Besides barking, these dogs can exhibit behavior such as lunging, and although this may seem to you as an aggressive act, in most cases, it isn’t.

There are different reasons why your dog could start with reactive barking, and if your dog is one of them and you don’t know how to help him, you can ask your vet for advice.

5. Aggressive barking

Aggressive barking will appear when your dog wants to let other dogs know not to come closer. There could be different triggers for this aggressive barking, but for all of them, the end goal is to keep the other dog away.

Most cases of aggressive barking will happen with dogs that are not properly socialized and don’t know how to react properly in the presence of other dogs, especially if they are bigger than them.

If your dog is one of these dogs, we would advise you to seek help from a professional dog trainer, who can help you and your dog better handle these situations.

dog barking

6. Frustration barking

Frustration barking in dogs can happen for various reasons and most commonly is connected to dogs that cannot come near another dog. If you are on your usual walk and see a dog across the street, your dog could start to bark excessively, and this behavior could be frustrating because he cannot be close to that dog.

In other cases, frustrated barking can appear because of the restraint of a leash or fence dividing two dogs.

This type of barking is especially concerning because frustration could quickly turn into aggression. Depending on your dog and his character, some dogs could have a high tolerance level, while others could start aggressively reacting pretty quickly.

Should you stop this dog behavior?

Barking is a natural thing that dogs do, and with barking, they will communicate with their environment. If your dog barks at other dogs from time to time, you have nothing to worry about, which is completely normal. In this case, you shouldn’t forbid your dog from exhibiting this behavior.

The only time you should start thinking about stopping this is if your dog starts to bark excessively at every dog he sees. In this situation, the barking will get out of control, and you will have to find a way to help your dog.

It is in your best interest to address this problem because having a dog that barks at every dog he sees can be quite unpleasant and frustrating for you as a dog owner.

german-shepherd barking

How to help your dog with excessive barking at other dogs?

Whether you own a puppy or an adult dog with this problem, we would advise you to hire a professional dog trainer. Dog trainers are specialists in their job and can quickly understand why your dog behaves this way. After they understand your dog and his barking reasons, they can easily address this problem and find the best solution for your dog and you.

IMPORTANT: Many dog owners make mistakes and start punishing their dogs for this behavior. You need to understand that by punishing your dog for excessive barking, you will not get anything done and will only create more problems.

Barking is a natural dog behavior; you will only need to teach your dog when the barking is accepted and when it is not.

World Dog Finder team

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