There are three methods that you can use to train your dog to bark at strangers.
The Hello Friend Method
The Pick Your Cue Word Method
The What Do You Hear Method
Let’s summarize each method for easier understanding.
1. The Hello Friend Method.
Take your dog into a room where people always come in through the door like a bedroom or kitchen. Make sure your dog is in the sit position here.
Enlist the help of your friend, get them to knock on the door.
If your dog barks, praise them and give them a treat, if they don’t just act normal till your dog barks.
The next phase is to get your friend to knock on the glass or windows.
If your dog barks, praise them and give them a treat, if they don’t just act normal till your dog barks.
As your dog begins to understand what is expected, you can switch things up, by using other rooms and enlisting the help of more people.
2. The Pick Your Cue Word Method.
The whole idea here is to get your dog to bark on command, so first, choose a cue word for example “bark”
Put your dog on a leash and attach it to something in the room, step out of the room and call your dogs name.
When your dog realizes that he or she can get out of the leash to answer you, they will likely bark. At this point you come into the room, praise your dog and offer some treats.
Repeat the process till your dog understands what is expected.
Next thing is to add the cue word “bark” immediately your dog barks.
You can take it to the next level by getting someone in your household to repeat the same training with your dog.
3. The What Do You Hear Method.
This method is geared more towards dogs with tendencies to vocalize their feelings. It is mainly aimed at encouraging the dog to bark at strangers when you want them to and ignoring other occurrences.
Each time your dog barks at a stranger, interact with him or her. Ask questions like “What’s it?” while rewarding them with praises.
For the dogs that are quieter, encourage them to check what is happening. This way, your dog will start to understand that you expect some form of engagement when a stranger comes around.
When this works and your dog has understood the whole process. Begin to teach her the quiet command. This will help your dog not only to interact with you by barking when a stranger comes around, but it will also help to teach them to be quiet on command.
The next step is to try the command in more complex scenarios or simply put, outside the house.
So that’s it. if you have wondered “my dog is not barking at all‘ or “why is my dog not barking at strangers?” You have not only possible reasons but also the steps you can take to prevent this from happening to you.
OTHER RELATED QUESTIONS.
When do puppies start barking at strangers?
Puppies start barking at strangers immediately they find their louder voice. This usually falls into their 6 to 12 weeks of age when they start trying to socialize. This means they would not only bark at strangers in this phase, but they will also bark at unfamiliar objects and noises too. They would usually calm down after the 12th week and repeat the same phase at about the 4th to the 6th month of their age.
How to make a puppy bark at strangers.
You can make a puppy start barking at strangers by training them to do so. Using “the Pick Your Cue Word Method” works well in this instance.
How to teach a dog to bark aggressively.
You do this by encouraging your dog to bark at any instance. Use a cue word or command like “speak” or “bark”. Whenever you are indoors and your dog is outside, issue the command. Reward your dog when he or she barks. With time the protective instinct that comes with a dog barking will be reinforced in them and they would bark at anything they believe to be potential threats aggressively.
Why does my dog bark at some strangers and not others?
A dog would bark at some strangers and not others based on the aura or characteristics which the stranger exhibits or a memory that the stranger triggers in the dog. A stranger that gives the aura of safety, confidence, friendliness, and trust from a dog’s perspective will not be barked at, but a stranger giving the aura of anger, violence, and aggression would be barked at as they would seem to be a potential threat.
My 5-month-old puppy doesn’t bark.
As far as you can confirm your dog does not have a medical condition or undergoing some vocal stress, then you can chuck your dog’s behaviour up to it being a function of the breed or personality