4, 5, 6, 7 Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs

Whenever a dog barks, this can be quite annoying. However, there are multiple reasons behind this and not all of them should mean you tell them to stop barking. But what does actually cause your puppy to bark and what can you do about it?

4, 5, 6, 7 Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs

 

There can be multiple reasons why a puppy will bark at other dogs. The main reasons are either due to wanting to socialise with other dogs, or feeling territorial over either you or their home. The most important thing is to figure out why so you know how to manage the behaviour.

 

Is It Normal For My Puppy To Bark At Other Dogs?

This depends on the age of the puppy.

 

If your puppy is younger than six months old, this is relatively normal and is likely done out of fear. Even though it starts with barking, it can lead to snapping and biting. If your puppy then believes it’s in their best interests to do this, they will do until you train them otherwise.

 

However, if your puppy is older than six months old, even though this behaviour is still relatively normal, it will likely be because they want to go and play with them, rather than being scared.

Why Does My 4 Month-Old-Puppy Bark At Other Dogs?

One reason why your puppy is barking at other dogs is because they want to play with them. Dogs are naturally quite social creatures and at 4 months old it is unlikely that your puppy will of had a lot of interaction with other dogs, other than their parents and siblings.

 

At 4 months old your dog will probably have only recently started going out on walks. This means that they won’t of had enough opportunity to interact and socialise with other dogs, so as well as wanting to socialise with them, there might be other reasons for them barking at other dogs.

 

Of course, another reason behind this barking at other dogs could be because they are scared of other dogs. As has already been mentioned, at 4 months old, your puppy is unlikely to have done a lot of socialisation with other dogs.

 

This means that they may be feeling a little wary towards other dogs, particularly if those dogs are a lot bigger than them. Your dog will be barking in this instance because they are scared of the dog and are wanting to make themselves feel better about the dog being close to them.

 

They might also be barking at the other dog due to frustration. This may occur if your puppy has been socialised with other dogs and enjoys playing games with them. If they can’t join in with these games, they will bark out of frustration.

Reasons Why Puppies Bark At Other Dogs

There are many reasons why your puppy might be barking at other dogs. One of these reasons is due to a lack of socialisation and not knowing how to behave around other dogs. They might be either really excited or really nervous.

 

This can also be from frustration if your dog has already been socialised with dogs. This might be if they see another dog playing a game and they want to join in with this game but can’t for whatever reason.

What Should I Do If My Puppy Barks At Another Dog?

If your dog is barking at another dog due to frustration from not being able to join in with their game, there is a simple solution to this. Try and restrict them from playing games with dogs and teach them how to play games with humans instead.

 

Doing this will help teach them good manners when it comes to being around other dogs and means if you’re taking them out on a walk in the park and they see another dog playing a game, they will feel less inclined to start barking at them due to wanting to join in.

 

You should also try and only gradually introduce them to other dogs. Dogs can find socialisation very overwhelming at first and this might be why they are barking at other dogs, so they should only be introduced slowly and calmly at first so they can get used to them and not freak out.

How Do I Stop My Puppy Barking At Other Dogs?

How you stop your puppy from barking at other dogs depends on the reason why they are barking at other dogs.

 

If your puppy is barking because they want to play with the other dog, you need to teach them that it’s just as fun to play with people. This will also mean stopping them from playing with other dogs for a while and only letting them play with people.

 

This can be easier said than done. When taking your puppy for a walk, try and avoid places where lots of dogs tend to be and spend lots of one-on-one time with your dog. This is the easier part.

 

The trickier part is when you have multiple dogs at home with you. In this case, you’ll want to restrict their interactions as your puppy needs to learn that they can have fun without other dogs being around, which can help increase their confidence and happiness.

 

Once you have done this, you can then start to train them on what is appropriate behaviour around other dogs. This will likely involve giving treats when they show the behaviour you want them to exhibit and a lot of time and patience.

 

There are a number of ways you can do this. If you’re using a treat-based training method, do so by calling their name and when they come to you, give them a treat.

 

If you don’t want to use this training method, there are other training methods you can also use. You can try changing direction when you notice the other dog and either before your dog has seen them or reacted to them. This is good if you haven’t already socialised your dog.

 

Finally, you might want to try a distraction method, whereby if they become bothered by another dog, you distract them with an item, such as their favourite toy. This way, they will learn that when they turn their attention away from the dog, they get rewarded with their favourite toy.

 

However, this is different if the reason why your puppy is barking is because they are scared of the other dog.

 

In this case, you’re going to want to start off by ensuring your pup has a safe zone within your house that one they go to and where no human or animal will disturb them. If you do this and want to play with or interact with them, only do this outside of this zone.

 

Once you have done this and your dog knows where their safe zone is, this is when you can start introducing them to other dogs. Make sure you know these dogs and that they are calm and friendly. This lets them build up their trust with dogs and overtime, they can be near all dogs.

What Is The Best Way To Socialize A 4 Month Old Puppy?

There are a number of different methods you can put into practice as a way for you to socialise your puppy.

 

The first is to schedule a puppy play date. You can do this with a friend or family member who also has a dog, preferably one that is calm. This way, you know you can trust the other dog to not react badly to your puppy, which will enable your dog to become more confident.

 

Another option is to take your puppy to the park. There are bound to be other dogs in the park with their owners and many dog owners are quite friendly and will help let both dogs socialise. But this may be best done after you’ve socialised with dogs you know so you can see how your dog reacts.

 

You should also look into socialisation or training classes for your pup. This way, your puppy will be around other dogs whilst there is a professional present, who will be able to guide you and the other dog owners on how to socialise and train your dogs.

 

Finally, the other option is to get another furry friend for your puppy. This might be the least viable option, however, if your dog is constantly around another all the time, it helps teach them how to behave and also gives them another friend to play with all the time.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs All Of A Sudden?

This can be due to a number of reasons, particularly if this barking has suddenly happened, whereas previously, your dog was completely fine around other dogs.

 

For example, the first few weeks and months of your dogs life is essential to socialisation and training. If you don’t do this, this causes your pup to exhibit negative behaviours. So, if they’re not used to other dogs, this can cause a problem.

 

Dogs are fairly territorial, so if another dog comes into their home or if you’re out with your pup and a dog comes up to you, they’re not going to be too happy about it. You need to teach them socialisation as just like us, dogs need interaction with others.

 

The sooner you start socialising your dog with other dogs, the easier it’s going to be for them to stop barking at other dogs and to also be more accepting of dogs and humans who come up to them.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs All The Time?

It’s likely that they aren’t properly trained to be around other dogs. They might want to play with them, or they might be afraid of them. You will know your dog better than everyone, so should know the reason behind this barking based on the body language cues they give off.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs At Night?

The reasons for your puppy barking at dogs at night is quite possibly different to the reasons why they might bark at a dog during the day.

 

This could be because they either see or hear another dog around at night. For example, you might let your dog out to pee before bed and your neighbour is doing the same with their dog. If your dog can sense their dog, they might bark to communicate or possibly out of fear.

 

Other reasons behind this include experiencing loneliness, a lack of supervision, or not having had enough exercise or play time. In these cases, you should always keep an eye on your dog, spend plenty of time with them, and give them plenty of exercise, such as walking, so they don’t get to the point of barking at other animals.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs At Home?

If you have other dogs other than your puppy at home, or if a friend or family member brings their dog to your home, there’s a chance your puppy might bark at them. It’s not always clear why this is, but there are a few possible reasons behind it.

 

The most likely reason is territory. Dogs are very territorial animals and don’t like it when another animal comes into this territory, even if that animal lives there. It’s important you get your dog used to others early on as the longer you leave it, the worse they will become.

 

From the moment you get your puppy, once they have started to settle in, start introducing them to other dogs (and even animals and humans) so they can get used to them and so they know that this is a space that they share.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs At Dog Park?

This can be due to a number of different reasons. One of these is wanting to go over to the dog and play and interact with them but for whatever reason, they are unable to do this. Don’t give in to their needs in this case, keep them on the lead and move them away from other dogs.

 

On the flip side of that is your puppy not wanting to socialise with the other dog as they are scared of them. This is most likely the case if your dog isn’t used to other dogs. Again, keep them on the lead and keep them away from other dogs until they are gradually socialised.

4 Month Old Puppy Barking At Other Dogs And Biting?

Your four month old puppy barking and biting at other dogs is what is likely to happen if they are not trained to do otherwise. This is why it is important to start training them as early as possible to avoid this behaviour because the longer it goes on for, the harder it is to stop.

4 Month Old Puppy Barking At Other Dogs And Growling?

In this case, there is a chance your puppy is barking and growling at other dogs because they are either trying to communicate with them or with you on how they are feeling. In other cases, however, it’s because they don’t like them and may be trying to start a fight.

 

It’s important you know the difference between the two. This is because if they’re trying to communicate with you how they’re feeling, telling them not to bark or growl could cause them to become socially anxious, which will only cause them to growl more.

 

However, if they’re possibly trying to start a fight, this is when you are going to want to intervene as this kind of behaviour isn’t acceptable. This is why you need to socialise your dog as early as possible so that this kind of behaviour doesn’t happen.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs But Wags Tail?

This is likely because they are excited and want to play with them. As has already been established, one of the reasons why dogs bark is from excitement and wanting to play. This shouldn’t be discouraged as socialisation is important with dogs.

 

However, just make sure you teach them that as fun as other dogs are, they can have fun with humans and on their own. Otherwise, your dog will become too reliant on other dogs for fun and this isn’t what you want to happen.

4-Month-Old Puppy Barks At Other Dogs While In The Car?

There are a few reasons why your puppy might be barking at other dogs whilst they are in the car. It could be for social reasons. If your puppy is quite sociable, they will be barking at the other dogs because they want to go outside and play with them.

 

However, the other reason for this is that they might see another dog approaching the car and might get quite territorial over the car, so will start barking to keep the other dog away from the car.

 

References

 

https://wagwalking.com/training/stop-growling-at-other-dogs

Why Do Dogs Bark At Each Other?