Why Dogs Bark at Some People and Not at Others

It is very common for dogs to be on high alert when they meet a new person. But this alertness is not always the same and can lead to two types of behavior: either they immediately start growling and barking, or they just stand there, doing nothing. A dog’s reaction to an unfamiliar person could indicate aggression, defensiveness, or it could simply be a manifestation of anxiety. But why do these behaviors vary from person to person?

O awesome.club decided to research a little more on this topic and found very interesting answers. Read the post to the end and find out how to avoid inappropriate behavior.

The most common reason that a dog reacts badly when he sees an unknown person is precisely the experience of experiencing something new. If the dog hasn’t been socialized, any kind of exposure to strangers—which introduces new smells, new images, and new behaviors—can feel threatening. Even if the dog is used to other people, the unknown can still generate anxiety and insecurity.

Therefore, it is not uncommon for the dog barking at people with less familiar characteristics for him, especially when we talk about appearance and smell.

People differ from each other by their size, physical characteristics and the way they behave, all of which can be perceived as a threat by the dog. The aspects that stand out the most at this point are:

Accessories such as hats and sunglasses, which prevent the dog from seeing the person’s face; Beard, for the same reason; Very tall people; Strong voices; Some body movements, especially direct eye contact; Strong smells, whether from shampoo, perfume, deodorant or even something we eat.

All this can make the dog nervous. It is common for some dogs to be afraid of adult men because their features are more “strange” from the dog’s point of view: they are taller, have a deeper voice and often have a beard.

Dogs may notice some detail and make associations with negative memories🇧🇷 Some people may seem scary to certain dogs because they associate the smell or appearance with bad memories. An abused and traumatized dog may bark at people who remind him of these sad images from the past. Furthermore, they may simply develop some sort of distrust for some specific trait, such as a person’s gender.

Dogs like to protect their territory and their owners, especially guard and herding dog breeds. That is, the dogs can behave aggressively towards anyone who “invades” their space or act in a way that he perceives as a threat to his family. The behavior that can trigger a protective reaction in the dog doesn’t have to be really aggressive, it can just be a repetitive or very energetic action.

In fact, any suspicious movement or unusual noise can be considered a threat by the dog. It can be a simple act like putting on a hat, or opening an umbrella. In addition, the dog can feel jealous of the owners and therefore act in a possessive way.

Dogs are often right when it comes to judging people’s character, and several studies have shown that dogs can really determine whether a person is trustworthy or not. Dogs constantly monitor social interactions and are always suspicious of how other people treat their owners. They usually bark when they feel that a person is not helping. In addition, they tend to capture what the owner feels about another person.

What’s more, dogs can smell the fear — which comes with stress, excitement, and anxiety — present in the hormones released by the body. Dogs notice these changes and so they start barking.

To avoid many of these problems, it is important that the dog is properly socialized when he is still a puppy. He must know as many smells, noises and people as possible so that he doesn’t have big surprises in the adult stage. Exposure to different experiences helps the puppy grow more adaptable and mentally stable🇧🇷

If the dog already has problems with people, show him that he shouldn’t get defensive or protect everything around him. Train the animal and use commands to teach it to sit or to calm down when someone new is around. Repeat the process until it automates the learning. And don’t forget to always have a cookie on hand to give as a reward for good behavior.

How do you deal with your dog’s bad behavior? Do you have any tricks that can help us?