If a dog is barking at another dog, what should you do?

If a dog is barking at another dog, what should you do?

• A. Scold loudly and jerk leash.
• B. Put dog on a leash and walk away.
• C. Body block and redirect to another activity; praise when they do.
• D. Ignore.

Answer: (C)

When a dog is barking at another dog, the priority is to reduce arousal and teach a calm, controlled response. Body blocking helps by gently preventing the dog from lunging or escalating, creating space so the situation doesn’t intensify. While you’re blocking, redirect the dog to a simple, engaging task or behavior—like a quick look at you, a sit, or a short attention cue—then reward with praise or a treat when they comply. This builds self-control and shows the dog what to do instead of barking. This approach uses management and positive reinforcement to form a new, desirable behavior. It avoids punishment, which can raise stress and make the problem worse. Walking away without teaching a replacement behavior leaves the dog uncertain about what to do next, and ignoring the barking doesn’t give them a coping strategy. Scolding and jerking the leash tends to increase arousal and can escalate the situation.

When a dog is barking at another dog, the priority is to reduce arousal and teach a calm, controlled response. Body blocking helps by gently preventing the dog from lunging or escalating, creating space so the situation doesn’t intensify. While you’re blocking, redirect the dog to a simple, engaging task or behavior—like a quick look at you, a sit, or a short attention cue—then reward with praise or a treat when they comply. This builds self-control and shows the dog what to do instead of barking.

This approach uses management and positive reinforcement to form a new, desirable behavior. It avoids punishment, which can raise stress and make the problem worse. Walking away without teaching a replacement behavior leaves the dog uncertain about what to do next, and ignoring the barking doesn’t give them a coping strategy. Scolding and jerking the leash tends to increase arousal and can escalate the situation.