How To Train My Dog To Ignore Strangers

Last Updated on 2 years by Jenny Sovann

Wondering how to train a dog to ignore strangers? Dogs are social creatures, which makes them amazing creatures to have as pets. They give us all the love and loyalty that we do not deserve. They have been our furry companions for thousands of years, and are thought to be the oldest domesticated animal. Having many breeds, people of different tastes can always find a dog they like. Some are intelligent enough to even detect drugs and explosives which makes it even more intriguing to have.

Special as they are, when it comes to strangers some dogs will beg for pats and treats, while others will scare them away. When they are welcoming to strangers, it feels wholesome. Despite this, a dog that is too friendly can easily be stolen among other things. A dog that is too aggressive to strangers on the other hand may end up hurting someone. It is important to control how dogs react to people. To ensure their safety and those of people close to them, it is important to train your dog to ignore strangers. You have probably been annoyed by the random endless barking at passers too and just want peace of mind. 

How To Train My Dog To Ignore Strangers

Whether you want to control their friendliness or temperament, let’s take a smooth ride into the world of training your dog to ignore strangers.

Understanding Your Dog

The most important step before conditioning your canine companion is understanding him. This should be your first step. You can look at aspects like the history and origin of your breed along with its known characteristics. Herding dogs may release their natural instincts and attempt to hear strangers or be wary of them. Knowing these characteristics will help you understand your canine companion’s behavior more. Dogs’ physical appearance may affect how they are perceived by strangers, hence leading to unwanted interactions. Some dog breeds can also be more social and outgoing while others are more reserved.

Sometimes there are factors that are overlooked that actually affect how dogs react to strangers. This can be things like health issues and medical conditions. Lack of exercise and activity level can also be a reason why your dog is very keen on strangers. Have you met your dog’s nutritional requirements? Overall, the key to training your dog will involve you knowing their personalities and understanding their behaviors. This will make it easier to adapt a training technique or change that will become effective in controlling your furry companion. The one major thing you have to understand though is, with a lack of training dogs are more likely to excessively bark or engage in unwanted behavior. It is important to understand them in order to create boundaries, making them more confident around strangers.

Positive Reinforcement

When it comes to training a furry companion, positive reinforcement is the most successful means out there. It is so successful that it also works on human beings and other animals. It basically implies rewarding your canine companion for behaving in a desirable way. When your dog ignores a stranger, that can be good behavior that deserves a reward such as a treat. Dog’s are suckers for food; they will want to replicate the behavior to keep earning more treats. You can use this to teach your dog to ignore strangers.

What is good about positive reinforcement is that the reward can be anything. For instance, you can praise your dog if they successfully ignore a stranger. Dogs sure love their praise and will keep wanting more. You can also give them more playtime, giving them distractions when strangers approach. One of the most used techniques of positive reinforcement is by use of clicker training. This is where you could use a clicker to mark a desirable behavior. For instance, when a dog ignores a stranger, a clicker can be used to make this behavior, then follow up with a treat or praise. What makes positive reinforcement more beneficial is the fact that it can be enjoyable and entertaining. This can create a bonding experience for you and your furry companion.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement can sometimes be considered “taking it too far”. For this case, we do not focus on punishments but means you can slightly use it to make your dog ignore strangers. One of the tactics that can be used is the use of leash corrections. If your dog seems to be very interested in strangers while out for a walk. You can apply a little tension to the leash, and release them when they turn away. This will provide the necessary negative stimuli, making your dog reinforce the behavior of ignoring strangers. It is important that you don’t overdo and end up injuring your canine companion. A slight tag is all you need.

You could also use environmental controls to stop your dog from overindulging with strangers. If your dog is excited or agitated when strangers arrive, putting a baby to prevent the dog will prevent the necessary negative stimuli. By restricting the dog’s freedom a little your furry companion will want to avoid strangers or be calm and quiet. You could also use verbal corrections like “No” or “Stop”. This can stop them from barking, growling and showing bad behavior. The techniques mentioned provide negative stimuli without injuring the dog. It is important that you avoid punishments as this will end up causing the dog to have anxiety or be scared. It is better to focus on positive reinforcement, and only have these as emergency techniques.

Socialization

Dogs are social creatures, and despite this dogs still have to learn to socialize. During the young ages of your dog, it is important to expose them to a variety of people, animals and environments. This can help with future interactions with strangers.  You can gradually introduce your dog to people and strangers, this way they will remember how to interact with people more. You could also use desensitization techniques if your furry companion shows signs of triggers of anxiety or fear. This will help them gradually become more comfortable around people. You could go a step further and train them on obedience commands that will help you control your dog around people. Sometimes, you will have to seek professional help to get a customized training plan that is targeted at your specific dog’s needs.

Consistency

All this training can be ineffective if you are not consistent. You will have to establish clear rules and a routine. Furry companions thrive on consistency, this enables them to decipher the complex nature of our instructions. For instance, your verbal and physical cues have to be the same. This will show them you do not want them to indulge with strangers for instance. It is important to always use positive reinforcement so that they can associate the behavior with a reward. It is important to involve all those around you in order to keep the commands consistent. Your dog will be overwhelmed with many different commands meaning the same thing. Overall, sticking to the same routine and schedule and putting a little patience will reward your efforts. Your dog will finally give in to your requests to ignore strangers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I teach my dog to be calm around strangers?

You can start by socializing your dog. This is where you gradually introduce your dog to strangers and people around you. Also increasing levels of distractions when strangers pass by will make the situation more comfortable.

How can I train my dog not to jump on people?

Teaching your dog some obedience commands will help. A solid “sit” can be used consistently to imply your dog to sit down when people are around. Practice this with people the dog knows before applying it on strangers.

What makes a dog aggressive to strangers?

Mostly a lack of exposure and socialization will cause a dog to be aggressive toward strangers. It can also be caused by anxiety, fear or past trauma. Other factors can also cause this, like a lack of training or over protectiveness.

What is the best calming product for dogs?

There are a lot of options ranging from supplements to calming collars. Options include Kong Classic dog toy among others. It is important to consult a veterinarian to get a customized and tailored calming product for your dog.

How to train a dog to not be aggressive when someone enters the front door?

Teaching your dog to remain at a designated spot as you open the door will help you. Using positive reinforcement or applying distractions will help with your dog’s behavior. You can do this gradually and consistently until your dog adapts.

Conclusion

Wanting to train your dog to ignore strangers is a considerate and responsible thing to do. You have to understand your dog, apply some positive reinforcement, a little negative reinforcement if necessary and be consistent. By helping them adjust to strangers, you will be keeping your dog as well as others safe. If you have to introduce them to people, then it has to be gradual. Ensure your dog understands some basic commands. This can involve a little negative reinforcement of verbal cues like “stop”. Following these tips will increase your overall chances of success and build a stronger bond between you and your furry friend.