So your dog doesn't bark at every dog that you pass, but he does bark at some of them and it just feels completely random. Right, one moment you're walking, just fine, and the next he's losing it over a dog across the street. But here's the thing it's probably not random. Dogs, especially anxious or sensitive ones, don't like unpredictability. If that other dog that's walking towards you is barking or lunging or spinning on the leash, maybe even excitedly jumping, or even if the people that are walking the dog are just loud and bolsterous, your dog can read both those situations as chaotic and that can make him feel unsafe. And barking is how they say hey, you better leave me alone. So the fix If you see chaos coming down the road, try moving to the side to add a little more distance. Or the moment your dog looks in that direction, click and start tossing treats right in front of his face. Then he picks up the first treat and then sees the second treat, and so on. You know it's a great way to keep your dog busy and moving, because the sooner you get past all of that chaos the better. And then there's the stare. If the other dog locks eyes with yours and holds that stare, that's a big deal in dog language and it can feel threatening and some dogs will bark to try to break the tension. The fix Again the moment your dog notices the other dog making hard eye contact, click and toss some treats in the opposite direction, preferably in the grass. The longer we can keep your dog's nose in the grass searching for treats, the less he'll notice the hard stare from the other dog and the less likely he'll bark.

And let's not forget about space. Every dog has a personal bubble, a threshold. If another dog gets too close before your dog is ready, that can easily trigger a bark. The fix Determine how far away from other dogs that your dog needs to be to feel safe and then try to maintain that space on all your walks. And beware those dogs on flexi-leads. Their owners will most likely let their dog use all of that leash to move toward your dog. So if you see a flexi coming, cut up a driveway or do a U-turn or walk through the grass in the opposite direction, especially if your dog has a space bubble that you need to maintain. So see, it might appear to be random, but it's usually not. If your dog barks at some dogs and not others, he's most likely barking at the behavior of the other dog. So be sure to watch the other dog, not just yours. Look for staring for chaos, for closeness, anything that might be triggering, and act appropriately before your dog reacts. And keep in mind your dog isn't being unpredictable, they're just being honest.