Hearing a dog bark at you again, of course, you shouldn't immediately think “maybe there's something wrong with me?!” – dogs bark at all people from time to time. But they bark at some people more often.
A dog that barks, as a rule, does not want a fight at all. By barking, it shows its fear, not the desire to attack. The instinct to protect the territory can activate the “function” of barking, and it does not matter that it is, for example, a city street – the dog simply began to consider this territory its own, and passers-by – strangers.
In addition, a dog may bark at a person because of the instinct to chase prey. Let's start with that.
So. Here are the people who are more likely to make a dog want to bark:
People who exceed normal (from a dog's perspective) speed
These are cyclists, runners, and even people who simply walk very fast. People who walk slowly do not cause such a reaction.
A dog reacts to rapid movement that activates its predatory instinct (the chase instinct). Movement that resembles escape (such as running) is a classic trigger for a predator.
In this case, even a dog the size of a cat will imagine itself to be a powerful, formidable beast.
The chase instinct turns on and off automatically: as soon as you stop, the dog immediately falls silent, losing the excitement of the chase.
People in a state of alcoholic (and other) intoxication or with impaired coordination of movements
Dogs are irritated by the smell of alcohol, as well as the characteristic gait and gestures of a person in an altered state of consciousness. She behaves abnormally, that is, not like other people, which is suspicious from the dog's point of view. Drunk people cause fear and irritation in dogs, and sometimes even rage.
People who look and act strangely (from a dog's perspective, of course)
Circus performers on stilts, clowns, animators in cartoon costumes and other “not like everyone else.”
A dog may also bark at a passerby who is talking on a headset on the street, suddenly raising his voice and actively gesticulating, that is, waving his arms.
If a puppy is not exposed to different people (children, men, women, people in uniform, people with crutches, etc.), sounds and situations at an early age, any new stimulus becomes a potential threat for him. Such a dog, as an adult, will bark much more often at “non-standard” passers-by.
If a dog has had a traumatic experience associated with a certain category of people (for example, it was offended by men in hats or women with large bags), it may react by barking at such people, even if they currently pose no threat.
Those who smell “not right” or smell of something that interests the dog
Something not quite right — that is, an unusual smell, something sharp and unpleasant for a dog's nose. For example, varnish, paint, vinegar. Even some types of perfume can have this effect.
Or it could be that the person smells like their dog, with whom the barking dog has regular territorial conflicts. Or it could be that the dog associates what the person smells like with a negative life experience. For example, someone kicked them with canvas boots, and you are walking around in the same ones.
There is also an opinion that a dog may react to a human body odor that has changed due to some illness or stress.
A friend said that during her relative's illness she was constantly nervous, and at that time the dogs started barking at her. She took this as a bad sign, but it was likely that the dogs were barking at her because of the changed smell and depressed mood, which caused her to change her gait and facial expression. When her relative recovered, the dogs stopped barking at her.
If it smells like something that interests the dog — for example, food — then the dog will bark pleadingly, not aggressively. Or it may be the smell of a familiar dog with whom it is friendly. A dog can express a wide range of emotions through barking, you just need to be able to distinguish the notes.
People who actively show their fear
Some calmly walk past the dogs, while others start rushing along the road from afar, stopping, changing their trajectory, tensing up, wringing their hands, starting to whine, etc. Dogs bark more often at such people.
Dogs are good at reading any signs of fear, including body movements, facial expressions, and postures of a person, and this can easily prompt them to bark at the “victim”, even if they did not initially plan to. It is instinct.
Children and their unpredictable behavior
Little people often behave differently from adults, and this can alarm a dog or, conversely, activate its instincts. Loud voices, sudden movements, running, playing — all this can be perceived by a dog as a threat that it tries to scare away with barking, or as interesting prey that needs to be “pursued” (although not with malicious intent).
Dogs with vision or hearing problems
This is especially true for older or sick animals. If a dog has poor vision or hearing, it can easily become frightened by the unexpected appearance of a person. Instead of seeing or hearing the person approaching in time, the dog suddenly notices him, gets scared and barks, trying to scare away the “threat” that has appeared “out of nowhere.”
The influence of the owner on the dog's behavior
A dog is a mirror of its owner. If the person walking the dog is tense, afraid of other people, or, conversely, reacts too aggressively to any stimuli, the dog can pick up on this mood.
A tight leash, nervous movements of the owner, his anxiety or fear – all this is transmitted to the animal and can provoke its barking. Sometimes barking can be “picked up” by the dog as a signal for its own reaction, even if without this signal it would behave calmly.
How not to provoke barking and what to do if your dog is already barking (practical advice)
If a dog barks at you, try to stay calm and don't panic. Don't run or wave your arms – this will only increase the chase instinct. Ignore the dog, but don't turn away completely, keeping it in the corner of your eye. Avoid direct eye contact – the dog may perceive this as a challenge. Continue walking with a calm, confident step, as if the dog is not around. Often this is enough for the dog to lose interest, because you are not acting like a “victim” and are not responding to its provocations.
What can I add here? “Don't be afraid” is easy to advise, but difficult to put into practice. Every person has their own fears, and it is difficult to fight them.
