In this Omaha dog training session, we worked with two Scottish Terriers, Mini (left) and Olive (right). We used counterconditioning to stop Mini from barking at people when they move.

Counterconditioning is a technique used to change how your furry friend feels about something they don’t like. It works by pairing that disliked thing with something they really enjoy, such as delicious treats. Over time, this helps them develop a more positive emotional response towards the previously disliked stimulus.

Stopping a Dog From Barking

Stopping a dog from barking at people who move is a two part process. First, you need to make sure the dog understands and respects the human who is asking it to stop barking. The second part is creating a situation where the dog can practice not barking. I like to stop dogs from barking at things by using counterconditioning.

You can learn easy ways of stopping a dog from barking when people move by watching the free dog training video below.

Stopping a Dog From Barking with Counterconditioning

The best part of counterconditioning is you can use it for most anything a dog is fearful or reactive to, as long as you keep the dog sub-threshold, or being non reactive. It’s easier than you might think; you don’t have to be a professional Scottie dog trainer to do it.

But before we went through this positive dog training exercise to teach a dog to stop barking at people who move, we spent a good portion of time discussing the dog’s daily life. As a dog behaviorist, I find that a lack of rules and structure are often a leading contributing factor when you have a dog who barks at people to disagree.

Prevent Dog Barking with Positive Training