You love having some time to yourselves, but it’s getting hard to find someone to watch your kids because your dog barks at the babysitter! Why was the dog barking at the babysitter? Is something going on? Is the babysitter hurting your dog? And if your dog doesn’t like the babysitter, should you find someone else?

Worry and wonder no more, because today we’re going to answer all of these questions for you. And obviously, we’ll cover what you’re most interested in: how to stop your dog from barking at the babysitter. Very soon, this all be a thing of the past. Keep reading below for our article “Dog Barking at Babysitter? Here’s How to Stop It!”

How to Stop Dog Barking at My Babysitter?

To stop dog barking at your babysitter:

1. Teach your dog the “quiet” command to use whenever they bark at the babysitter or at any other time you need them to pay attention and become silent.
2. Practice by taking your dog somewhere you know they’ll likely bark (the park, etc) with lots of small treats.
3. When your dog starts to bark, say “quiet” in a positive, calm voice. If they listen and become silent while also giving you their focus reward them with a treat and praise immediately.
4. But if your dog keeps barking or quickly starts back up, then hide a treat within your fist.
5. Put your fist right by your dog’s nose. They’ll still be able to smell it even inside of your fist and should stop barking to sniff it.
6. Once they’ve stopped barking and are giving you their full attention, again say “quiet,” and then open your hand to give them praise and a treat.
7. If they keep being silent and are giving you their complete attention, continue rewarding them with treats and praise.
8. But if they again begin to bark or are not giving you their attention, repeat the process of putting a treat inside of your hand, placing it near their nose, and pausing until they quit their barking and give you their focus.
9. Be sure to always pause until they’ve quit their barking and are giving you all their attention, and then say “quiet” before you reward them with any treats or praise.
10. This forms a positive connection with your dog with the “quiet” command, and with staying silent and giving you their focus.
11. With consistency, practice, and patience, you will be able to get them to respond with just the “quiet” command, and it will no longer be necessary to place your hand near their mouth.
12. When your dog is doing well with only the command, then you should begin lengthening the duration of time you pause until you give them any rewards.
13. Begin by pausing for 1-2 seconds, then as they do well increase that to 5 seconds, and so on.
14. It won’t be long before it will no longer be necessary to give your dog any praise and food, and they will be silent and give you their attention solely by you giving the command.

This will get your dog to stop barking at the babysitter, but it’s important to remember that the underlying behavioral issues (anxiety and territorial dominance) that were causing all of this to begin with will still be present. And until you address that, any positive changes you see are only going to be temporary.

“So, how do I make these changes last then?”

By getting your dog to truly choose to follow your direction, that’s how. I tried many times to write out how you can do that before deciding it made more sense to just link you to the free video series that explains it better than I’d ever be able to.

The series is by a man named Dan who is one of the world’s leading dog obedience trainers. In it, he teaches you how to put an end to things like when your dog barks at the babysitter and all other misbehavior using his fast and easy-to-follow methods.

In the first video, Dan will reveal to you why the two most common methods of dog training only doom you to failure. You can watch the video now by clicking here. Follow the proven system he’ll show you in his series and you’ll never have to spend another second worrying about your dog barking at the babysitter ever again!

Why Was the Dog Barking at the Babysitter?

Your dog was barking at the babysitter due to territorial dominance and anxiety. They feel the need to protect the home and your children, and also feel very anxious that you’re gone. These combine to make them very stressed, and they lash out by barking at your babysitter.

But while this may not be unusual behavior for dogs when someone new is in the home, that doesn’t mean that it’s okay or that you should accept it. Your dog needs to trust that you know who is safe to be in the home, and they need to listen to both you and your babysitter when told to be quiet.

If your dog barks at the babysitter and ignores commands to stop (whether it’s from you or them), then you need to address this immediately. Not doing anything gives your dog tacit approval to continue with this behavior, and they’ll likely also feel that it’s encouraged. You’ll soon see their misbehavior, aggression, and barking at strangers growing and escalating.

You’ll find that your dog barks at your dog walker, barks at your vet, and barks at your groomer. You need these people to help you take care of your dog and your family, so I’m sure you can see why you need to get a handle on this now before things get any worse, and before they quit allowing you to use their services.

To learn how to stop your dog from barking at your babysitter while also teaching them to respect your leadership and also to place trust in these caretakers, go back to the first section now where we’ll give you the exact steps you need to be following.

Is the Babysitter Hurting My Dog?

Your dog barking at the babysitter does not mean they’re hurting them. Look for other signs for clues as to what exactly is going on. Is your dog acting injured? Do they attempt to hide when the babysitter comes over? Do they bark at all strangers or just your babysitter? Is your dog very protective of your children around all strangers?

If you’re not noticing any signs of injury or excessive fright of the babysitter, and your dog isn’t reacting in a way that’s unusual for them when around strangers, then it’s unlikely they’re being harmed. If you feel there are strong signs your babysitter is harming them, consider switching to someone else just to be safe.

If that’s not an option, hidden “nanny” cams within your home are legal in all 50 U.S. states. There are ethical concerns, so it’s important that you only take these steps if you feel there is good reason to be concerned about your pet’s safety and your child is not old enough to tell you themselves.

Dog Doesn’t Like Babysitter, Should I Switch?

If your dog doesn’t like the babysitter, you should consider switching if you feel there are plenty of other good options. While your dog may not like the babysitter just because they’re a stranger in your home and around your children, it’s also possible (though unlikely) that they have good reason to feel that way.

Make sure to do thorough research before bringing a new babysitter into your home. Look for those who have plenty of positive reviews, and also consider doing a background check to ensure that your children and pets will be safe and well taken care of during this person’s time with them.

I’m sure you’re ready to leave your kids and the dog with the babysitter without worrying, so I’ll let you begin now. Best of luck, and we hope you found our article “Dog Barking at Babysitter? Here’s How to Stop It” helpful!