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 you’ll still need to do something about their misbehavior which was rooted in their underlying issues with territorial dominance and anxiety. Not doing anything will just lead to your dog continuing to think that they are in charge and that they make the decisions, and things will only get worse for the both of you.

For us to go over that, we must first talk about what makes dogs function and has for thousands and thousands of years now. I’m sure you’ve heard before that all dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader.

But every time that your dog barks at the babysitter, they are clearly proving to you that they have no trust for you as the head of the family pack.

If they did, they wouldn’t bark at the babysitter. They wouldn’t engage in any other types of territorial dominance or anxiety-related disrespect. And they would obey your commands at all times — happily — and they would do so immediately.

Show your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but a capable, deserving one who must be respected, and you’ll make all of these wonderful things happen.

You’ll be better off for obvious reasons. But your dog will be too because they’ll no longer have to deal with all of the worry and confusion that their anxiety and dominance issues are currently saddling their little shoulders with 24/7.

That sounds great, right?

“Yeah, sure, but how do I do this then?”

You should watch a tremendous free video series which is on this very subject — how to be your dog’s pack leader — by a renowned trainer named Dan. In the series, he explains absolutely everything in ways that are very simple to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets immediately to the point so that you can start seeing these important changes in your dog in no time.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t stress, because no, you’re not going to have to yell or be mean to your dog. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving teaching methods at all times. Not just because they’re the right thing to do, but also because they’re the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

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!