Never Bark at Your Dog
If you blinked and missed the #barkatyourdogchallenge on TikTok , this is exactly what it sounds like: a man barking at his dog. In particular, the goal of the challenge is to videotape your dog’s reaction to your barking right in his face.
Dogs’ fearful reactions are supposed to be funny, but according to animal experts, their expressive eyes and faces are actually signs of stress and fear. This is why you should never bark at your (or any) dog.
What happens when you bark at your dog
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), “funny” reactions are actually caused by stress and fear. Here are some examples:
- “Whale Eye” (where they open their eyes and make them very big)
- Rigid body and facial features
- Ears pinned back
- Barking or vocalizing in response to a person
- licking lips
- showing teeth
- Trying to get away
Other reactions are a little more obvious and make it clear that your dog is definitely not happy with you barking in his face (or whatever you did to scare him). The AKC says they may include:
- Barking
- Lunges
- Binding
- bite
Of course, all dogs are different, but just in case, the AKC recommends avoiding this problem.
Why barking at dogs causes them stress
What exactly goes on in a dog’s head when a person barks at it?
“When dogs bark, they can mean different things – tone and body language can mean anything from ‘playing’ to ‘I’m worried’ to even defensive ‘stay away,'” veterinarian Dr. Joe Woodnutt told Pets Radar . “In this trend, people bark at their dogs without paying attention to their body language or tone, and there is a risk that this could be misinterpreted.”
In a similar vein, Woodnutt notes that the TikTok challenge also includes two other things people do that make dogs uncomfortable: invading their personal space and making eye contact with them, both of which dogs perceive as a threat. “Judging by the body language of the dogs, many of them are already a little nervous about the situation and do not understand what is happening – they are on the verge,” Woodnutt adds.