In a viral Instagram video, a dog owner taught her dachshund a valuable lesson about compulsive barking—the pup’s reaction has left internet users in stitches.
The hilarious video shared on Wednesday by @amycandidly, shows the pup peacefully lying on the couch, people-watching from the window, when all of a sudden her owner starts barking loudly at her out of nowhere.
Terrified, the pup turns around, eyes wide open, looking around the room, concerned, before turning toward her mom, giving her the biggest side eye, as if asking what is wrong with her.
“Barking at my dog to show her how terrifying it is when it’s done out of nowhere… At nothing,” the caption says. “If looks could kill. Only another 2,673,889 times to go til we are even Steven’s.”
Dogs bark for many common reasons, including alerting others to territory, reacting to unfamiliar people or noises, expressing anxiety or frustration, and seeking attention. But while barking is a natural form of communication, excessive or poorly controlled barking becomes a problem for owners and neighbors.
Preventing issues begins with early socialization and habituation so dogs become accustomed to different people, animals, and situations without reacting vocally.
VCA Animal Hospitals say that consistent training and routines help reinforce calm behavior, and barking should only briefly alert owners before being stopped. Teaching a “quiet” command involves pairing words with known behaviors and rewarding silence immediately.
Training should focus on reinforcing desirable, calm behaviors rather than punishing barking, which can increase anxiety. For dogs that bark when left alone, gradual desensitization and environmental enrichment can help.
In some cases, devices or management strategies may aid training, but underlying causes like anxiety need to be addressed for lasting improvement.
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The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 9 million views and 794,000 likes on the platform.
One user, Ellebeeandmaple, commented: “Her flabbers were all the way gasted.”
Flyerflex86 wrote: “She said ‘[the f***] is wrong with you?!”
Lifewithnina92 added: “How DARE you personal poop scooper & snack provider??!”
harden.oceana wrote: “If I hadn’t lost years of my life to my dog’s random barking I would think this was mean.”
Newsweek reached out to @amycandidly for comment via Instagram. We could not verify the details of the case.
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