Others may view the barking in a different way than you do and that could explain their different reactions. If a dog is barking out of fear scolding it may be

Others may view the barking in a different way than you do and that could explain their different reactions. If a dog is barking out of fear scolding it may be a bad option because 1) you proved them right. They thought it was a bad situation, now you're in a bad mood and they're in trouble. Definitely a bad situation. 2) Barking and growling is a great way for dogs to communicate their discomfort before it escalates. A dog that has learned not to growl or bark will resort to other signals that are less likely to be understood by humans, and then bite. The other owners may not give a shit, some don't, but they may be intentionally acting like it's no big deal as part of a larger strategy of changing how their dog views certain situations.