NO MORE BARKING!
So now Monty has picked up the bad habit. He barks when I get home, which is fine, but then he never stops!! Any ideas or suggestions? Does anyone else's dog bark crazily? |
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| My puppies had this habit--a new one for me since my other dogs only barked for specific reasons: to alert us, playing etc. Whether it is because I am now raising littermates (more complicated than I realized) or because they are simply different personalities, it's different and harder.
However, the barking has settled down quite a bit. Strategies that I've used is Ssshhh (a la Cesar Milan aka The Dog Wisperer), and a spray bottle filled with water (get a big one--it generates enough force to get their attention but cannot hurt the puppy). The spray bottle has an advantage of being done at a distance--you have more flexibility. It works not because it hurts them but because it distracts them. Still working on the barking to warn because there's something new, like birthday balloons or new people walking down the street or a paper bag blowing down the sidewalk, but it's coming. |
| That's a great idea. I do the sshh but it is not too effective.
Quote: Still working on the barking to warn because there's something new, like birthday balloons or new people walking down the street or a paper bag blowing down the sidewalk, but it's coming.
How about barking at the shadow of a moth from the street light? lol...and then getting scared and running away! |
| Zoe, our bichon puppy does this. Everything scares her, EVERYTHING, and I realised she hasn't been exposed to things like I did with other dogs. I know better, and I knew i was gonna be facing trouble if I didn;t make an effort to expose her early.
Fortunately she is about 6 mths, and I hope to start doggy daycare on a reg basis...get her tired out, and socialized. Then introduce her to the off leash park, and obedience classes. However the barking was literally driving us insane..non stop, so we resorted to a bark collar to deter her while she went outside, esp early in the mornings, and late evenings while people were going to bed. It didn;t matter if we accompanied her or not, saying shhh only made her do it more, saying ENOUGH...kinda works, spray bottle worked while keeping her inside. inside the house she doesn't bark. I should add, we rarely use the bark collar, the thing is so hard to put on, and more of a pain then a help. Half the time it is loose anyways...it was a waste of money to buy. Good luck. I know all about having your good efforts ruined by a vacation and leaving the dogs with someone else. |
| Dogs do what is rewarding to them. .
I don't think a dog should be expected not to ever bark, and there is no way a puppy would know when the appropriate time is and when it is not. If the dog is barkign because it is stressed, and/or frightened, getting sprayed at or shusshed or yelled at will surely not reduce the stress level. Also, barking is fun, and often done for the attention that results. Even negative attention is attention, so is rewarding I would take the opposite approach. Instead of punishing the puppy for normal doggie behavior like barking, I would reward for not barking. I don't mind a dog barking at all, and dog owners shouldn't. If I am home and someone comes to my door, and I know who it is and don't want to answer it , I let my dogs bark away. What I expect, though, is the dog to stop barking when I ask him to. So I have trained my dogs to stop barking when asked to. I would set up a scenerio where I know the dog will bark, let him bark, then call his name and distract him with a treat. When he comes to sniff it I say "quiet" or whatever you want to call it, and let him nibble on the treat while I am still holding it. Do this often enough and when you say "quiet" your dog will turn to you "quietly" for a treat. You need to build up the relationship between the action and the word, over several times. You will know when the dog understands when he responds to "quiet" before you give the treat. Then you need to do this in different areas and under different circumstances, that will initiate a bark, and you can distract him. Each new place you will need to start all over again, but be patient and you will have a dog that will "quiet" on cue. I would not want to have my dog afraid to bark if an intruder was coming into the house, or someone was hurt and needed help, or if my car started rolling down the driveway all by itself. My dogs can bark and I decide if and when they should stop. That is my responsiblity. Hope this helps. |
Bosley's mom wrote: What I expect, though, is the dog to stop barking when I ask him to. So I have trained my dogs to stop barking when asked to. I would set up a scenerio where I know the dog will bark, let him bark, then call his name and distract him with a treat. When he comes to sniff it I say "quiet" or whatever you want to call it, and let him nibble on the treat while I am still holding it. Do this often enough and when you say "quiet" your dog will turn to you "quietly" for a treat. You need to build up the relationship between the action and the word, over several times. You will know when the dog understands when he responds to "quiet" before you give the treat.
I've just started doing this and I am very happy with the results. Maggie always barked uncontrollably when the doorbell rings and it used to really annoy me but now I come prepared with a really good treat and that stops her instantly. I like it because she gets rewarded for being a good watch dog but she also learns quiet. |
| This sounds like a good plan, Nicole. I'm going to try it with Bentley. Sometimes I think he just likes the sound of his own voice, LOL. |
| I started the sssshhhhh idea more yesterday and it worked!!!! It was so crazy how he just quieted down. What great advice!! |
My girl hardly ever barks "I thought" but my doggy day care owner has told me recently she is one of the worst! I am thinking she is feeding off the other dogs in the kennel. Hopefully she doesn't take up the habit at home. She does bark at my boyfriend and I when we hug! tisk tisk  Doesn't like it when my cats hang out on me either. |
Monty does the same thing when my boyfriend and I hug. Very protective of his momma....  |
Bosley's mom wrote: What I expect, though, is the dog to stop barking when I ask him to. So I have trained my dogs to stop barking when asked to. I would set up a scenerio where I know the dog will bark, let him bark, then call his name and distract him with a treat. When he comes to sniff it I say "quiet" or whatever you want to call it, and let him nibble on the treat while I am still holding it. Do this often enough and when you say "quiet" your dog will turn to you "quietly" for a treat. You need to build up the relationship between the action and the word, over several times. You will know when the dog understands when he responds to "quiet" before you give the treat. This is such a fantastic approach to the "no bark" strategy. I am beginning it with Bingley. I hat telling him not to bark because it is such a natural response, but as we live in a townhome we have to be conscience of our neighbors needs nad wants! Thanks for outlining it so well for us!!  |
I am going to try this with Noodle. His barking has been very loud and prolonged lately 
Thanks! |
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