Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 42 total)
  • How do I stop my dog fbarking so much?
  • sc-xc
    Full Member

    Amber – 20 months old.

    She gets at least 2 walks a day, one is just a 1.5 mile to daughter’s school and back, the other one a bit later is a 5 mile/1.5 hour off the lead tear round the local common/woods. She spends this time chasing and playing with other dogs, running after squirrels and jumping around. She has no problems with the hundreds of other dogs that we meet down there…

    She is rarely left alone, and never for more than an hour or so.

    She eats well, and our garden is nice and safe for her to sniff around in.

    Trouble is, any movement outside the house sends her crazy…barking and jumping up the window – getting stressed out. People can’t walk past without her doing this, and it’s pretty tiresome.

    Google suggests that dogs bark when they don’t get enough exercise, are bored or have separation anxiety. I can’t see how this would be the case with Amber…are some dogs just gobby?

    kerley
    Free Member

    Google suggests that dogs bark when they don’t get enough exercise, are bored or have separation anxiety. I can’t see how this would be the case with Amber…are some dogs just gobby?

    If they are you need to train them not to be as in your case the cause is something outside and nothing to do with anything else.

    Dogs are supposedly all about reward but to stop barking we use a quick blast on the pet corrector spray which works for us.

    bikebouy
    Free Member

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    wwaswas
    Full Member

    We have this with our 15 month old Viszla.

    I walk 8 miles a day according to the Garmin so he must do twice that.

    Mouse farts in the garden and you’d think he was making a last ditch stand against an Orc raiding party. Callers are assumed to be readying battering rams to raid the premises.

    Foxes at night are the biggest problem currently. We’ve had to move him up stairs on to the landing at night as he hears less noise from the garden and only wakes once or twice instead of 7 or 8 times.

    We have a friend who’s a dog breeder and gun dog trainer she basically said: “You’ll never stop him doing it, you just need to train him to stop when he’s told to.”

    Other people think it’s a ‘good thing’ as it will ‘keep burglars away’ – after last Saturday night I think I’d rather the house was stripped while I got a good night’s sleep.

    Been considering a citronella collar with a remote control but mrswwaswas isn’t keen.

    Well none of that was much help, was it? sorry.

    Still, dogs are ace 🙂

    Edukator
    Free Member

    Cycling along a cycle path a dog came bounding towards me then stopped in a instant.

    The owner was about 100m away, I slowed to pass him politely. I thanked him and asked how he did it. He waved a remote control, “if she doesn’t stop when she hears the bell on the collar she gets zapped”.

    It’s not all about reward.

    stevextc
    Free Member

    Some dogs are gobby but overall your dog is just trying to do her job as she see’s it.

    This is more about your relationship with the dog and how the dog see’s her role in that…. my Mum’s dog (co-incdentally also Amber) I see a few times a year and she goes mad with any outside noise but when I’m there she doesn’t or will stop immediately I tell her to.

    My mum just doesn’t seem to be able to stop this…
    If you shout then you are probably from her perspective joining in …. defending your home and marking territory with her…

    My relationship though is very different… the dog just accepts me as a/the pack leader but it is confused as to my mother’s role.

    At 20mo you probably need to get this addressed quite quickly… it will only be harder as she gets older.

    eskay
    Full Member

    Is fbarking really load annoying dog farts?

    poolman
    Free Member

    No idea but my neighbours dog barks all the time. I bought a whistle to blow when it barks, it sees it as a game and barks more. In fact it barks so much poor thing has a sore throat and can hardly bark any more.

    I reckon it is separation anxiety, but it does not walk much.

    If you get any success please post here.

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    A finger up it’s arse should work.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    supersessions9-2
    Free Member

    What do you do when she barks? How do you respond?

    Dogs bark to get your attention, if you provide it you will reinforce the behaviour.

    This is the tricky bit, ignore the barking and as soon as she stops, reward her.

    If she’s chilling in her bed, reward her. Every time she is doing something you like, reward her. Rewards are not necessary food, a nice bit of fuss or gently calling her name is also a reward.

    Never use her name when she is barking at the window.

    You could use a squirt of water as a distraction technique to start off with but rewarding e good behaviour is what’s going to stop it long term.

    She’s only 20 months so is a petulant teenager, you will be able to stop this.

    Three_Fish
    Free Member

    …suggests that dogs bark when they… have separation anxiety. I can’t see how this would be the case with Amber..

    She is rarely left alone, and never for more than an hour or so

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    If its happening when you’re in then you maybe need to get into a routine about it. People who have barky dogs tend to then shout at their dogs to stop barking. As far as the dog is concerned you’re just joining in the barking.

    When they start barking call them to you rather than try and command them to stop. When they’re barking its for your benefit – they’re calling you to them.

    I’d also look at what the triggers are – are they seeing that theres people outside? Or hearing them? My mums old house had floor to ceiling windows and her dog would bark at any movement outside – the lower panes being rippled meant that even insignificant movements outside got applified. He does it much less now that she lives somewhere with no spaniel-high sight-lines out to the road.

    Having music / a telly / a radio on (even when you’re out) stops outside noises being a trigger too.

    Giving the dog less of a run of the house can work too having all the doors open means the feel like the need to defend the whole place, closing the house down more – especially when you’re out – gives them less to be alert about.

    stevextc
    Free Member

    Dogs bark to get your attention, if you provide it you will reinforce the behaviour.

    Yes but in this case she’s just doing what she sees as her job.

    With my mum’s dog I just quietly acknowledge the warning she is trying to give and she stops … but after years of enforcement (joining in) by my mum her doing the same doesn’t work.

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    fDeploy the fTranquilliser fSausage ?

    john_l
    Free Member

    Following with interest….

    bruneep
    Full Member

    Are you my neighbour?

    from dawn to dusk it barks 😐

    Unlocking back door in morning …..woof woof bark bark and so on.

    slowoldgit
    Free Member

    My family had a dog who would bark at the sound of the front gate opening. One of us would quietly say ‘Ok, that’s enough’, or similar, and the dog would settle after a further gruffle. Brave dog goes back to dreams of valiently defending house and family. Job done.

    He did get rather deaf later.

    supersessions9-2
    Free Member

    Yes but in this case she’s just doing what she sees as her job.

    You need to teach her that her job extends to one bark only or this is not her job anymore.

    It isn’t easy, we had a behaviourist out to talk about a different problem but it highlighted other things we were doing wrong, once we had changed it made a massive improvement.

    poolman
    Free Member

    The above tip re squirting water reminds me of when i was in the states cycling and a dog followed me on the bike. I squirted said dog in the face with my precious water. Dog loved it and ran with me for miles.

    Some brilliant tips above though.

    I_did_dab
    Free Member

    Science shows that dogs bark because they are dogs. We too have a barky dog. We can’t leave her in the front room alone because of the barking. We can’t stop her barking at cats, people etc, but we do quiet her as quickly as possible. The command I use is “enough” and/or a finger on my lips. If we are not in the same room, we call her to us. If you can get your dog to bark to order (e.g. a “speak” command) it’s worth practicing both commands with treats.
    It can be useful…[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOla8zf70JE[/video] 😉

    HansRey
    Full Member

    Giving the dog less of a run of the house can work too having all the doors open means the feel like the need to defend the whole place, closing the house down more – especially when you’re out – gives them less to be alert about.

    This +1. So far as my dog is concerned, she’s only allowed outside the living room and kitchen if I’m there. It’s not her space to defend. It can seem cruel to confine them, but if your dog is stressed from trying to dominate the space, it’s worthwhile.

    kerley
    Free Member

    Science shows that dogs bark because they are dogs

    It also shows that dogs can be trained. One thing they can be trained to do is not bark.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    One thing they can be trained to do is not bark.

    I think that’s what the OP was asking: “It can probably be done – but how?”

    supersessions9-2
    Free Member

    By rewarding the dog when she is not barking and not reinforcing the barking by shouting or calling it’s name when she is doing it.

    Op where are you based?

    I can recommend a behaviourist who can help.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    shock collar, worled wonder with our old sausgae dog.
    the deluxe one is 60 odd quid but have a look on ebay. They do work!
    http://store.intl.petsafe.net/en-gb/bark-control/static

    kerley
    Free Member

    I think that’s what the OP was asking: “It can probably be done – but how?”

    I gave my method in the first reply…

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    shock collar

    illegal in Wales.

    johndoh
    Free Member

    Also following with interest. Our dog (1 yr old working cocker spaniel) is very good and very rarely barks when in the house (the odd woof here and there but not much more) but as soon as she is let out into the garden she constantly barks – I think it is because we have high fences all around the garden so she cannot see anything but she can hear noises (people walking up and down the ginnel, cars on the road, other people in their gardens etc.

    She sometimes stops when told ‘NO’ but that is normally only for a few minutes then she is off again. Sometimes however we can leave her out for ages and she doesn’t make a noise. After growing up with a neighbour selfishly allowing her dog to bark all day I am very conscious of not annoying our neighbours in the same way (especially early in the morning at weekends).

    supersessions9-2
    Free Member

    Don’t use a shock collar. they are cruel and can lead to all manner of other bad behaviours.

    If you change your reaction to the barking, she will change. Then you can treat her and fuss her when she is not barking and behaving, and the situation will improve. it wil take some work, and it will help if you have someone who knows what they are doing observing your behaviour to help you change they way you react which will help her change the way she reacts. I learned this recently, i’ve made a few mistakes, I’ve had dogs for 15 years.

    Dogs are bloody smart, and their emotional link to humans is very very strong.

    Anyway this thread is rubbish without pics. let’s see some pics of Amber?

    3 very badly behaved dogs recently:

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/SbNzsS]Pups Friday chilling.[/url] by Evil Goat, on Flickr

    oldnpastit
    Full Member

    I started playing back that “Bertie was a watchdog” video, and as soon as the dog on it started barking, it set mine off!

    Anyway,

    Been considering a citronella collar with a remote control but mrswwaswas isn’t keen.

    Don’t bother. Dog barks, collar squirts citronella, dog is confused by this, so barks more, collar squirts more, dog barks more, etc, until citronella runs out.

    Dog 1, technology 0.

    mattyfez
    Full Member

    Smith and wesson offer a number of solutions.

    Other than that, train your dog.

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    Cesar Millan time

    stevextc
    Free Member

    You need to teach her that her job extends to one bark only or this is not her job anymore.

    Completely agree… and as I said earlier this isn’t really about the dog but the dogs relationship with you and what it views as it’s job…

    It isn’t easy, we had a behaviourist out to talk about a different problem but it highlighted other things we were doing wrong, once we had changed it made a massive improvement.

    Yep and at 20mo she has a good chance to just change this now.
    As I said earlier my mum’s dog will just stop with a quiet word from me…but no matter how much my mum (or brother) try it doesn’t work…

    Rockape63
    Free Member

    I love dogs and hate the thought of inflicting pain, but it sounds to me that some sort of mild shock would be the way to distract him and then reward him for not barking. Probably needs to be worked on relentlessly with someone making noises outside to ensure you are prepared.

    My dog barks when it hears a car on the gravel drive or ringing the doorbell, but I don’t try and stop him from doing that, just show him who’s there and then he’s happy. Doesn’t bark at anything else.

    mattyfez
    Full Member

    Positive reinforcement is the way to train a dog. But you have to take the time and also not react to bad behaviour.

    I don’t believe you need to use the stick when the carrot works just fine.

    Shock collars just sound like a lazy way out. And a cruel one at that.

    convert
    Full Member

    My aunt had a dog that did this. Childhood memories of this little westie going batshit mental from the moment you put a foot on the drive and the first 10 minutes you were there. Everyone got the same treatment. Got to confess it put me off going to my aunt’s and off dogs to this day although the feisty little fecker is long gone.

    juanghia
    Free Member

    monde
    Free Member

    Don’t even think about using a shock collar to control this.
    The dog is in an anxious state as it has become territorial over the home. If you shock the dog it could associate territorial infringement with pain and its attitude turns from barking as a warning to aggression.

    Seen it happen with a docile boerbull which had to be put down as the owner ballsed up the shock collar training and the dog tried to rip the limbs off anything or anybody if they approached the property.

    If you have a working breed the best thing to do is train bark to command. Sounds counteractive but training the dog to bark means you can tell it to stop and you will have a lot more control which can help with barking long term. (some dogs trained to do this will still bark in the house but only once just to let you know).

    Other breeds such as some terriers can be almost impossible to stop and you just have to stop them getting too worked up.

    user-removed
    Free Member

    Our lurcher is very territorial / protective of us and the house. All very well and good but it drives me mental when someone is legitamitely coming through the gate to knock on the door. I just can not stop him barking – even when the door’s opened and it’s someone who lives in the **** house that he’s known for ten **** years. Or the postman / window cleaner / other people he sees all the time.

    In every other way, we’ve been soooo lucky with his training. I can leave a steak on the table and nip down to the garage, he walks heel without a lead past all distractions, his recall is incredibly good (not perfect but close enough) etc, etc. But the barking makes we want to kick him in the balls – unfortunately, the rescue centre chopped them off as a puppy.

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