Solution to Barking? HELP!!!

[Tara aka Harry & Wally's Mom]

My puppy barks to get my attention, and he wont stop until he does. He barks constantly at me until he gets what he wants. I have tried the mist (he likes it). I have tried the can with the coins in it (makes him bark more) I have tried ignoring him (doesnt work) I feel like i have tried all my options and all the tips everyone has given me, and nothing has worked....Anyone else have this problem with there pup and find a way to resolve it?

I actually got a complaint letter from my neighbor the other day about the barking. I asked her to just bear with me while i try and train him but i feel bad that he is now disturbing other people besides myself.

[Adina P]

First and Foremost:
Buy a nice card for your neighbor as if it is from your doggy and bake some yummy cookies.
In the card write "Sorry about the noise, I'm still learning how to use my inside voice. I'll try to be quieter. Wags and Kisses, Harry" Put the CUTEST photo of Harry that you have in that card and leave the card with a plate of cookies for her on her doorstep. Then say a little prayer that she will be touched by the cuteness of it all and bare with you a bit longer.

Next...addressing the barking...but goodness this is a hard one. Either you can just give in IMMEDIATELY (which will train him that you will pay attention if he barks but keep the house quiet) or you can grit your teeth and bare it to hopefully teach him that barking will NEVER yield attention. But this is VERY hard to do. I don't tolerate barking very well but mine do it at things they see out the window rather than for attention...so it's easier to stop because me stopping them does not really reward the barking.

I have heard that if you can teach a dog to bark on command...then you can teach them to 'Hush' on command and using those two commands here and there will help control it. So you might try that...but if you do you have to be FIRM that you NEVER reward or pay attention to barking UNLESS you commanded it.

Can you describe the situations in which he's barking for attention? Is he on leash while you are doing things around the house? Is it while you are reading or watching tv or on the computer and he's free? Is he crated?

You said "I have tried ignoring him (doesn't work)." The difficulty with ignoring is that you can NOT give in and give him attention at ANY point. That takes incredible patience on both your part and your neighbors but supposedly if you can really NOT reward him with attention EVER then it will eventually work. But if you give in just ONCE...he's gonna hang on to hope that next time if he barks long enough you'll eventually give in again. But if he can learn that no matter how much he barks you are a solid rock of NO attention...he will eventually give up.

In the meantime, are there puppy classes near you that you could sign up to take? A live trainer is SO helpful.

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

Whopper went through a phase of barking at us as well. What worked for us, and very quickly, was the second she started barking, we'd jump up and she'd follow us into another room, we'd then quickly close the door leaving her by herself. Once quiet we'd invite her back into the room with us and tell her good quiet. The second she attempted to bark we would try and get her back into an area away from us again. She learned that if she barked, she'd be separated from us. She even got to the point where after one separation, she'd try barking and when we jumped up to relocate her she'd run away but come back quiet. I hope this works. Whopper was always quiet when shut behind the door so I don't have any advice if your puppy cries or paws at the door.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

That's a good idea Lindsey. I've been told that if you want a behaviour to stop, put them in the bathroom for a couple of minutes. Do this each time they do the behaviour, in this case barking.

Have you tried that Tara?

[Tara aka Harry & Wally's Mom]

I have not tried the seperating him into a different room, i will have to try that and see if it helps.

[Adina P]

That's a great active form of ignoring! Thanks for sharing that.
I think LEAVING is the key to keeping yourself sane and making it dramatic enough for the puppy. Whereas if you try to just continue sitting there on the computer or standing there washing dishes you're liable to go insane ... or give in =)

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

This is similar to what we do. Abby barks because she wants Bailey to play with her. If she carries on and "Shhhh no bark!" doesnt help/ - outside she goes - either with or without Bailey - either way it shuts her up. She is starting to clue in that if she doesnt shut when asked - out she goes.

[K9 Colleague]

A few more ideas for you. Ignoring the behavior doesnt really work becuase you dog has no idea what else he can do. SO... FIgure out what behavior you want instead of barking. IE go to place, play with a specific toy, paw at your leg, etc. Then every time he starts to bark for attention redirect him to the location, toy, or ask for a paw. My new puppy was barking for attention whn he got bored and i started to have him go to his room(create). and now he goes there, finds a toy or treat and then quitely entertains himself. He is 14 weeks old.
Another option is to have akong filled with treats ( or even part of his food for the day) when he starts to bark ( or when you leave) give him the kong ( at first not packed very tightly with food and and increase the difficulty as his kong easting skills increase. This will againg take his mind off the barking...When all is quite you can give it a command like quite or relax.
Doodles are smart so give them something to do.
You on your own for dealing with your neighbors.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

When I really do not want my dogs barking, and if they don't listen after trying everything else to quiet them, the only way is to distract them onto something else, throw a toy, or take them by the scruff of their necks and just a VERY LIGHT SHAKE with a firm NO BARK...(don't give them Puppy Shaken Syndrome..lol...) but they will give in to it and you might need to do this a few times...but keep being consistant and it will work.

[T. Byrne]

My Rue started this a few weeks ago. I hadn't heard her bark (not including whining at being left alone) more than a handful of times and then suddenly it's like she's figured out how to say "Mom! Mom! Mom!" and "No! No! No!" I read up on some ideas and decided to go the route of teaching "hush". I let her bark once, give her a look at the second bark and firmly say "stop barking" at the third. In the beginning I kept my eyes on her. If she didn't bark for 20 seconds, I was happy. If she did, I made my reaction even firmer - whether it was waving my hands, groaning, turning away, saying it louder, or adding a pleading tone to my voice. I have gradually increased it and I am happy to say Rue doesn't usually start barking again until I say "good girl" (so I've stopped saying it). I also tend to cover my ears and say (in a fake crying voice) "you're hurting my ears". I guess I should add that the only thing that ever worked for Rue to stop nipping was me 'yelping' like another puppy and her understanding it hurt (even when it didn't really). I've found Rue will curb any behavior rather quickly if she feels it hurts me or others. Hope you figure out what works for you -
Ruezy and Tory

[Holly St Pierre]

It is so odd, as I was about to put this topic on DK as well. I have TRIED everything. Gunner never barks at the door, other dogs, always at me because he wants to play. It started about 2 weeks ago & is trying my patience something fierce. He is a great dog, but the barking is driving me crazy. I am going to try the leaving the room to a closed door, getting up & changing rooms has NO effect, neither does ignoring, stepping toward him, sternly saying "No" or any of the other 20 things I have tried. I just hope its a phase he grows out of.

[Lori Robertson]

Hi, Holly. Lola does the same thing . . . . she comes up real close and barks and barks and then sort of like smacks her chops like she is biting air.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Wow-so many ideas! That is good, because what works for one won't work for another. One of my doodles barks to "tell me" things, like "It's time for my dinner!" I usually ignore her but she is so verbal, it hasn't really worked. Now the other doodle is getting the idea, so I have it in stereo! The best thing I have done is to literally look at the ceiling when she is barking so that there is no chance of eye contact. They call it "looking for rain". She stops much more quickly than when i ignore her but keep doing what I am doing at the time. She will usually wind the barking down and lie down. Then I praise her for being quiet. Good luck!