What to do about the barking!?!?!

[Kristine and Charlie]

Charlie is 11 months old and for about a month now he has been barking too much.  It's only at home but everytime he sees something outside (front and backyard) or if he hears anything out of the ordinary (indoors and outdoors) it sets him off.  Oh and often when he's napping he jumps up out of his sleep and starts barking cause he hears the neighbor's or something.  Is it his age and (fingers crossed) a stage?  I ask because he never barked this much before.  Usually I can get him to stop quickly but since it's happening more often throughout the day it's quite annoying.  It's crazy how it's making me want to scream SHUT UP!  The main thing we've done when he barks is to tell him 'quiet' and as soon as he stops for a couple of seconds we praise with a 'good boy, nice quiet' and a treat.  But the other day it was really annoying me and I resorted to squirting him in the face and saying 'ah' and then 'quiet' and yet another day he and I spent 30 minutes by the front window with my clicker and treats watching the neighbor kids riding bikes and running around.  I would click and treat everytime he quietly looked out the window at them.  Am I doing the right thing and is it okay to be doing all of the above or should I stick with one?  I'm really hoping someone with an older dog (1 1/2-2 yrs old) will tell me it's just part of the teenage stage so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

[Chris & Boys]

Well, I am used to having a GR and when Fozzy was still a puppy, he starting barking at everyone and everything.  If a car, person, bird, anything goes by our house, as long as it is in sight, he will run back and forth across our front yard barking.  I don't know how you stop it, but if you find out, I would love to know!!!

I think that if you are consistent, it should help at least in the circumstances that you are addressing.

I have thought of a bark collar, but then he would have to wear his invisible fence collar, his ID collar and a bark collar?  Sounds terribly uncomfortable!

BTW, I have had people tell me that it is a "poodle" thing. 

[Kristine and Charlie]

Charlie is a GD too but wasn't much of a barker until recently.  He usually barks more over sounds then seeing things (like birds in the backyard)...  

[Chris & Boys]

I guess we have the opposite problems.  Fozzy doesn't bark if he sees another dog or critter outside.  He whines, if anything.  He does bark at people when they come to the door.....which doesn't bother me, I like having a bit of a watch dog.  But almost all of his barking is outside.  And, I have mixed emotions on breaking him of that habit, because if I do, will he bark when he is afraid, or not?  Will he bark when he senses something is wrong, or not? 

 

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Oh how I wish I could tell you it is just a phase.  This has been one of my major problems and is a constant training process here at our house.  Since I have two, anytime one jumps up and starts the other one comes running and joins in, obviously without even a clue as it what they are barking at.  I'll be watching the responses here to see what others have to offer.

[Kristine and Charlie]

Have your two always been barkers?  Or did they start around 11 months like my guy?  He is generally a quiet, mellow dog and was up until the last month or so...

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

It sounds like everything you're doing is right. Rewarding him for good behavior, correcting him for unacceptable behavior...even if it is an adolescent phase, you still have to continue your training to make sure he doesn't get the idea it okay to bark like crazy.  Like kids, unless you correct the unwanted behavior, they'll just keep doing it. :-) While one bark to say, "Mom look! Something is going on out there" is okay,  if it continues, that's when you need to break out the squirt gun or shaker can. He needs to know "it's okay, quiet!" means stop barking NOW.

[Patti]

Sometimes I think they will bark in order to get a treat when they stop.  I can see it in their eyes when they bark, turn to see if I am watching and wait for me to say "good dog" when they stop and then they run as fast as they can to get the treat.

 

Smart dogs!

 

[2joigaajdi517]

I have two labradoodles that I have the same problem with.  One barks and the other one starts barking too.  They bark at crows, walkers, OUR cat.  I use the squirt bottle some time but I would love to know how to put an end to it.

 

[shelly]

Oh... I feel your pain.... Tori was the same way ...no barker then ...OMG! "SHUT UP" is putting it lightly - lol... You sound like you are doing everything you can....KEEP IT UP and keep it consistent - that was my mistake.... I didn't always stop doing what I was doing to correct her... BIG mistake... I let 'others' convince me that she started this barking because of the australian shepherd in her... unfortunately it took me too long to realize that was not necessarily true.. I wish I cold tell you she has stopped, but now at 3 years old.. I still have this problem... it will definitely be my top priority summer project.... Good luck!

[Maria, Ton & Zoe]

I just saw your post and our puppy is 11 months old and started going through the barking_at_everything_that_moves phase.  I am wondering if 7 months after this post Charlie is still barking at everything or you managed to control it. If yes, what worked?  Thank you so much!

[Lynette Main]

My middle Doodle just started barking.At nothing. I wonder if she feels left out.She is two and the others are two also. When I say no or quite the others look at me then look at her. I"ve never tried the clicker.I was thinking about the spray bottle though.I don't know if its jealousy? Middle child???

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Hello, I noticed this post is about a year old. Did charlie stop? Zoe is exactly 11 months rt now and she barks at everything. Then ben copies so now I jave two barking dogs. It didn't bother me at first because most of the neighbor dogs bark but two houses down a neighbor keeps coming over everytime she barks. So now I have anxiwty everytime she barks and I have to yell "treat" in order for her to stop and run inside. I guess I'm juat rewarding bad behavior but I really don't want that neigjbor complaining again.
If charlie atopped...did he just grow out of it or was there something to help this?