Cooper's discovered his voice -HELP!

[Elizabeth & Cooper]

So, I thought that I was doing really well on the barking front but it seems that things have taken a turn for the worse and seem to get worse by the day. I was managing Cooper barking fairly well with the pop can w/ pennies approach. Since he's been going to the park and playing with other dogs, he's quickly learned to use his bark to try to get attention (though, usually most dogs just ignore him and find him irritating). This behaviour has come into the home now and he'll start barking when he's in his pen, if he can see me, to try to get me to play. I've tried to ignore rather than yelling no. It seems that the best way to get him to stop is for me to stand up, turn around and just ignore until he's stopped.

I was okay with that as, at least, I was there to know how much he's barking and to try to do something to make it stop. Then, last night, my greatest fear happened. I had gone over to my sister's for her birthday dinner and was gone for about 2.5 hours (that's about the longest he's been alone). I came home to hear him barking non-stop. I have no idea how long it had gone on for (and am too scared to ask my neighbours) but this is the first time (since he was tiny) that he's barked when I'm not home. Now I'm getting really worried as I feel like a) I've perhaps created a monster by being around too much and b) I really do not want to cause any issues in my building (I live in a multiplex) that could end up with us being kicked out!

People have recommended a barking collar but that just seems a bit extreme at his age (3 months today). Things like pop cans and spray bottles won't exactly work when I'm not home so I'm not sure what to do at this point. Barking is the one thing that really stresses me out, given that I live in a multi-plex.

If anyone has any tips or suggestiosns, please let me know. I am hopeful that this is him 'discovering his voice' and that it may be something that he grows out of but I don't want to take that change and want to do whatever I can at this point to stop the behaviour.

Thanks for your help!!!!!

Elizabeth and Cooper

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

Hi,

I would ask the neighbors if he barked non stop.. he may have heard you drive or walk up. Lilly also has found her voice and barks when I talk to her or when she wants something or when she is in the crate and I am home and she wants out and I am doing something that I dont need her help with. If I walk her before I go somewhere and make sure that she has not had a nap, she will lie down in her crate and go to sleep and or not bark (I stand outside the house and listen)

[Karen & Zoe]

Hi, my girl Zoe is a barker and started almost from the moment I brought her home.  She is 5 mos now, and I still have to correct her.  I live in a neighborhood where the houses are very close and sound bounces off the buildings.  My neighbor has made snide comments several times and I just reply that "I'm really working on correcting her".  I tried the cans with coins, shaking a large brown paper bag to which she galloped over to explore her new toy!  So I started with the "Quiet" command when she is in her pen, and then praise and treat her when she stops for even a second.  I think saying no when she is barking will confuse her because it is a command that is used in other situations.  When she is in the yard, playing with our other doodle (who is 15 months old and wears a bark collar), if Zoe starts barking, I will give the quiet command and go outside and stand with her to distract her.  It is really hard if you are gone during the day, and if you live in a small complex.

I have also found that if she has played a lot, or if I have taken her for a long walk in the morning, she doesn't bark as much.  What other dood owners said has worked for me, in that you can't give up on the training.  :)  By the way, I read that most bark collars are to be used when the dog is older than 6 mos.

[Leslie & Axl Sacks]

Our trainer likes peanut butter as a deterrent.  When we are in puppy class & a particular dog gets vocal, she sticks a glob of peanut butter on the roof of its mouth (assuming no people or puppies are allergic to it).  It keeps them quiet for awhile & even though you'd think the dog likes the taste, it eventually gets them to stop.  HOWEVER, for our dog who is only gets barky on rare occasions, she says to grab him by the scruff behind his ear(not the scruff of his neck-that's for other stuff) & firmly say "Quit It!"  But he's 8 months old & 50 pounds, so, that's a bit physical if you ask me.

We also use a squirt bottle filled with 70% water 30% vinegar.  We "shoot" Axl with that around his face (try not to get it in his eyes).  Pretty much hates it.

[Jen & Ember]

Oh Elizabeth, Ember is a barking machine also!! Especially when we go outside. I usually turn away from her, but then she goes and nips my calves! I have not figured out the trick yet for stopping the barks. Have not had problems in the crate, but her expen is a different story.  I had heard that you shouldn't yell 'QUIET' or something at them because they take it as barking, so they bark back. Not sure if that's true or not. I will 'SHH' her sometimes. 

 

I live in a small rental house, but it is super close to the neighbors and I've been nervous that she will annoy them. What I've done is go and introduce myself & Ember to them, and be really up front that we're working on training and they can always let me know if she's irritating. 

 

In Cooper's crate, does he have something to keep him occupied? Is he going in tired? Been outside for potty? If all his needs are taken care of and he's tired, he should sleep. Have you done much work with crate training? 

[Elizabeth & Cooper]

Thanks, all. I managed to run into the neighbours below me and asked about the barking. She said she may have heard the odd bark but nothing that stuck out to here so either we have really good sound proofing or he just started when I got home. I think my big problem is I have been relying on the pen too much. That's where I left him yesterday instead of his crate. I think he associates the pen with playing (as all his toys are in there) which made it harder for him to settle (he had a BIG day yesterday so there is no reason why he shouldn't have just slept. I tired him out at the dog park today, fed him and let him out and then left him in the crate while I went to babysit my nephews (so my sister could go out for a birthday dinner with out the kids for the first time!!!) so we'll see what he's doing when I get home. I should have setup a camera!!!