Barking at squirrels = crazy mom!!

[Tait & Finn]

OMG! Finn barks his brains out all day at the squirrels, birds & bunnies in the front yard. I've lost count how many times just today I've gone out to chase them away ... Only for them to return as soon as I'm back in the house. He's barking as I type this. I can't hold a conversation in person, on the phone or watch tv, he is so loud. Does anyone have any tricks of the trade that will stop him from barking? And I don't want a shock/bark collar. Thanks.

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

I'm waiting to hear the answer.  It's all mail and package delivery people and trucks that get my guys going, plus walking animals of any height.  They have calmed down with regular humans not accompanied by animals or mail.

[Bonnie and Kona]

When we moved to our current house our dogs began barking at everything! It was making me crazy. We hired a dog trainer last month and her simple suggestion has worked well. She told us to block the dogs's ability to see out the front windows. For us that meant closing the bamboo blinds and pushing furniture against them so the dogs could not stick their heads underneath. Every time they barked I quietly said shhh! (don't yell at a barking dog...it encourages them!) and put them in a down/stay for a minute or two. Then release and pet (if they stayed quiet). Now if the dogs go near the window, I just say "ach ach" and they walk away. Frequently they come to me for petting as their reward. It takes consistency, but really worked for us. The furniture is back in place, and the blinds are up.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Wow, Bonnie this sounds great.  In the last six months Libby has been barking at everything that goes my "her " favorite window.  It is truly driving us crazy (short trip) and we have tried everything.  I have closed the shutters, but did not put her in a down position.  Her bark is so darn loud it is hard to think, let alone talk to anyone.  Now when we are walking, she does not bark and is as gentle, friendly and loves everyone.  I'm sure she is protecting us I guess, but oh my it is stressful.  I will be tryng your method starting tomorrow.  Thanks for the info!

[Bonnie and Kona]

The down stay was something I started before the blocking off of the windows. We have seen remarkable changes with this combo. Good luck!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think that was perfect advice and that's what we did for our guys barking at people walking by our front with their dogs.  That down/stay works wonders, doesn't it?  Now I can actually leave the front door open with just the storm door and if they see a dog they "correct themselves"....Murph will actually give one bark and then run up the stairs and lie down....but he wants his treat after he does it.

[BG and Gavin]

WTG Bonnie!  Training rockstar!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Linda, You are one of my training heros! Just as I typed that sentence I heard Owen bark. I leapt up and saw him with his paws on the window sill barking at dogs being walked. So we did the down/stay for several minutes because he remained alert for awhile. I must echo the advice of giving your dog adequate exercise. The doodles didn't get their run this morning because I'm going to clip them. I shampooed them last night so they need to stay clean. Better get busy! (It's only 7:00 am here.)

[BG and Gavin]

LOL hardly!  I am the queen of "good enough" - as long as house manners are good, he responds to his name and I don't get pulled around town, I am content.

[Bonnie and Kona]

You posted all of your training classes including tethering which was really helpful to us! Gavin's "good enough" is way, way beyond ours. ;o)

[Deborah Brown]

We've been doing mat work and can work through some distractions but the dogs aren't good enough to ignore everything.  I wish we could get to this point!

Two of mine are reactive to varying degrees and I, unfortunately, need to keep windows covered to keep the stress level down.

Good job, Bonnie!

[Deborah Brown]

Curtains?  Blinds?  I have to block our windows.  My kitchen windows were the prime barking windows and I put window "film" on them to make them opaque.  Here's a picture with my cafe curtains pulled back.  You can buy this at Home Depot.

Then Penny moved the furniture over to bark out the living room windows so I had to pull the blinds all the way up:

Seriously, a dog who is constantly barking out the window, is a stressed out dog.  Finn needs some relief as much as you do.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Oh Penny, you rascal! Live the film you put on your windows. Such a cute house!