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 car 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...

[Patty, Roxy & Spencer]

My Roxy (2 yrs.) and Spencer (1 1/2 yrs.) are crazy barkers.  Roxy started really barking around 11 mos. We got Spencer about the same time but he was only 17 wks old.  But, he learned from Roxy how to bark at everything!  They even go crazy in the car when we are driving around town (expressway/freeway they are quiet most of the time except when a motorcyclist or truck with stuff on it goes by).  I have tried so many things, the water bottle (she loves water), sternly using the quiet command and treating/praise reinforcement when they settle,  redirection, etc.  I haven't used the clicker and I'm seriously considering getting a certified trainer to come to the house to evaluate and help us with this problem.  Nothing I did has really made a dent on the barking. DH doesn't really help me with the training, so that hasn't made it any easier.  Having two is harder to do the training, so I know I need a trainer's help.  I wished I'd started clicker training earlier on because it sounds like a great way to train if you are consistant.  I'd say keep the clicker going and lets see what others say about this on this discussion.  I need big time HELP too!

[Dos Doodles--Sam & Luke]

I always like to preface any thoughts about behavior by saying that I am soooo not an expert!  I do have some experience with this in my dog, so I'm happy to share what has worked (or hasn't sometimes, too!).

Sam's not a big-time barker, but about one or two times during the day he can get set off.  What I've learned really helps is:

a) he's nope-trained (which means he knows that NOPE means stop it or I disagree with what you are doing)

b) I never yell or raise my voice to him because I've read that this only means you are joining in the barking.  Instead I either sing-song something to him like "that's enough, come with me!" or I say in a sing-y voice "nope!", or I will sometimes say "SHHHHHHH!'

c) then I distract him and get him to do something I do want him to do---I usually get him to move to a different location in the house-- come with me, sit!  Then good boy, praise and give him a couple of treats. 

 

In this way, I'm not encouraging the barking by joining it and I'm also not giving him treats for barking.  I'm giving him rewards for stopping something I don't like and doing something I do like.

 

That said, I have not yet been successful at figuring out the stand-at-the-fence-and-bark-down-the-mountain-at-nothing problem.  When I get that worked out, I'll let you know.  Thus far, I've only been able to get him to stop and come inside for a treat.  Which means I can't put him outside to entertain himself right now.  I think he's in a bit of a bratty stage.

 

Oh, and while I'm typing this, Sam just erupted in barking right next to me.  Over nothing.  So another thing I will do is tell him  in that sing-song voice, "nope! no barking!" and then very gently take him (not grab him!) by the muzzle and also very gently hold it, so that when he woofs again I can say quietly and gently "nope! no barking!"  I don't ever grab him or act in an angry way toward him.  It's all very gentle, loving and friendly.  I don't want to teach him to be afraid of me.  So he woofed just little more, then I distracted him into the other room, got him to do a sit and down, then gave him a carrot.  Now he's snoozing on my bed.

 

Good luck, it's a challenge!

[Adina P]

Regarding the no yelling in response to barking.  I have to say that while I might get fed-up and raise my voice for other things, barking is one thing I tend to correct quite quietly.  Sometimes a loud whisper.  They still stop though!  Doesn't keep them from letting out a loud WOOF 5 min later, but it does stop them.  Boca usually runs right to me after barking as soon as I tell her to stop...as though she's proud of herself for barking AND for stopping.  LOL