Barking

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I posted yesterday that this has been a great week to reinforce with Guinness and Murph that they cannot bark like "madmen" whenever there is someone in the yard.  We live in a condo, and there has been lots of activity....window washers, landscapers, and painters.  I had started their "no bark" training and they have been making good progress, but this was clearly the week to do a lot of proofing.  Someone asked me how I was training this, so here's the approach I've been using.  It really needs to fit in with everything else that you're doing with training...I don't believe it's an isolated exercise.  Anyway, here's what has been working for me...hope it helps.

-First, it's a big commitment, because you have to react the same way every time they bark.  That means stopping whatever you're doing at the time (immediately...timing is critical).  It also means constantly listening so that you can (whenever possible) get "ahead" of the barking.

-It's going to be pretty tough for them because it's a natural tendency for them to want to warn us of a possible danger.  They think it's their job.

-I'm at the point with my guys where I can verbally correct them or give them a touch correction (a little "poke" at the side of their neck), and it's motivational enough for them to stop the behavior.  I think for most people you should use whatever motivational correction you use with your other training.  If you use a prong or a choke collar, you would need to keep that on with a tab.  As soon as you hear the barking, you would need to give a correction with whatever verbal cue you are using. If you are doing it correctly, the barking should stop after the first or second correction.  Then I reward with praise..."good dog" and a quick pat.  If you are also using treats with your other training, that's when I'd treat (or click and treat).

-I always stand between them and the distraction that they are barking at...usually the door or the window.  I get right in their way so that they can't even look at whatever it is that they're barking at. This is my signal that I am "owning" that space and they do not need to be "on guard".  I place them in a sit stay until they are calm.  Then I release...if they go to the window or door and bark again, I repeat the whole thing. 

-I've been doing this for several days, and they've for the most part "got it".  Guinness has stopped barking completely with these distractions.  Murph gives one "woof" and then he comes running to me and just sits.  I still have to proof with people actually knocking at the door.  They're handling strangers in the yard, but I'm pretty sure they would bark if there was a knock at the door.  I just need to set this up a few times with people they don't know. 

I'm sure there are others who are also working on this....please share what's working for you.  What I outlined is just what happens to work for Guinness and Murph, but I'm sure there are lots of other training methods that would accomplish the same thing.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Jane, NOTHING is working for me...this will our approach for Daisy after today. We too have the same type of behavioral changing tricks, we nudge Daisy, wherever we can, side, butt, back it seems to stop most but not the barking. Wish me luck, the shock collar is our next option and I really don't want to resort to that, nor do I think I will.

Thanks.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it's going.  For me the hardest part was getting enough outside distractions so that we could practice....over and over.  This was the perfect time for us to do it since there have been so many different workers all over the place.

[Dori & Rua]

Jane, what a timely post.  We (OK, I) have been working on that with Rua (in all fairness, my DH's desk with computer is downstairs) and mine is right off the entry way and facing a big window and the street).  She would see a person or people walk by and she would go barking crazy...add a dog into the mix and OH MY. 

 

I agree totally with what you said about it being a big committment.  I can't be lazy...even if I am in the other room, if I hear her bark, I come out and address it.  I did have a trainer come out and give me some one-on-one regarding Rua's barking at people walking by and it helped IMMENSELY.  I have a shake can on my desk, and when I see someone approach, I can just pick it up and gently set it down.  She will do a bit of a "woof" and then come running to me "huffing"  which I translate into "please momma, please momma, let me bark"!

 

We just don't have many people coming to visit or to our door.  I have been working on "go to your spot" trying to combine it with "no bark".  We are now practicing every Tuesday night for the past month or so - that is Jimmy John's night!  The guy knows we are also practicing, so he is very patient and stands at the door waiting for me to get Rua to her spot and in a sit and not bark.  Quite an undertaking, but he even said last Tuesday night that she was getting better.

 

So you think my DH would mind if I ordered delivery 7 nights a week in order to help Rua overcome this issue? 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

HaHaHa, Dori.  Take out every night....what we won't do for the sake of training!  It sounds like you're making really  good progress.  It is hard to get enough of those distractions so that they can practice.  That's why I wanted to take full advantage of last week with all the work going on here.  Now I just have to keep it up.