Barking

[Puppy Madness]

Aspen has gotten very bad about barking at everything... the FedEx delivery guy, ALL visitors, weird noises, animals, etc. I am trying very hard to correct this behavior but my efforts do not seem to be working. It's honestly very annoying and embarrassing when she acts like a psycho puppy. Everyone loves to point out that this is not "typical doodle behavior" which only stresses me out more. What can I do to get her to stop? 

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

What isn't working so far? Have you tried the Doggy Dan method of being "in charge of the danger" so that Aspen knows you are on top of it and she can relax? Lmk if you want more details. Good luck with Aspen, she is beautiful!

[Lisette Palmer]

II am anxious to here replies.  My Charley is doing the same.  He barks mostly when he wants me to play or love him.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Here, Lisette - a link to a great discussion about who should initiate play/affection/etc. and why and how...
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/advice-on-doggy-dan-golden...

[Kathryn Clark]

I hate it when people say it's not normal doodle behavior! Ours does the same. We've tried the doggie dan technique to a T with not much luck ourselves. We still do it in the hopes it will eventually sink in. When they start barking, a 'thank you' without getting out of your seat. A calm stand up and look 'thank you' and we give him time outs if he doesn't stop (oh course, now he just runs to the room waiting for it). I think the best medicine is to have who ever comes over and walks in to just completely ignore them in the hopes it rubs off eventually for the delivery people and people walking by outside. Ignoring him works miracles here. Good luck.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I would not let the comments about "Normal Doodle behavior" stress you out, easier said than done I know. There are lots and lots of doodles in my area and a good portion of them bark ALL THE TIME! I think people see one well behaved, quiet dog and label that dog as the breeds standard which is unfair as most dogs are not perfectly behaved.  With my family especially, they all think Moose is "badly behaved" because Loki is so mellow and has always been. It's hurtful because he is a fantastic little guy with completely normal puppy energy and much better behaved than most dogs out there but Loki was the first doodle my family members met so they assume that every doodle should be like that and if not something is wrong with them- very frustrating.

Moose is more your "normal dog" and does bark on occasion and I usually  pretend to look at whatever there is and give him a thank you and then if he keeps barking I redirect him with a toy/tennis ball and that has worked well with him. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

It's typical dog behavior  :) 

Actually, my trainer loved that my dog barked.

So, that said, I worked very, very hard to teach the Shhhh command both verbally and hand gesture ( think librarian with her index finger to her lips)

I talked softly, said shhh, and used hand gestures combined. It took awhile, but my dog knows shh

Also, do look into what Doggie Dan says about barking!!!

Go acknowledge what he is trying to tell you. He is barking for a reason ( normal behavior)    Let him know you see it and that it is okay. You can take it from there.  Say thank you. All is good.   Then walk away.  He really is doing his job. Your job is to pay attention, then let him know all is okay

I know it can be annoying but one reason I got a dog is to have him watch and let me know.   Dog's hearing is superb--not mine. I appreciate the watch dog

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Winnie is normally pretty quiet, but during her "adolescent" stage she got a little more protective of us and started barking at a lot of little things. We found that the Doggy Dan method was really helpful particularly when she was inside and "telling" us about a noise she heard outside. 

Outside, however, it didn't work as well. We have a 5 foot fence in the backyard, and if the neighbor was working in her garden on the other side of the fence, it would drive Winnie crazy. I finally started taking her outside on leash whenever I saw the neighbor in her garden so that we could "practice." When Winnie started barking, I said in a very low voice (almost a whisper)  "quiet!" The second she stopped barking, she got a treat. It didn't take her long to learn what "quiet" meant. Once I knew that she understand what the word meant, I started using it as a "preventative." I'd take her out on leash over to the fence and tell her "be very quiet" before she even started barking. When she didn't bark, she got a treat. It took some practice, but now I can just open up the patio door, tell her "be very quiet" and she goes out quietly and stays that way. 

I think the biggest thing to remember is to not raise your voice. Even when you are frustrated, keep it very low. Raising it can be interpreted as you joining in to the commotion. 

[Cynthia Shoe]

We have a trainer that has come to the house a few times. She also recommended what Lori wrote. When the barking is inappropriate we say quiet and ignore and when he is quiet for at least two to three seconds he gets a treat. We are still working on it, and I can tell he knows what quiet means, but sometimes he really struggles with it. When we are walking and he sees other dogs, bunnies, big trucks the quiet doesn't work. But I keep trying. I just get down on his level and say quiet and hold the treat and hope he gets.distracted by it and listens.