How Can I Stop My Dog From Barking?

[manchurianbrownbear]

Every time she even thinks there's someone at the door (I hate the Domino's Pizza commercials because the door bell rings!) she "freaks out". She is eight years old and I think she's getting worse with age.

I don't think I could put a "shock collar" on her, but I'm open to any suggestion that isn't too cruel.

BTW, at night when she is on her little bed in the laundry room, she doesn't bark. People have often assumed, incorrectly, that, "at least she's a good watch dog".

 

[phamton]

Keep a leash on her at all times, when you are home. Let her drag it behind her. Teach her the command for sit while using the leash. Pull her head up and press her bottom down and say "Sit." When she does praise her.

Now for when someone comes to the door. Grab her leash give the command for sit. Have someone else open the door while you stay back with her on sit command. If she barks say "No" and a short jerk on the leash upward (not enough to hurt her but to startle her) and make sure she is still sitting. Praise her as long as she still sits.

Now over days, take her closer to the door and have her sit. Soon you should be able to open the door while she is with you on her leash and sitting. To speed up training over a few days (like a weekend) have family members or friends ring the doorbell or knock on the door so she has more time to practice.

Bev

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

My seven year old has been a more frequent barker in the last 6 months too. He is wearing down my patience. We bought him a muzzle at the beginning of the year to try to teach him the wanted behavior. It hasn't eliminated the barking, but it has quieted it some. He wears the muzzle all day, or whenever we're not home because we share an entrance with another tenant in our house.
He know when he barks and now looks to be muzzled, or when he is ready to nap he'll look for it. It wasn't meant to be a security blanket.
Next step- the collar.

 

[fklhou]

We show doges and all of our dogs are crate trained. We have crates for feeding and keeping the dogs separate. My DW found the neatest toy called the Yapper Zapper. It is a box that squirts water on the dog when it barks in the crate. It has substantially reduced the amount of barking by our youngest dog.

One the beardie listserve, there is a great story about someone who had a parrot who learned that the dogs started barking whenever someone said the pizza is here. The parrot started saying this phrase and got a great reaction from the dogs each time the parrot announced pizza is here. This reinforced the parrots behavior. I do not warrant that this story is true but it got some great laughs on the beardie BB.

 

[phamton]

These work better than the shock collars and are much more humane. See: Cornell studies on no barking collars

Here is a Google search of these collars: Search for Citronella Collars

 

[SplshMtn99]

Was that YOUR dog I heard at 6:30am this morning? (j/k)

No advise....but good luck.

Oh---and if you figure out how to stop it -- please tell my neighbor.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Thanks for all the input everyone!

 

[10drum]

25 years ago I had a dog that liked to bark at the moon, well my wife had enough one night and went out with, do you remember those Dr. Shoals' wooden sandels, and worked that dog over with one those sandels. The dog never barked at night again.

The image of my nude wife beating our dog with a wooden sandel on a moonlit night is still frozen in my brain.

Needles to say I don't bark either.

 

[AMClvsMKY]

I was going to suggest water also. Keep a spray bottle by the door and spray her in the face when she barks. That has worked for us.

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

I don't have a dog but I was thinking use some of the duct tape that you bought (or were suppose to buy) to use on your house.
I bet the dog is cute even when he barks. Just like humans they get used to doing something so that is probably part of his daily routine every day, Good luck

 

[doxdogy]

Super soaker water pistol. We use it for ours when they start barking for no reason or at the imagined monsters running rampant through our backyard.

 

[AnnMorin]

I didn't read all the replies so sorry if this was already suggested but it works GREAT. Take an old soda can put some coins in it and tape the top shut. Each time the dog barks say no and shake the can (they hate that sound) soon all you will have to do is reach for the can and say no. Finally just say no. Worked on all three of our dogs over the years.

 

[Leota]

25 years ago I had a dog that liked to bark at the moon, well my wife had enough one night and went out with, do you remember those Dr. Shoals' wooden sandels, and worked that dog over with one those sandels. The dog never barked at night again.

You were joking, right? Please tell me you were joking......

 

[MosMom]

You were joking, right? Please tell me you were joking......

I'm with you!

 

[Blondie]

Originally posted by 10drum
The dog never barked at night again.

Is it because she killed the dog?

 

[d.kurz]

Originally posted by 10drum
25 years ago I had a dog that liked to bark at the moon, well my wife had enough one night and went out with, do you remember those Dr. Shoals' wooden sandels, and worked that dog over with one those sandels. The dog never barked at night again.

The image of my nude wife beating our dog with a wooden sandel on a moonlit night is still frozen in my brain.

Needles to say I don't bark either.

ROFLMAO!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

Barking dog here too. We/ve tried the water....he loves it, pennies in a can....gets him more wired. Tried the leash and sit. This nut case just loves to 'talk'. He's a golden which makes it even more insane. Evidently, his grandfather was some hot-shot show dog (as is his mother). The grandfather did extremely well in the ring so they lived with the barking. After we got him and found what a 'talker' he is we were told of this genetic behavior! THis is so bad that the dog will bark at anyone who enters the room after being gone for more than 10 minutes. Evidently he is guarding me, since he only does it when I'm there.
Have any of you tried the citronella collar? I'm close to going with the electric collar but if the spray one works then I won't have to.

 

[10drum]

Hey, I'm not joking. You should've seen how she broke him from digging holes. If interested I'll tell you.

 

[Leota]

10drum - like a train wreck.....

I'm not sure I really wanna know, but the curiousity is killin me here....

 

[10drum]

Well this dog, which was a german short haired pointer, dug holes big enough, a child could hide in. My sister said to fill the hole with water and stick the dog's head in till you see bubbles come up. Well this dog was about 65 pound an my wife was about 115 pounds. I tried it and I couldn't keep his head under, so since I was doing it wrong, my wife took over. She stradled the dog, locked her knees around his waist, grabbed his front feet, pulled them back to his chest, and took him and her in that muddy hole, for what seemed like an eternity. They both came out spittin water and mud, and then they went in again.

This and the barking story are true. The dog didn't dig again.

I loved that dog, and he was like a pup till he died of heart failure at age 11.

We were young wild kids during those days and since have divorced, and both have remarried and have seprate families.