How to stop dogs from barking

[Teresa Pitman]

I have three dogs (two border collies and a lab). The police came by tonight and said they had a noise complaint about my dogs barking. The dogs do bark when they go out (my yard backs onto a park where lots of people are out playing sports, etc. and the dogs bark at them) but I only leave them out for 10 minutes maximum at a time. The police officer said that doesn't matter, I have to stop them barking.

Do those anti-bark collars work? Any recommendations?

 

[MickeySP]

What time of day is this? Noise ordinance shouldn't kick unless after or before specific times

 

[mombrontrent]

My dog used to bark a lot at people outside walking by, biking etc. She was inside looking out the window though not outside. We used to squirt her with water whenever she started barking. She quickly leaned to stop barking. She rarely barks now but if she starts up you just have to look at the squirt bottle and she stops!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

No, where I live it is 24 hours a day. It also doesn't matter how long the dog barks for. I was surprised when the officer explained it to me because I thought it was okay if it was during the day (I don't let them out after 9:45) and for short periods of time. Apparently not. So I have to find a solution.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

My dog used to bark a lot at people outside walking by, biking etc. She was inside looking out the window though not outside. We used to squirt her with water whenever she started barking. She quickly leaned to stop barking. She rarely barks now but if she starts up you just have to look at the squirt bottle and she stops!

I did try this with one of my dogs who barks when the phone rings. Unfortunately, when I would get the squirt bottle she would just run away from me so I couldn't squirt her - still barking.

 

[wenrob]

I haven't been able to figure it out but the second my dog barks I bring her butt right back in the house. She LOVES to be outside and seems for the most part to have received the message. You can see her weighing her options sometimes when she goes out, lol. It hasn't stopped it completely but it's curbed it greatly. I think my neighbor started doing the same. When we first moved here her dog barked relentlessly but now when he starts she'll call him in.

 

[sonnyjane]

I have three dogs (two border collies and a lab). The police came by tonight and said they had a noise complaint about my dogs barking. The dogs do bark when they go out (my yard backs onto a park where lots of people are out playing sports, etc. and the dogs bark at them) but I only leave them out for 10 minutes maximum at a time. The police officer said that doesn't matter, I have to stop them barking.

Do those anti-bark collars work? Any recommendations?

Ugh. The collars may work to stop the barking but are a true animal trainer's nightmare. Much more humane to use positive reinforcement. Go outside with them, keep them busy, give them treats for doing their business outside quietly... You get the idea.

ETa: I just saw wenrob's post. Even that is a much better alternative. Taking away the "fun" of being outside is known as negative punishment (taking something good away) which is far preferred to positive punishment (adding something bad). If being outside is a reward but they don't behave, then you take away that perk.

 

[wenrob]

No, where I live it is 24 hours a day. It also doesn't matter how long the dog barks for. I was surprised when the officer explained it to me because I thought it was okay if it was during the day (I don't let them out after 9:45) and for short periods of time. Apparently not. So I have to find a solution.

That doesn't seem right. Dogs bark. Have you looked it up? How is it that every dog where you live isn't in doggy prison? There's no way people can keep their animals quiet 100% of the time.

 

[mombrontrent]

I haven't been able to figure it out but the second my dog barks I bring her butt right back in the house. She LOVES to be outside and seems for the most part to have received the message. You can see her weighing her options sometimes when she goes out, lol. It hasn't stopped it completely but it's curbed it greatly. I think my neighbor started doing the same. When we first moved here her dog barked relentlessly but now when he starts she'll call him in.

That actually worked for us as well. My house backs onto a golf course and when we first moved in my dog would bark at the golfers. I made her come in the house as soon as the barking started. Once in a blue moon she will bark at a golfer but it's rare.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Yes, I looked it up. I think as long as nobody complains you get away with it. I have lived here for nine years - with two of the three dogs - and no complaints. But now that there's a complaint, I have to do something about it.

 

[threecrazykids]

I have no idea what the circumstances are, but I am going to ASSUME (yeah, I know) that this isn't a situation of the dogs barking on occasion, but rather a case of relentless barking from the moment they are let out until the moment you bring them back in. Some dogs are just "barky" type dogs, while others are not...but even ones who typically aren't can get to a barking frenzy when other dogs start in.

Do you happen to know if someone may be trying to sleep during those hours you are letting them out? Someone who works a non-day shift? Or someone who has a sleeping baby? They may be more bothered by a barking dog, but it really could be ANY neighbor who just gets tired of listening to it if there isn't a real REASON for the dogs to bark.

We have a neighbor who is home with her dog all day - a Yorkie - who literally barks from the moment his paws hit the front step until she finally lets him back in. Even when he is in the house you can hear him barking at anything and everything if the windows are open. He just doesn't stop.

Our dog (yellow lab) hardly EVER barks. So when he does, I know something is up. We trained him from a puppy though, I'm not sure how old your dogs are. Any time he barked when it was inappropriate we would turn to him and give the command "Quiet" and then hold his muzzle gently. We'd have people ring the doorbell, knock on the door, walk down the cul-de-sac, etc. to show him things that he should NOT bark at.

Even when he's outside he doesn't just bark to bark. He may bark once and jump around when he sees our neighbor dog playing with his owner, but that is just because he wants to join in on the fun!

But it will likely take a lot of correction, especially if you've allowed them to just bark at everything since they've been puppies. Once one starts in, the others are likely to join. But I would try the spray bottle (even outside) if they are just in a barking frenzy with no "purpose" behind the barking, but rather just relentlessly barking.

As much of a dog lover as I am, I have to admit that the neighbor dog is not on my list of "favorites" due to his barking. It is fine for a minute or two or if he's playing. But to just sit there and bark for hours on end can grate on just about anyone's nerves when you're trying to enjoy the fresh air - inside OR out of your home.

 

[Christine]

I have no idea what the circumstances are, but I am going to ASSUME (yeah, I know) that this isn't a situation of the dogs barking on occasion, but rather a case of relentless barking from the moment they are let out until the moment you bring them back in. Some dogs are just "barky" type dogs, while others are not...but even ones who typically aren't can get to a barking frenzy when other dogs start in.

I have this going on with my next-door neighbor. Their dog barks incessantly when they let it out and other people come around. So if I go outside to grill my dinner, the dog stands on the other side of the fence and barks at me. Frankly, I am tired of listening to it. They try to call him in but he won't come in. I know it bothers the owners but I think they don't know how to deal with it and have given up. Lately, they just let him bark at me, even if it goes on for 30 minutes while I sit outside and read.

I do know someone that used a shock collar and it worked but I feel awful about that for the dog.

 

[clutter]

Is there one that is the bark leader? I have a dog who was a barker, but as she has gotten older, and deafer and blinder, things just don't register to start her up. That means that the other no longer barks either, as he barked because she did. So it might be just one that you need to focus on. (or two, since you have two border collies.)

 

[Nayan]

I have one of those constant barkers/howlers next door and it does get on my nerves, especially if I want to sit on my porch and I feel like I can't enjoy it. I've tried talking to them about it but of course 'their' dog doesn't bark and it must be someone else's.

 

[threecrazykids]

I have this going on with my next-door neighbor. Their dog barks incessantly when they let it out and other people come around. So if I go outside to grill my dinner, the dog stands on the other side of the fence and barks at me. Frankly, I am tired of listening to it. They try to call him in but he won't come in. I know it bothers the owners but I think they don't know how to deal with it and have given up. Lately, they just let him bark at me, even if it goes on for 30 minutes while I sit outside and read.

I do know someone that used a shock collar and it worked but I feel awful about that for the dog.

I've also seen collars that spray citronella to correct barking rather than impose a shock. I know nothing about them (whether they are effective or harmful), but that may be another option if other correction measures don't work.

 

[yoopermom]

Could you afford to have a professional trainer come in to assess the situation? You have multiple dogs, of "barky" high energy breeds, all going out at once, into a high stress (to them, lots to see and bark at) environment.

I live in a multiple dog household (although without neighbors, thank god), and would suggest:
1) do NOT get no bark collars, even the best can be set off by another dog's barking, which would be beyond cruel to the dog affected
2) only let them out one at a time, and work on the problem that way
3) use a long line (can be very thin, just something that you can catch the dog with, without having to call him/her)
4) other outlets for energy: walks, dog classes, anything and everything
5) work on teaching "no bark" (or hush or whatever word you want) in the house, in a less stressful situation

Terri

 

[RitaE]

I had a terrible barking dog once.

First I had to teach him "Sit" and "Down." Then I would take him to highly excitable situations such as seeing other people or other dogs. I'd put him in a sit or down position and when he'd wiggle or make noise, I'd put my hand on his bottom and say "Quiet." Then I'd work telling him sit or down and put distance between us and he'd learn to maintain that even if I wasn't within touching distance from him. If he'd bark he'd get "Quiet!" and I'd move back to him to put my hand on the butt again and make him sit quietly.

Eventually he picked up Quiet as a completely separate command but he also picked up that he didn't need to sound the alarm at every person, dog or leaf that blew by our house. Massive socialization helped with that too. I took him to PetsMart and the Park over and over and taught him not to go nuts whenever he'd see a person or another dog. I'd be like "No, No I really want your pack of kids to come over and bother my dog because I'm trying to teach him manners!!!!"

A big problem I see here is that you have 3 of them who all need to master this pretty quick. Is there somebody else in the house that can take over working with one or two of the dogs?

 

[ariel71]

That doesn't seem right. Dogs bark. Have you looked it up? How is it that every dog where you live isn't in doggy prison? There's no way people can keep their animals quiet 100% of the time.

Chicago's animal noise ordinance is 10 consecutive minutes or intermittently for a significant portion of the day (or night), and I'm grateful for it. There are many owners who use the "dogs bark" excuse to make little effort to limit their dog's noise.

 

[mom2rtk]

That really stinks. I can't imagine someone complaining about 10 minutes a few times a day.

We had a neighbor who put her dogs out at 5:30 in the morning and left them out more than 12 hours until she returned home. And they barked and barked and barked. And I couldn't get anything done.

I hope you find an answer.

 

[rszdtrvl]

That really stinks. I can't imagine someone complaining about 10 minutes a few times a day.

We had a neighbor who put her dogs out at 5:30 in the morning and left them out more than 12 hours until she returned home. And they barked and barked and barked. And I couldn't get anything done.

I hope you find an answer.

We have the same problem with out neighbors. Plus, their cat tried to attack our dog the other day. They just don't care. One of them laughed and laughed when DH let her know that we would prefer the cat stay out of our 100% fenced backyard because we fear for our dog (12 year old Beagle with a few teeth and a bad back). Their dogs bark and bark and bark. And they don't want them in the house during the day because "they are so obnoxious". And they plan on bringing a puppy into the mix later on this month, which would make them one over the city ordinance of 3 pets and require them to have a kennel license, which I know they won't get.