How to stop dogs from barking

[kdonnel]

I have been pet free for a couple years now. Every once and awhile I miss having a dog and think it is time to get another, then I read threads like this and the feeling passes.

Maybe with extensive training you can teach a barker not to bark, I doubt it though. But I think it is one of those behaviours you have no idea if your dog will have until you already own the dog.

 

[lovesmurfs]

THIS. IS. AMAZING. Pet Corrector. It's a can of air. AIR. Apparently it's supposed to make them think it's a snake.

We used it twice on our dog. Now we just have to take it out and she stops IMMEDIATELY.

https://a.co/d/gd5tr9V

 

[soccerdad72]

My dogs LOVE daycare. It can get expensive, though. Mine usually go 2 days a week, when we both have to go into the office.

I was going to say, while doggie day care is great, it is an expensive option. Our local place is up to like $45 a day these days.

 

[mjkacmom]

I know they take them out before going to school/work. Don't know if there's toys in the crate.

I do know the dogs were in separate crates while they recovered from getting fixed, and that wasn't good either.

DW is suggesting some training.

I think it is separation anxiety.

They got the dogs before they moved into the apartment and fiancee kept them in her mom's apartment. They've had them since the dogs were just a couple weeks old, so I'm hoping they don't have to rehome them, but may be the best solution.

When you say a couple of weeks, do you mean at least 8? Where did they get the dogs? I’m home with my 14 year old rat terrier/min pin rescue, and she asks to go out at least once every hour. How long are the dogs left for?

 

[mjkacmom]

I have been pet free for a couple years now. Every once and awhile I miss having a dog and think it is time to get another, then I read threads like this and the feeling passes.

Maybe with extensive training you can teach a barker not to bark, I doubt it though. But I think it is one of those behaviours you have no idea if your dog will have until you already own the dog.

I rescued through a foster so I knew a lot about her.

 

[sam_gordon]

When you say a couple of weeks, do you mean at least 8? Where did they get the dogs? I’m home with my 14 year old rat terrier/min pin rescue, and she asks to go out at least once every hour. How long are the dogs left for?

I don't know how many weeks old the dogs were when they got them. They got them from a breeder. Fiancee was just going to get one, but when they got there, only two were left, both from the same litter and they didn't want to separate them.

I think they're in the crate all day (like 9-5), but don't know.

 

[evilmommie]

I don't know how many weeks old the dogs were when they got them. They got them from a breeder. Fiancee was just going to get one, but when they got there, only two were left, both from the same litter and they didn't want to separate them.

I think they're in the crate all day (like 9-5), but don't know.

Most reputable breeders will take the dogs back at any point in a dog's life, if the person they sold them to can't support a healthy life for the animal. Being in a crate for over 8 hrs a day isn't a good set-up for young dogs...especially dogs that have hunting drive in their DNA. They need stimulation and attention.

From the AKC:

About the Breed​

Not only is the Beagle an excellent hunting dog and loyal companion, it is also happy-go-lucky, funny, and'thanks to its pleading expression'cute. They were bred to hunt in packs, so they enjoy company and are generally easygoing. There are two Beagle varieties: those standing under 13 inches at the shoulder, and those between 13 and 15 inches. Both varieties are sturdy, solid, and 'big for their inches,' as dog folks say. They come in such pleasing colors as lemon, red and white, and tricolor. The Beagle's fortune is in his adorable face, with its big brown or hazel eyes set off by long, houndy ears set low on a broad head. A breed described as 'merry' by its fanciers, Beagles are loving and lovable, happy, and companionable'all qualities that make them excellent family dogs. No wonder that for years the Beagle has been the most popular hound dog among American pet owners. These are curious, clever, and energetic hounds who require plenty of playtime.

 

[mjkacmom]

That’s a really long time to crate puppies, a good breeder will take them back, but the majority of breeders are backyard breeders who sell dogs too young which isn’t good for their development (mom teaches them a lot in 3 months), and the new owners have been screened. Beagles are working dogs and need a lot of exercise and training. I’m surprised they can go that long without a potty break.

 

[C.Witch]

OOF. Two beagles would be rough, they're going to feed off of each other's vocalizations. Lots of good suggestions here - I have a couple of new ones for you:

Set up the kennels in an area of the apartment with the least neighbour interaction. Perhaps they have a corner unit and one of the rooms has no neighbour? Or choose the kitchen or living room because rooms are usually back to back or stacked over each other in an apartment layout, and the noise transfer would be more disruptive in the bedroom areas versus the kitchen/livingroom/bathroom.
Try one of those pet cams with two-way sound. They'd get a notification when the dogs make noise, they can get on the app, and distract them by speaking to them. Some models even come with the option to launch treats (may or may not work with a kennel).

Try to soundproof the area as much as possible. You can buy sound-deadening foam for podcasting/music recording etc... on Amazon for example. Both for neighbours and to keep the dogs from being triggered by noise. Add fans/white noise etc...

Don't just put them in the kennel when leaving for the day. Put them in for short periods in the evening as well, and on weekends so you can actively correct them when they make noise, then let them out when they're calm/quiet. This is a crucial part of crate training that works best done right from day one, but can still work to improve barking later as well.

Befriend one of the neighbours, introduce yourself and explain that you're working on correcting the behaviour. When we were kennel training in a townhouse, we did just that, and they were very receptive as a result. Sometimes a person just wants to know that their neighbour isn't an uncaring jerk, and that goodwill goes a long way.

 

[C.Witch]

OOF. Two beagles would be rough, they're going to feed off of each other's vocalizations. Lots of good suggestions here - I have a couple of new ones for you:

Set up the kennels in an area of the apartment with the least neighbour interaction. Perhaps they have a corner unit and one of the rooms has no neighbour? Or choose the kitchen or living room because rooms are usually back to back or stacked over each other in an apartment layout, and the noise transfer would be more disruptive in the bedroom areas versus the kitchen/livingroom/bathroom.
Try one of those pet cams with two-way sound. They'd get a notification when the dogs make noise, they can get on the app, and distract them by speaking to them. Some models even come with the option to launch treats (may or may not work with a kennel).

Try to soundproof the area as much as possible. You can buy sound-deadening foam for podcasting/music recording etc... on Amazon for example. Both for neighbours and to keep the dogs from being triggered by noise. Add fans/white noise etc...

Don't just put them in the kennel when leaving for the day. Put them in for short periods in the evening as well, and on weekends so you can actively correct them when they make noise, then let them out when they're calm/quiet. This is a crucial part of crate training that works best done right from day one, but can still work to improve barking later as well.

Befriend one of the neighbours, introduce yourself and explain that you're working on correcting the behaviour. When we were kennel training in a townhouse, we did just that, and they were very receptive as a result. Sometimes a person just wants to know that their neighbour isn't an uncaring jerk, and that goodwill goes a long way.

I thought of one more: pheromones for anxiety. Either in the form of scented collars, or diffusers (like a Glade Plug In for pheromones).

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Beagles tend to have strong pack needs and may howl nonstop when separated. I adopted a beagle back in the mid to late 1990s and the separation anxiety related howling was so bad that I almost got evicted. I contemplated a doggy daycare service, but that would only cover workdays and was an added expense I wasn't looking to take on each and every single day. I looked into some things from canine behaviorists but I didn't have the luxury of time. I'd be on the hook for all kinds of fines and legal issues if I walked out on my lease for a more howling friendly residence and I'd never get another apartment if I was evicted and still was in possession of the animal that created the reason for said eviction. I felt bad about it, but I ended up bringing him back to the rescue. They were really rude about it and I'm sure to them, I looked like a lazy and irresponsible person, but it was the best thing I could do for both me and the dog.

My uncle used to breed them to sell them off as packs to his hunting friends. I recall my mom saying that the beagles were so horribly loud that he had to keep them towards the rear of the property so they wouldn't create major disturbances for his practice or the main house. Mind you, I know a few people who have beagles that never had these problems, but I remember my first visit to the vet with mine. He was LOUD about EVERYTHING. The vet kept chuckling and saying things like "typical beagle" or "you're such a beagle!"

 

[sam_gordon]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I'm passing them along!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Others have spoken about the breed but I'm going to speak towards the general issue.

I'm not a fan of crate training in general but if you're going to do it my goodness don't leave them in there alone in a small confined space all day with no way to get out, no way to move around much, no way to go to the bathroom, etc.

Many have mentioned doggie daycare which I would agree with, another option is to have someone come by twice a day to take them out to go to the bathroom and for walks. I had a supervisor who would leave during her lunch break to let her dog out herself but pet sitting services are so plentiful nowadays it's probably easier (and more realistic) to do that outside of doggie daycare.

But in the long run I think your son needs to ask the question is this a right fit two dogs in an apartment with limited space and no one there during the day. I'm almost never a fan of rehoming but there are instances where it's the right decision. Finding solutions to shush a dog much less two so you don't get more noise complaints sorta is the telling picture as it wasn't about the comfort of the dogs to begin with it was about reducing the likelihood of someone complaining.

 

[DodgerGirl]

Hi Sam Gordon,
When my cousins were little my aunt used to have a dog and she and my uncle would always have troubles with it and the first time my aunt started having troubles with her dog they would get complaints from their neighbors saying that my aunt's dog barked way too much and they would call my aunt every day complaining about my aunt's dog barking too much. Then when my cousins would bring the dog inside at night he would constantly bark and then the worst thing was when my cousins put the dog outside to exercise it and play with it he would always escape and then get lost. My aunt's dog passed away due to old age but after that dog died they got another dog and the same thing happened and when my aunt's neighbors got tired of the dog barking animal control took the dog and my aunt and uncle had to get him back and shortly after he came home the dog ran away and they blamed my cousins for it because according to my mom my cousins were walking the dog and he ran away with his leash. What your son can do is anytime that he or his fiancee goes to work they can try to call a relative or one of their friends to see if they can take care of the dog while your son works and then once they can do that they can take the dog to the relative's house or friend's house a few times to let the dog get used to being taken care of by the friend or relative. Maybe you can try taking the dog to your mother in-law's house and ask if she can take care of the dog while your son is at work
Good Luck
Dodger

 

[mrs. magoo]

We have a hound mix, Hamilton, that is very loud. He barks at everything but not during the day. He is in a room that is the back of the house and not near the door or front of the house. He is also in this open top enclosure type of crate This crate is large enough for him to move around and get comfortable. He actually loves it and will spend time in when we are home as well. We also put on sportscenter for him. He goes to doggy day care 1 time a week and that helps as well. I agree that being in an apartment would be probably impossible for Hamilton as he would bark. My daughter will probably not take him if she moves out since apartment living would be very difficult with him. But contact a good trainer and have them give some ideas.