Excitement Barking - Help Me Help Him

[AllDogBoots]

I just took Cooper and Max for a ride in the car to the post office so I could drop some boxes in the mailbox. As soon as I attach Max's harness & leash and open the front door he barks incessantly and uncontrollably. As soon as I put him in the car he's fine. He was excellent the entire ride. As soon as we got home and I stopped the car he started barking again, out of control. When I reached into the back seat to get him he was clawing at me trying to grasp onto me. He seemed scared to death. I don't know what is causing the barking. It seems that it could be his leash I'm not sure if he's excited or afraid.

When we came home and entered the house he greeted me like he hasn't seen me in days. He got the zoomies and then peed and pooped in the living room.

He's doing so well with the clicker and is very responsive during training, however I can't seem to stop the barking when he's on his leash. It's not the typical bark like when a car passes. It's a high pitched continual 'arf arf'.

Last vet appointment he was out of control barking in the lobby. When I picked him up he stopped. That's the only reason I think it's leash related. A few months ago going for a walk at the park he barked the entire time. When I pick him up he stops.

Help me help him.

[kalina82]

have you tried ignoring the barking until he stops? how long does he continue to bark for if you have ignored him?

Since he seems to get excited when he is leashed I would put his leash on him in the house and then walk away. go sit on the couch or at the table and read a magazine. Ignore him until he stops barking or until he relaxes, then quietly get up, unleash him, put it away, and walk away from him again. Make this process as boring as possible and do not talk to him. Do this a few times a day at random times. Hopefully this will desensitize him to the leash and he won't get as excited when it comes out because he won't know if he's going out or staying in.

[kalina82]

Also, picking him up while he's acting out is just re-enforcing the barking and bad behavior so he's going to continue to do it to get what he wants.

[AllDogBoots]

I'll try putting the leash on and keeping it on him inside. I don't think he'll bark though. It seems to be outside + leash. Also, he barked continually at the vet's office and it was embarrassing. I chose to pick him up to quiet him down, although I know that's not the right thing to do. But being in public I had to.

I'm not sure how long he would have barked had I ignored it.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

I'll try putting the leash on and keeping it on him inside. I don't think he'll bark though. It seems to be outside + leash. Also, he barked continually at the vet's office and it was embarrassing. I chose to pick him up to quiet him down, although I know that's not the right thing to do. But being in public I had to.

I'm not sure how long he would have barked had I ignored it.

yeah i get the vet's office thing. i would do anything to keep him quiet too.

At what point does he start barking? When you get his leash out? put it on? walk toward the door? open the door? step outside?

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by kalina82

yeah i get the vet's office thing. i would do anything to keep him quiet too.

At what point does he start barking? When you get his leash out? put it on? walk toward the door? open the door? step outside?

Hmm... let me think. I may re-enact it after he wakes up to get the exact point. He's calm putting the harness on. He's calm when he sees the leash. I think it's when we walk into the foyer and I attach the leash to the harness. I haven't opened the door yet.

Yes, I think it's at that point. It's the same point getting him out of the car.

[kalina82]

well this may take a while but here is what i would do in a few training sessions a day:

Go about your regular routine. get his harness, put it on and grab his leash. If he starts to bark/get excited when you pick up his leash then say "uh oh", put it back, and walk away. Wait till he is calm/quiet. Walk back over to the leash and pick it up. If he barks again repeat the "uh oh" process. Do this until you can pick up the leash without him barking.

Next step is putting the leash on. If you put the leash on him and he starts barking, say "uh oh", take leash off, and walk away. Repeat this process until he can stay quiet while leashing him.

Next, with him on the leash walk to the front door. Put him in a sit stay and open the door. If he barks when you open it and/or tries to rush out, say "oh oh" and close the door. Move him back and put him back in the sit/stay position and repeat process. When he can remain sitting and not barking when you open the door say "ok" and walk out the door with him following you.

Once you are outside then you can do your leash training with him.

This same process can be adapted for the car. If he starts barking as soon as you get home then just sit in the car facing forward and ignore him until he stops. in the car you'll just have to ignore him a lot since you can't really walk away.

I have a feeling its going to take a while to train him out of this because he seems pretty persistent. LOL

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by kalina82

well this may take a while but here is what i would do in a few training sessions a day:

Go about your regular routine. get his harness, put it on and grab his leash. If he starts to bark/get excited when you pick up his leash then say "uh oh", put it back, and walk away. Wait till he is calm/quiet. Walk back over to the leash and pick it up. If he barks again repeat the "uh oh" process. Do this until you can pick up the leash without him barking.

Next step is putting the leash on. If you put the leash on him and he starts barking, say "uh oh", take leash off, and walk away. Repeat this process until he can stay quiet while leashing him.

Next, with him on the leash walk to the front door. Put him in a sit stay and open the door. If he barks when you open it and/or tries to rush out, say "oh oh" and close the door. Move him back and put him back in the sit/stay position and repeat process. When he can remain sitting and not barking when you open the door say "ok" and walk out the door with him following you.

Once you are outside then you can do your leash training with him.

This same process can be adapted for the car. If he starts barking as soon as you get home then just sit in the car facing forward and ignore him until he stops. in the car you'll just have to ignore him a lot since you can't really walk away.

I have a feeling its going to take a while to train him out of this because he seems pretty persistent. LOL

I can try all of that. I will have to try some of that with Cooper too. He goes crazy as soon as I get the harness. It took about 1/2 hour to finally get him calmed to put the harness on him.

I'm hoping to organize a trainer to come and help us after the holidays.

[RachelandSadie]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

I can try all of that. I will have to try some of that with Cooper too. He goes crazy as soon as I get the harness. It took about 1/2 hour to finally get him calmed to put the harness on him.

I'm hoping to organize a trainer to come and help us after the holidays.

i had a really good trainer talk about this issue. what he did was put the harness up on the owner's arm and said, this is your new badge of honor. you wear this all the time now. basically always have the leash/harness out and in sight and wear the harness around all the time for a week or so, Cooper will desensitise the excitement of harness time because he doesn't know if he gets to go out or not because ur ALWAYS walking around with his harness. good luck!

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by RachelandSadie

i had a really good trainer talk about this issue. what he did was put the harness up on the owner's arm and said, this is your new badge of honor. you wear this all the time now. basically always have the leash/harness out and in sight and wear the harness around all the time for a week or so, Cooper will desensitise the excitement of harness time because he doesn't know if he gets to go out or not because ur ALWAYS walking around with his harness. good luck!

Love it! I've been waiting for 2 weeks now to receive my Buddy Belts. This is a good idea. You and kalina82 have great ideas

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by RachelandSadie

i had a really good trainer talk about this issue. what he did was put the harness up on the owner's arm and said, this is your new badge of honor. you wear this all the time now. basically always have the leash/harness out and in sight and wear the harness around all the time for a week or so, Cooper will desensitise the excitement of harness time because he doesn't know if he gets to go out or not because ur ALWAYS walking around with his harness. good luck!

This is actually a great idea! Never thought of it. Uni gets pretty worked up too when the leash is clipped on. Only harness she is ok, but as soon as she hears or sees the leash, she sits at the door and whimpers, whines or barks. Same thing when I stop the car, put it in park and unclip my seatbelt. She gets so anxious that she's gonna get left in the car. I admit, I do leave her in the car sometimes. If I pick her up (bc she is already in my lap) she will shut it. but if I get up holding her, just to put her back in the car, when I shut the door she goes CRAZY! like she is SO PISSED. Then when I am out of sight she shuts up and lays down. i know bc I can see her when I am for example waiting for my food at a take out place, and can see out the window to the car, but she can't see me.

Anyway, I am going to try this harness as badge of honor deal. I may even wear the leash as a belt.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by RachelandSadie

i had a really good trainer talk about this issue. what he did was put the harness up on the owner's arm and said, this is your new badge of honor. you wear this all the time now. basically always have the leash/harness out and in sight and wear the harness around all the time for a week or so, Cooper will desensitise the excitement of harness time because he doesn't know if he gets to go out or not because ur ALWAYS walking around with his harness. good luck!

Excellent idea Rachel! Great advice from Kalina too.

[JoeyP]

I had a similar situation with my Zach
He would growl as a warning for some reason to my other dog as I was putting on his harness
So what I did was say NO
And hands off ....
Wait until he stopped and start again
And I would stop every time he did this
Until he was calm throughout the entire process

[AllDogBoots]

Thanks everyone. I've realized that Max is very calm and well behaved while putting on the harness and the leash (Cooper is a different story). But he gets very anxious when walking out the door. We will spend more time outside walking.

My next question is why is he coughing while i'm walking him? He's on a harness so there's nothing choking him. I'm guessing it's just part of the overall anxiety during walking.

Once the barking starts though I'm not exactly sure what to do.

Another incident happened this morning when I took them both out together and realized I couldn't handle it well. I brought Max back inside (someone was in the house with him) and he did his crazy anxious bark when Cooper and I walked out. I heard him the entire time. So, it's a variety of situations, not just the walking, harness or leash.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

Thanks everyone. I've realized that Max is very calm and well behaved while putting on the harness and the leash (Cooper is a different story). But he gets very anxious when walking out the door. We will spend more time outside walking.

My next question is why is he coughing while i'm walking him? He's on a harness so there's nothing choking him. I'm guessing it's just part of the overall anxiety during walking.

Once the barking starts though I'm not exactly sure what to do.

Another incident happened this morning when I took them both out together and realized I couldn't handle it well. I brought Max back inside (someone was in the house with him) and he did his crazy anxious bark when Cooper and I walked out. I heard him the entire time. So, it's a variety of situations, not just the walking, harness or leash.

Walk the boys separately and work with them separately for awhile. Max is barking because he wants to go with you and his big brother.

Try changing your routine for getting out the door for a walk. If you typically go out the front door, try another exit. Keep Max guessing so that he isn't anticipating the triggers for barking. I believe it is nervous excitement that is at the root of this kind of barking. When I would leave the house through the front door for walks, Max and Teddy would burst out the door, barkety bark bark. It's like they were saying, "Hello World! Here we come!" Now we exit through the garage much more peacefully.