Barking Fixation - YorkieTalk.com Forums

PuttinontheRitz · 04-26-2007, 06:56 PM

Hi, I'm Chantel and my Yorkie Ritzie is almost a year old (May 11th!!). My baby is PERFECT, except that the constantly barks!! Any strange noise, she barks. At night she sleeps in my bed and any time someone goes into the bathroom by my room she wakes and barks her head off. It's ALL THE TIME!! We have tried EVERYTHING but a shock/bark collar, which I will NEVER DO. We have tried just voice commands ('no bark'), smacking her lightly on the nose or behind while giving the command, spraying her with a water spray bottle while saying the command, holding the scruff of her neck while saying the command and she still persists!! She even goes as far as continuing to bark as we spray her or hold the scruff of her neck!! I'm about to go crazy!! Someone please help!!
Thanks!

Lorna · 04-26-2007, 08:19 PM

I have the same problem with Kayli, who is 11 months old. She goes out the door, barking as if something is out there, but there isn't. She just likes to bark. She will set Savannah off and they both are barking at nothing. I tell her "No!" and she quits if there really isn't a reason to bark, but if there is a goose or bird on the lawn, she won't quit. She thinks it's great fun to chase these big Canadian geese into the lake. She is so tiny and so fearless. I think Yorkies, and most small dogs, tend to bark a lot. I think it's in their nature. The only thing I might try is using a clacker that you can buy at Pet Smart. They use them for training. So NO and click the clacker. It might work after awhile. That's how this training school I'm thinking of sending the puppy to does behavior modification, using the clacker. So does Pet Smart in their training program. I'm glad that my Yorkies like sleeping in their crates in the laundry room with the door closed, so they don't bother us and we don't disturb them.

edumma · 04-26-2007, 08:48 PM

Hi, Chantel. I had the same problem with Remy my puppy. At the age of 9 weeks the neighbor was complaining about her barking ( well I had to admit it was unusually loud for a 2 1/2 lb yorkie !)So like you I tried voice reprimands and the tapping on the nose but those didnt work. Sooo.. drastic measures were needed... I bought a citronella collar with a remote control. I felt awful making her wear this heavy collar and the first time she barked I gave her a short spray , it knocked her on her butt, but she stopped barking. Keep in mind the collar sprays an odorless spray and it is a sharp mist that shoots up in front of the face ,not into the face directly. Remy learned very quickly not to bark at every thing. I made her wear the collar off and on for a few weeks. OH ,I should mention that every time she got a spray I gave the command NO BARK! Remy is now 16 weeks old I havent used the collar for about 2 weeks now but I have switched over to using a squirt gun that has a good sharp squirt to keep reinforcing the NO BARK rules , as she will test the rules from time to time. Most of the time I only have to show the squirt pistol now and she is quiet. I didnt like having to resort to heavy handed training but she was never hurt by the spray..there is no electric shock with this type of collar.

Eileen

biewerlover · 04-30-2007, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edumma

Hi, Chantel. I had the same problem with Remy my puppy. At the age of 9 weeks the neighbor was complaining about her barking ( well I had to admit it was unusually loud for a 2 1/2 lb yorkie !)So like you I tried voice reprimands and the tapping on the nose but those didnt work. Sooo.. drastic measures were needed... I bought a citronella collar with a remote control. I felt awful making her wear this heavy collar and the first time she barked I gave her a short spray , it knocked her on her butt, but she stopped barking. Keep in mind the collar sprays an odorless spray and it is a sharp mist that shoots up in front of the face ,not into the face directly. Remy learned very quickly not to bark at every thing. I made her wear the collar off and on for a few weeks. OH ,I should mention that every time she got a spray I gave the command NO BARK! Remy is now 16 weeks old I havent used the collar for about 2 weeks now but I have switched over to using a squirt gun that has a good sharp squirt to keep reinforcing the NO BARK rules , as she will test the rules from time to time. Most of the time I only have to show the squirt pistol now and she is quiet. I didnt like having to resort to heavy handed training but she was never hurt by the spray..there is no electric shock with this type of collar.

Eileen

I also use this collar when my dogs get into the barking mode or forget their manners. I think it is very humane. Barking is a hard habit to curb because it is a natural instinct in a dog, but not necessarily acceptable on a continual basis. I generally allow my dogs 1-2 barks (ie: if someone comes to the door etc) then I say the command "Quiet". They do pretty well, but it goes in streaks and when we are on a down slide I bring out the collar for reinforcement. The spray basically "startles" them which causes them to stop the bark and allows you to give the command you choose. I'd much rather try this tactic then have my neighbors peeved at me for a barking dog.

good luck,

Kathy

autumn star · 04-30-2007, 08:33 AM

Where did you find this collar, is it sound activated????

biewerlover · 04-30-2007, 08:45 AM

I bought one last year at Pet Smart, I think it was like 99.00 or something. It is bark activated. I just bought on on ebay and it was 55.00. What happens is the square device is on a collar, you put the spray into the device and attach the collar to your dog. When the dog barks, it emits the spray, as soon as they stop say "quiet" or whatever your key word is and praise them. You should only have the collar on when you are at home or with the dog. I also put it on my one dog when we walk as he has a habit of barking at other people or animals when we pass. He has gotten much better. Some people love how the collar works, other don't find it made a difference. The only other issue with it being sound activated is I have three dogs, sometimes if my Golden barks and he is standing close to the dog that is wearing the collar the collar goes off. Doesn't happen often, but i has happened. I am not familiar with one that has a remote control, but I'd be interested.

Kathy

xxmxaxrxyxx · 04-30-2007, 10:38 AM

I too have this problem with my only yorkie...she is turning 2 on June 10th...and she barks continuosly...and it gets really annoying...and although i sometime am tempted to use the shock collar...i am not able to bring myself to do it...so i will be trying the spray collar after reading this post and hopefully this works.

edumma · 04-30-2007, 07:52 PM

The first collar that I bought was the sound activated one but Remy's bark wasn't loud enough to make it spray so I took it back and got the one with the remote control.

Eileen

Harleys Mom · 04-30-2007, 11:34 PM

wow... i feel lucky, Harley hardly ever barks, knock on wood... but I never really have let her bark, from her first bark I scolded her just because I swore I never wanted a yappy dog, and she does really well with it.

eensor · 05-04-2007, 03:01 AM

We tried the collars and time out yada yada yada for Lexy's barking. What worked was a tip I found on YT. I put some pennies in a Coke can and when she barked I said very loudly "No bark!" and shook the can really hard. She stopped in one day! Now all I have to say is "No bark!" and she stops immediately.

P.S. I took the $109 collar back.

PuttinontheRitz · 05-27-2007, 08:51 AM

Wow...I haven't been in for a while with school ending for the semester! Sooo many people replied!! Thank you all so much and I am going to go out and get a collar as soon as I get off of work!! Thank you all for your help and discussion!!

hugs and puppy kisses

Chantel!

04-26-2007, 06:56 PM	#1
PuttinontheRitz YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Mandeville Posts: 4	Barking Fixation Hi, I'm Chantel and my Yorkie Ritzie is almost a year old (May 11th!!). My baby is PERFECT, except that the constantly barks!! Any strange noise, she barks. At night she sleeps in my bed and any time someone goes into the bathroom by my room she wakes and barks her head off. It's ALL THE TIME!! We have tried EVERYTHING but a shock/bark collar, which I will NEVER DO. We have tried just voice commands ('no bark'), smacking her lightly on the nose or behind while giving the command, spraying her with a water spray bottle while saying the command, holding the scruff of her neck while saying the command and she still persists!! She even goes as far as continuing to bark as we spray her or hold the scruff of her neck!! I'm about to go crazy!! Someone please help!! Thanks!

04-30-2007, 10:38 AM	#7
xxmxaxrxyxx Missing Yoshi Everyday! Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 15,110 Blog Entries: 3	I too have this problem with my only yorkie...she is turning 2 on June 10th...and she barks continuosly...and it gets really annoying...and although i sometime am tempted to use the shock collar...i am not able to bring myself to do it...so i will be trying the spray collar after reading this post and hopefully this works. __________________ Yoshi Mei Ling Ting Ting Ting Ki Sun Hye Yukio Kioshi

05-04-2007, 03:01 AM	#10
eensor YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Effingham, Illinois Posts: 2,535	We tried the collars and time out yada yada yada for Lexy's barking. What worked was a tip I found on YT. I put some pennies in a Coke can and when she barked I said very loudly "No bark!" and shook the can really hard. She stopped in one day! Now all I have to say is "No bark!" and she stops immediately. P.S. I took the $109 collar back. __________________ I'd rather be in Mexico!

04-26-2007, 08:19 PM	#2
Lorna Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Owens Cross Roads, AL Posts: 44	I have the same problem with Kayli, who is 11 months old. She goes out the door, barking as if something is out there, but there isn't. She just likes to bark. She will set Savannah off and they both are barking at nothing. I tell her "No!" and she quits if there really isn't a reason to bark, but if there is a goose or bird on the lawn, she won't quit. She thinks it's great fun to chase these big Canadian geese into the lake. She is so tiny and so fearless. I think Yorkies, and most small dogs, tend to bark a lot. I think it's in their nature. The only thing I might try is using a clacker that you can buy at Pet Smart. They use them for training. So NO and click the clacker. It might work after awhile. That's how this training school I'm thinking of sending the puppy to does behavior modification, using the clacker. So does Pet Smart in their training program. I'm glad that my Yorkies like sleeping in their crates in the laundry room with the door closed, so they don't bother us and we don't disturb them.

04-26-2007, 08:48 PM	#3
edumma Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: British Columbia , Canada Posts: 232	Hi, Chantel. I had the same problem with Remy my puppy. At the age of 9 weeks the neighbor was complaining about her barking ( well I had to admit it was unusually loud for a 2 1/2 lb yorkie !)So like you I tried voice reprimands and the tapping on the nose but those didnt work. Sooo.. drastic measures were needed... I bought a citronella collar with a remote control. I felt awful making her wear this heavy collar and the first time she barked I gave her a short spray , it knocked her on her butt, but she stopped barking. Keep in mind the collar sprays an odorless spray and it is a sharp mist that shoots up in front of the face ,not into the face directly. Remy learned very quickly not to bark at every thing. I made her wear the collar off and on for a few weeks. OH ,I should mention that every time she got a spray I gave the command NO BARK! Remy is now 16 weeks old I havent used the collar for about 2 weeks now but I have switched over to using a squirt gun that has a good sharp squirt to keep reinforcing the NO BARK rules , as she will test the rules from time to time. Most of the time I only have to show the squirt pistol now and she is quiet. I didnt like having to resort to heavy handed training but she was never hurt by the spray..there is no electric shock with this type of collar. Eileen

04-30-2007, 08:33 AM	#5
autumn star Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Long Island Posts: 6,095	Where did you find this collar, is it sound activated????

04-30-2007, 08:45 AM	#6
biewerlover YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: wisconsin Posts: 272	I bought one last year at Pet Smart, I think it was like 99.00 or something. It is bark activated. I just bought on on ebay and it was 55.00. What happens is the square device is on a collar, you put the spray into the device and attach the collar to your dog. When the dog barks, it emits the spray, as soon as they stop say "quiet" or whatever your key word is and praise them. You should only have the collar on when you are at home or with the dog. I also put it on my one dog when we walk as he has a habit of barking at other people or animals when we pass. He has gotten much better. Some people love how the collar works, other don't find it made a difference. The only other issue with it being sound activated is I have three dogs, sometimes if my Golden barks and he is standing close to the dog that is wearing the collar the collar goes off. Doesn't happen often, but i has happened. I am not familiar with one that has a remote control, but I'd be interested. Kathy

04-30-2007, 07:52 PM	#8
edumma Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: British Columbia , Canada Posts: 232	The first collar that I bought was the sound activated one but Remy's bark wasn't loud enough to make it spray so I took it back and got the one with the remote control. Eileen

04-30-2007, 11:34 PM	#9
Harleys Mom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West Lafayette Posts: 6	wow... i feel lucky, Harley hardly ever barks, knock on wood... but I never really have let her bark, from her first bark I scolded her just because I swore I never wanted a yappy dog, and she does really well with it.

05-27-2007, 08:51 AM	#11
PuttinontheRitz YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Mandeville Posts: 4	Wow...I haven't been in for a while with school ending for the semester! Sooo many people replied!! Thank you all so much and I am going to go out and get a collar as soon as I get off of work!! Thank you all for your help and discussion!! hugs and puppy kisses Chantel!