[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by SWHouston

Most dogs love to bark, and that can be VERY useful. Actually, this can be worked into a "job", and all Dogs need a job.

I allow my guys to bark rather freely, praising them highly when it's right, and not praising at all, when it's wrong. I think that positive reinforcement is best for me, though, yorkietalkjilly's is a good way too.

I differ in the "control" issue, by using/repeating the word "Hay" a few times, but, speak it very quietly, actually a whisper. I do this to intentionally keep my voice and presence somewhat undetectable by someone who might be near/outside. I try to impress on them that the word "Hay" is not scolding, just to quiet them down, and usually pet them a little, after they comply. The more an Intruder doesn't know about you, the better, and that includes where you are. My guys respond to several other "whispered" commands as well.

SO many times, people think that a small Dog is useless against an intrusion (territorial or residential). Actually, it doesn't matter how big a dog is, if a Human wants to overcome it, he can. So IMHO there's no use in putting one of our animals in harm's way ever, weather it weights 2 lbs or 200.

What they can do is...
Sleep lightly & patrol regularly,
Use their Eyes, Ears and Noses to detect,
Bark Loudly when they notice something, and
RETREAT (keep their distance) from a Human threat.

If they're wrong, you can work that out later.

Agree. Do your dogs bark from facial expressions? Every time the garbage truck comes down the alley, Tibbe loves to go crazy barking at it and somehow I got into the habit of making a big "Oh!" face with wide eyes rolled to the right, showing a lot of white, eyebrows up high and my mouth in an "O" shape. One time I was just playing with him and made that face and he started right in "garbage truck barking"! I treated and praised him and begin to use this expression to silently teach him to bark. I've used it more than once when I wanted him to bark crazily and make a lot of noise and he does it every time.

Once I was sitting on the couch and it had just gotten dark out, sitting right with my back to the big den open window and thought I heard a breathing or human sound coming from just outside - barely 2 feet or so away, just through the screen. The blind was still up even but it was dark outside. I just froze! Tibbe was sleeping at the other end of the couch but I leaned/reached over and managed to poke him a bit, he woke up and I was making that "Oh!" face, careful not to turn it too far to either side in case someone was out there. Tibbe heard nothing - and probably I hadn't either - but anyway I made that face & he went crazy barking as I just sat there sort of frozen, scared silly. He jumped up in the window from the couch and continued to bark like a wild dog out the open window, growling occasionally too. Eventually, I swear I heard a sort of sound from where the gate is and though it is locked, I heard a sound that could have been it jiggling from someone trying to get over. Soon as I could, I lowered the open windows, lowered the blinds & turned on every light in the house and in the front and back and got the gun and the phone, just in case. But I kept making that face a lot and kept my little alert-dog barking like a police dog or something for quite a while. I swear if I hadn't had him to do that I don't know what I would have done. His little endless alarming barking could very well have discouraged someone who was maybe prowling around down the alley, saw the windows were up, blinds still up and decided to come check us out! Probably all in my vivid imagination but am so glad I have a barking dog to turn to.