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Originally Posted by buffy512  Wow. Great advice. Im soooo glad you chimed in. You have guaranteed me to NEVER do it.! Thanks. I couldn't agree with you any more. I appreciate your help! So what if it were to be the dogs barking neusant ly how would you respond.? Stern No..Dogs name is adequate.? |
For a barking dog who seems to bark at just everything, I realize he's probably barking from boredom, a meaningless life, stress, anxiety or just because. Dogs bark but some do it with OCD intensity like some people curse, smoke or chew their fingernails or pace.
First, I always enrich the dogs life for starters, get him busy working rather than barking to fill time and space. Obedience at least twice a day, challenging games, walks/exercise/little home agility courses set up in the den using things around the house to push, jump, climb up on and jump off, walk over, lots of loving sessions and I talk to the dog a lot all day long, keep it with me and involved in what I'm doing, bending down to show him my bills, junkmail, make-up, dust mop, a dirty dish about to be washed, the clothes I'm about to wash, the book I'm reading, ballpoint pen, eyeglasses - you name it. I want to keep the dog into what I'm doing so he's not wanting to go bark at the street sounds right then but is getting interested in what's going on inside. I let him smell everything and watch what I do with it, keep him interested in me, my doings, during the stop-OCD-barking re-training.
Then as one of the obedience tricks, I teach the dog and that's to bark on command for treats and praise. They can all excel at this command! I just wait until the dog is barking like crazy and say "Bark!" and treat as the dog keeps on barking. Thereafter, as he barks on his own, I say "Bark", treat him and keep that up for about two minutes two or three times a day. Soon the dog learns that the word "Bark" is encouraging his barking and he gets treats for barking. Wow - how great is that for a dog! He learns quickly this is now one of his obedience command tricks, part of his training game.
Next, I tell him "Bark!" when he's quiet. He starts up barking and I smile, praise, treat at once! Let him bark and bark. This is the rough part of the re-training. Just put in your earplugs and know that you are on a quest here and this is the bad part. But just keep training bark by telling him to bark at times when he's going to anyway and taking advantage to teach then kind of gives some meaning to what you were enduring before and it's going to pay off in a quiet dog later on. So, patience here.
And then, once the dog has learned that trick so very, very well, I teach it go go "Quiet" on command. And in concert with getting the dog working, learning how to respond to and want to please me with all the other curriculum we're involved in, he's eager to learn how to do "Quiet", as now that, too, becomes part of our program.
Teach him to go "Quiet": While the dog is barking lustily, I get my tasty treat bag and when he stops barking, I say "Quiet" in a very firm but happy, upbeat voice and give him a luscious treat. I repeat the "Bark" command, get him going again and then once he stops after a while, repeat "Quiet", offer the treat. Keep that back and forth up until he learns and begins to expect the "Quiet" after he stops barking and even stops himself barking pretty quickly so he can get to "Quiet" and treat. Keep that up a few days.
Remember to make the "Quiet" command upbeat and encouraging. You want the dog to WANT to go quiet as part of the game you are learning to play together. So many people say "Quiet" in a stern, demanding voice when teaching it that it kind of downs their learning dog, kind of puts him off and intimidates him a bit. This is a training exercise at this point so keep the word upbeat and make him want to do his part and go "Quiet" by not kind of shocking him by booming out "QUIET!" or making it sound like a harsh demand. Keep training fun.
Now, proceed to the next step. While he's still barking after the "Bark" command, say "Quiet". He'll quickly stop his barking to get his anticipated treat. Say "Good boy!" as you hand him his treat and smile really big. Look in his eyes smiling, let him know you are happy he stopped. (Teach this part well - you want him to know that, boy, "Quiet" is good and his stopping REALLY pleased you mightily. Now, don't get him overly excited here and get him barking out of the joy of pleasing you - just let him know you are really, really pleased he was so clever to go quiet.) Say "Bark" again, let him go a bit and say "Quiet" again. Sure enough, he'll stop barking to get his "Quiet" treat he's been taught is now coming and you praise, smile and treat. Repeat over and over for a couple of minutes two or three times a day and there you have it. Keep on teaching this for a couple of months two, three times a day for a couple of minutes each time. Thereafter, refresh the training a few times a week to keep up his success rate. Now you have a dog you can tell to bark when you hear something in the middle of the night or a dog who will stop barking readily on command.
And, Dog Owner, down the road after he's learned all of this, months and years from now, when he does stop barking on command and does go "Quiet" for you, get yourself up and go get that good boy a treat - no matter what else is going on at the time! Right then and most of the time, reward that dog for his efforts. Dogs LOVE to bark, it's what they do and to get one to respond to you and stop barking is just huge so go get your little guy his paycheck and tell him you think he's grand. He'll get the message loud and clear that stopping barking is very rewarding and good things always come of it. Powerful message that.