all of the suggestions I read are great - let me tell you my situation. I have 3 and when we used to walk, they would bark and I mean BARK at people, dogs, bunnies, it didn't matter. I watched the dog whisperer one day on National Geographic and the show was about walking an unruly dog and I decided to take his advice. I have the retractable leashes normally, but I went out and bought the choker leashes for this. I put each dog on a choker chain/leash for about two weeks - each time we went out and walked, if they would go nuts, I would gently pull the choker leash, bend now, say NO sternly and also I had my spray bottle of water and would spritz water in their face. I NEVER ONCE PICKED THEM UP. Believe it or not IT WORKED ON ALL THREE!! It took a couple of weeks but I now can walk all of them on the retractable leashes now and yes, they still tense up but if they look like they are gonna bark, I just show them the spray bottle.
Ceasar, the dog whisperer on National Geographic said NEVER EVER pick your dog up when they are being agressive with barking. He said that you are rewarding your dog for his behavior by picking them up which is what I used to do and now I know why they kept up the barking. I'd pick them up and tell them no but I was loving on them at the same time trying to calm them down, so they looked at it like barking crazy was an okay thing to do.
This is just my experience. |