barking... again
 

I did use the search function for a solution but it seems like most methods work better for one dog (water bottle, buzzing, metal bowl, etc.) and I have three.

Anytime the doorbell rings my 3 go absolutely bonkers. They totally feed of of each other. They are barking at each other as much as anything. It's just a huge game. Once we let whoever is at the door in they continue to bark and go crazy. It is very embarrassing.

I have tried the pennies in a can. It worked great at first and then got a little less effective. Also, if they were barking at friends and we shook the can, we scared the friends as well as the dogs. Very embarrassing.:rolleyes: It is really out of control.

I was looking at silent dog whistles today- has anyone had any success with them? The only post I could find said it didn't work. I know teaching them to speak is a good way to teach them not to bark but with three adult dogs, I just don't know if that's going to happen. Okay, any suggestions?

Oh, I feel for you. Although, it's actually only 1 of mine who is a barking noisemaker...then the other 2 start.....last night, we had a bad rain storm with high winds knocking over trash cans, etc. outside...so of course Foxxy started...then Diva...then the puppy...I was so frustrated I yelled BE QUIET!!! and they did....they scared me(it was 2AM & I was sleep), and I guess I scared them too out of reflex...lol. But I know what you mean about 1 starting something and the others follow...:rolleyes: they do it when they hear the doorbell too..it's like once they start, it goes on and on for awhile...even after the person has come thru the door!

I Will~
 

Take any advise on this too...I did try the pennies in a can, worked for a day if that, and off they go again, and it is worse when one is trying to out bark the other, OMG! Help Please!!! Nikki+2 if you get any PM's on this please PM me and share!!! Thank You~ Yvonne

LOL, I will! They sure are stinkers!:rolleyes:

Oh me tooooo! Pixie has turned into a yapper!! it's getting embarrassing when she's barking at the neighbours and once she starts she won't stop...she's also doing it more while out walking on the lead..usually when other dogs are barking and they start her off..she can make a hell of a noise for a lil 3lb yorkie!:eek:

"They totally feed of of each other"
you don't realize how totally true that statement is.
I started ringing the door bell very often just to get them used to hearing it and not responding so loudly. I think if I had stuck with it I might have accomplished something. but I gave up too soon. good luck. we got 4 that do the exact thing.

Yes, please help
 

The only time i'm home and hear Duke bark is when there's some noise outside of our door. However, my pet contract stated that if my neighbors complain of barking, i will have to get rid of my pet. I recent found out that a few of my neighbors complained that they heard dogs barking.

I'm just really worried since he's going to stay with a friend who has a yorkie that barks a lot as well. I hope he won't pick up any of the habbits and that my neighbors will stop complaining.

I tried the penny in a bottle and water spray and saying no or stop. He still does it, I think it's just in his nature.

Anything else would help,

Thanks,:animal-pa

i just finished reading Caesars book Be the Pack Leader (Lord knows i need to be it!) anyways... he said that the water and pennies and whatever totaly don't work... what he really recommends are cirontella collars. But they have to be worn at least for 10 hours a day for the dogs to get the hint.. not just when you know (or don't know) when someone is going to come to the door. Layla's babysitter's labradoodle was a horrible barker and she used the collars and had incredible sucess with them.. now Pluto (the dog) doenst' have to wear it at all anymore.

another thought... do they all know sit? He also suggests getting a friend or two to work with you for the day... ringing the door bell and the door doens't get opened until they are all sitting and staying... i guess you have to already be the pack leader for that to work (Which again.. i am not.. lol.. so sure doens't work at our house) but if you had the time it would be somethign great to work on :)

I have 4 and yes they just feed off each other, and it can be so annoying and embarrassing..
I hope you get some idea's as I would love to hear of some different ones also..
good luck...

Well we're going to try this. Everyday for around 15 min. we're going to work with them. My daughter will ring the doorbell, I'll say hush but then ignore them until they settle down. Once they are calm I'll praise them and give them a treat and then start over. What do y'all think? Maybe they'll catch on eventually?

i think that is great. They are going to learn that whoever they are DYING to see is not coming in until they are quiet. And when they are quiet they get a treat AND get loved on by the person coming in.. That's great. But keep in mind.. if they start barking again.. she should go back outside and start again. good luck and keep us posted!

I bought a loud bike horn, I have two big barkers. It did not work for my bigger dog, but she is ten and very stubborn. My little yorkipoo, different story, just seeing the horn scares her now, so we don't have to use it half as much. I find it works great, and she is almost three. Hope this helps. She was a big barker as well, I found that her bark was worst than the bigger dog, and my oldest is kind of a watch dog for us so I have given up on it working on her, my neighbour told me about it, he has saved my sanity.

Thank you. We finally had to break down and ignore them when we come home because they were getting out of control barking with excitement at us. They learned really quick that they won't get attention until they are quiet so hopefully they'll pick this up quick too. They're so easy to spoil and then all of a sudden you realize you've lost all control.:rolleyes:

We tried pennies in a can which is probably along the same lines as the horn, both being a loud, scarey noise. It worked pretty well but I hate doing that when friends are over. Between 3 dogs barking and us making a loud noise it's embarrassingly crazy.

good job! i think soemtimes we forget we are adding to the problem. you are right by oooing and ahhing all over them when you come home you were reinforcing their barking. isn't it crazy how quickly they learn :)

Yes, I was really suprised how fast they learned. They still bark a little when we come in but they stop really quickly and it's only been a few days. I sooo hope they learn this fast with the door.

also if you know someone is coming over.. ask them to ignore the dogs when they are barking... ask them to just take their shoes off and walk into the house... not even making eye contact with the dogs.. if you can get their help with this it won't take them long to catch on :) sounds like you are doing a great job!

Hi all,

Sometimes how you use the penny can also makes a difference. My trainer actually gave us small chains to use for the noisemaker but it's the same. He told us to have someone ring the doorbell and when they bark throw the chains close to them, not hit them of course, and say "baa". This company uses that as a kind of growl sound to let them know you are boss and they are not behaving. It's supposed to represent a snap/growl combination that a dog would do to another. You may have better luck with the penny can if you throw it near them and not just shake it. When I was working with this consistently we were doing pretty well but I have slacked off on my training and they still bark, but whenever I get the chains back out they back down immediately.

I also agree with the "ignore" them behavior, I do that when I get home from work, no attention until they are sitting quietly at my feet. Good luck. Reading your messages makes me think I should get busy again, thanks.

I think desensitization might work. I know I saw a CD of doorbells ringing. The theory is that if they hear doorbells over and over again for a while a few times a day they get used to it and stop responding. Their own doorbell won't excite them anymore. The only problem with that is the CD will drive you nuts! LOL.

I saw on a show "It's the Dog or Me" on the animal planet channel to use a squirt of compressed air when they are barking at someone at the door. The trainer used a horn but didn't work so she tried the air and it seemed to do the trick on a pom pom. This show is really interesting. The trainer has been doing this for 10 years and it is in England. She not only trains the dogs but she trains the humans as well. It is amazing how we contribute to their behaviour without realizing it.

the show comes on at some ungodly hour, I just dvr it and watch it at my convenience, sometimes over and over. :thumbup:

I totally understand trying to deal with barking. It gives you and everyone around a MAJOR headache! Tuesdays are bad here.... the garbage truck, and tons of other people that are coming around. Taylor responds to the "Bark Can", but not always. I found if I whistle loudly he will stop for a bit. (I can do a MEAN whistle!) The thing that seems to stop him in his tracks for barking or his crazy mode is if I put my finger in my mouth, blow up my cheeks and pull it out, making a loud popping noise. (I think Grandfathers used to do this to entertain their grand babies. I was amazed! Now if I am telling him to be quiet and even put my finger near my mouth... she STOPS! Go figure! :confused:

Well that's a first for me, never heard that one.

Opps....I meant HE....Taylor is a HE! :) It amazed me too. We even returned one of the citronella collars because I thought it might be dangerous for his trachea. Who would have thought that popping your finger out of your mouth would solve things! :D

What is a cirontella collar? :confused:

We only have one, but she is a barker. We use the spray bottle, and if we are consistent, it works well. All she has to do is see the bottle. The only problem is that the bottle may not be where we need it. I am sorry that I can't help you with three. However, if one is the problem and starts it, consistency is the issue. Good luck.

Here is a Citronella Collar Amazon.com: Premier Gentle Spray Anti-Bark Dog...
I didn't like it because it had two prongs that dig into the neck so it will activate it when they bark.

yikes. not all brands have the prongs!

Thanks. I might have to check into that when Rascal get bigger. The one without the prongs!!

when i was in undergrad i wanted to take my dog with me (it was allowed at the school). But whenever I would leave to go to class he would bark up a storm and it was ridiculous because like everyone on my dorm floor heard it. I got one of those shock collars.. thinking it would be ok and workk but I WAS SO WRONG. first of all, even on teh lowest setting.. the little 7 pound dog would scream in pain and because he screamed the collar shocked him again & again & again.. eventually he just collapsed on the floor. i tried to take the collar off but at that moment he barked with happiness and because i was touching the collar.. I got shocked. It was horrifying, because if it hurt ME at like 105 pounds, i couldnt eve fathom how much it hurt for his little 7 pound body :( I really cant believe they actually still sell those things)


anyway, back on topic. whenever pebbles does something I odnt like i get the water gun (its this little tiny kiddie one) and shoot 2 sprays at her, all the while making sure she didnt see where the water was coming from. im trying to trick her into thinking that even if i am gone she will still get punished by some invisble force. lol she still doesnt realize its the water gun