Help - My Gracie is a BARKER!!! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

kac · 03-19-2009, 03:27 PM

Gracie is going to be one in April. I've had her since December and she is a barker. She wasn't like that right away. It started a month or two after I got her and is getting progressively worse. When we drive in the car, she barks at people walking down the street, riding a bike, other drivers, garbage cans and even other cars. She barks when she's home too. She barks when I take her for a walk or to the nursing home. You get the idea. It's driving me nuts.

I've tried just about everything I can think of. I've tried squirting her with a water bottle when she barks. She won't listen if you tell her no or to stop. We tried to put her in the bathroom by herself when she barks. I take her out quite a bit so it's not like she's sheltered. We are going to start a beginners training class tomorrow at Petsmart.

I think she is just being protective but it's getting embarrassing to take her anywhere. She barked at another dog when we went for a walk but when the other dog got close, she stood behind me shaking. I think it's a combination of being protective and being afraid.

Does anyone have any ideas? If I could just get her to stop barking, she'd be perfect.

xoxodoglover89 · 03-19-2009, 03:45 PM

Sasha was the same way although she seems to be getting better. She used to bark and anything and everything. She still does bark at people and other dogs when they happen to walk by the house, but if I take her for a walk, now she just gets excited when she sees other people. I don't believe she ever had a problem with barking at garbage cans though.

Despite it seeming like they don't listen to you when you tell them no, I still try and use that tactic. I try to be the dominant one. Maybe when you take her on walks, try taking some treats with her, something that she really likes. If she happens to start barking at someone/something, get a treat out, keep walking but make sure her attention is focused on you. It's worth a shot. It make take some time, but its worked a few times for me. After you pass by what she would normally bark at, reward her and praise her.

Right now when we go for walks, I take some treats with me because I'm trying to train her to learn to always sit before we cross a street. She just gets so excited when we go for walks that she doesn't always listen.

Good luck!

cdawnfine · 03-19-2009, 03:47 PM

Training should help a great deal you could try a can with coins in it and shake it when she starts to bark. You can say no all you want but if it is just in your regular voice it is not going to do anything it has to be quick. loud and controlled not yelling and high pitched. if she has a favorite treat what you might want to try is hold the treat in front of her when she begins to bark and say look at me and when she looks at you without barking give her the treat. There is no quick fix this will take time and dedication on your part. Good Luck

kac · 03-25-2009, 03:20 PM

Thank you for your suggestions and encouragement. We went to our first obedience class last Friday. We have been working on our training every day. We are making a little bit of progress. The trainer said patience and repetition are the keys to success.

We all went to the class thinking we had the worst dog. Gracie was an angel until the class was over.

ZoEys_MoM · 03-25-2009, 08:26 PM

I thought i was the only one. My Zoey barks at everything! if me and my friends talk or laugh too loud she starts barking, she barks when someone walks into the room, at other dogs and people, in the car she barks at cars driving by...I mean everything. She never listens when i tell her no even when i do so in a loud dominant voice. She would be such a treat to everyone if she would just stop barking. Im starting training classes soon. im hoping that will help.

Carsons Mommy · 03-25-2009, 08:47 PM

Take a coke can and put some pennies in it then tape it shut and shake it whenever she starts to bark. Mine used to bark CONSTANTLY at EVERYTHING and I just started with the tin can/pennies and it works! They have been barking A LOT less. I think it did scare Carson a little because afterwards he was shaking a bit but I have tried everything and nothing else works.

03-19-2009, 03:27 PM	#1
kac Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orchard Park, NY Posts: 17	Help - My Gracie is a BARKER!!! Gracie is going to be one in April. I've had her since December and she is a barker. She wasn't like that right away. It started a month or two after I got her and is getting progressively worse. When we drive in the car, she barks at people walking down the street, riding a bike, other drivers, garbage cans and even other cars. She barks when she's home too. She barks when I take her for a walk or to the nursing home. You get the idea. It's driving me nuts. I've tried just about everything I can think of. I've tried squirting her with a water bottle when she barks. She won't listen if you tell her no or to stop. We tried to put her in the bathroom by herself when she barks. I take her out quite a bit so it's not like she's sheltered. We are going to start a beginners training class tomorrow at Petsmart. I think she is just being protective but it's getting embarrassing to take her anywhere. She barked at another dog when we went for a walk but when the other dog got close, she stood behind me shaking. I think it's a combination of being protective and being afraid. Does anyone have any ideas? If I could just get her to stop barking, she'd be perfect. __________________ Kelli and Gracie

03-25-2009, 03:20 PM	#4
kac Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orchard Park, NY Posts: 17	Thank you for your suggestions and encouragement. We went to our first obedience class last Friday. We have been working on our training every day. We are making a little bit of progress. The trainer said patience and repetition are the keys to success. We all went to the class thinking we had the worst dog. Gracie was an angel until the class was over. __________________ Kelli and Gracie

03-19-2009, 03:45 PM	#2
xoxodoglover89 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 747	Sasha was the same way although she seems to be getting better. She used to bark and anything and everything. She still does bark at people and other dogs when they happen to walk by the house, but if I take her for a walk, now she just gets excited when she sees other people. I don't believe she ever had a problem with barking at garbage cans though. Despite it seeming like they don't listen to you when you tell them no, I still try and use that tactic. I try to be the dominant one. Maybe when you take her on walks, try taking some treats with her, something that she really likes. If she happens to start barking at someone/something, get a treat out, keep walking but make sure her attention is focused on you. It's worth a shot. It make take some time, but its worked a few times for me. After you pass by what she would normally bark at, reward her and praise her. Right now when we go for walks, I take some treats with me because I'm trying to train her to learn to always sit before we cross a street. She just gets so excited when we go for walks that she doesn't always listen. Good luck!

03-19-2009, 03:47 PM	#3
cdawnfine Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: nj Posts: 1,256	Training should help a great deal you could try a can with coins in it and shake it when she starts to bark. You can say no all you want but if it is just in your regular voice it is not going to do anything it has to be quick. loud and controlled not yelling and high pitched. if she has a favorite treat what you might want to try is hold the treat in front of her when she begins to bark and say look at me and when she looks at you without barking give her the treat. There is no quick fix this will take time and dedication on your part. Good Luck

03-25-2009, 08:26 PM	#5
ZoEys_MoM Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, Texas, USA Posts: 26	I thought i was the only one. My Zoey barks at everything! if me and my friends talk or laugh too loud she starts barking, she barks when someone walks into the room, at other dogs and people, in the car she barks at cars driving by...I mean everything. She never listens when i tell her no even when i do so in a loud dominant voice. She would be such a treat to everyone if she would just stop barking. Im starting training classes soon. im hoping that will help.

03-25-2009, 08:47 PM	#6
Carsons Mommy Mom 2 Carson & Bailey Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ft. Mitchell, KY Posts: 1,122	Take a coke can and put some pennies in it then tape it shut and shake it whenever she starts to bark. Mine used to bark CONSTANTLY at EVERYTHING and I just started with the tin can/pennies and it works! They have been barking A LOT less. I think it did scare Carson a little because afterwards he was shaking a bit but I have tried everything and nothing else works.