Barking!!!!!! Oh my ears!!!
 

I'm seriously going to LOSE it. I just don't know what to do anymore. Oliver has never liked men, especially loud men. My dad is one, and my grandpa is another. Anytime they are both here he is a NIGHTMARE. Never shuts up. Barking has become an issue lately and it seems like nothing I do helps. I had anticipated both my dad and grandpa being here tonight, so I tried to tire Ollie out today. We did a car ride, puppy park, puppy play date... and as I type, he is in his crate for #1. nipping at me when I tried to pick him up to correct him and #2. for his own darn safety because I feel like I could just kill him! We have a trainer, he did so good the first few lessons and now he just refuses to do ANYTHING I ask him to do during training sessions - but hold a Bully stick in my hand and he will do it all including the hand signals he pretends not to know in training. We are almost done training with her and I sware he's WORSE than he was before we started! Please, someone tell me it gets worse before it gets better! That's $270 I really could have used for other things.

Every little noise, he barks. Anytime someone else MOVES in the house, he barks, and it's not just a bark - it's an angry ROAR! I know small dogs are prone to barking but omg... Enough already!!!! Is there anything I can do??? I know he's a puppy mill dog and I need to be patient, but I just don't have it in me some days!! Today is one year since my grandma passed away and I am just NOT in the mood to deal with his defiance and barking. He may spend a LOT of time in that crate tonight. Is there anything I can try? Or am I just going to have to try to have patience as I wait for him to trust that no one is going to hurt him ever again? I'm at a loss...

When he barks at someone like this.... get a squirt bottle and squirt him and say "No bark!" My dad's rescue dog is the same exact way. It works wonders with him. He HATES being squirted in the face. Eventually, you will only have to give him that look and say "No bark" and he should stop.

If squirting doesn't work, get a soda can or a coffee can and fill it with pennies/coins and shake it loudly when he barks and say NO Bark! These work!

Also, make sure he is introduced properly to everyone.
Maybe let your dad/other men get a really yummy treat that he loves, bend down to his level, and give him the treat. Yorkies are so small, sometimes tall men are intimidating to them, so they just need to get on their level.

Sorry you are having a rough day :(

Sugar had a barking problem up until a few weeks ago. I noticed she would "start" at certain noises and decided to play on that ;)


I had heard the pennies in a can method but didn't have an empty can yet and I was desperate! I picked up my motrin bottle (half full) and shook it 2x firmly. She ran off :D I have had to do this about a dozen times over the last few weeks in total!

I even keep one in the garage and shake it through the closed door if she barks at me cuz she's mad I'm leaving!

No idea if this will work for your crew....but it doesn't cost a thing to give it a try ;)

Squirt bottle and can with pennies have already been tried :( He doesn't mind the water, especially because it's hot, and the can scared him for a few weeks and now he thinks it's just a toy and I'm trying to play with him!

He is properly introduced to everyone... it just doesn't seem to matter when the men around are LOUD.. and omg, the men in my family are!!!! He won't even take the treat from them, he has from my dad a couple times but usually he just barks and freaks out because he really wants the treat but doesn't want to go near the person holding it. It's so frustrating!!!

Went to take a shower and had a good "I miss my grandma" cry and I feel a bit better. I think perhaps he's just feeding off my stress today. We're going to bed in a few and hopefully he sleeps and tomorrow is a better day... I'm going to try the spray bottle again... I think if I take it a level up from mist it might work... we shall see.

You are not alone!
 

Hi Jenn,
I know EXACTLY how you feel, Henry is our 8 mos old rescue, he is driving us, and everyone who comes over INSANE!! He barks constantly at them, then will play with them and go back to barking like he's never even seen them before. My husband walked in the door yesterday and Henry was barking like some axe murderer had just entered!!!

I've tried the squirt gun ( my husband thinks if a squirt gun is good, then a super soaker must be better~ IT's NOT) he barks at that too, barks at the can of pennies, even tried a dog whistle, NOTHING WORKS!!

A trainer suggested we get a prong collar, I'm afraid to try that, he might end up a shish kabob!!!

Has anyone used a prong collar on such a tiny dog? Henry is full grown and only 5 lbs!!!

Prong collars are a big no no with tiny dogs. You can seriously hurt them, especially their tracheas.

To the OP:
I would suggest a citronella collar. I used it on my poodle when she was barking. Worked like a charm. I had used the water and pennies in a can previously with her and it didn't work. The citronella collar sprays the scent in front of their face every time they bark. They can only associate the spray with their barking because the collar or its effect is in no way associated with you or big scary men.

Also you can try having a nice quiet afternoon with one of the loud men. Have them come over loaded with chicken. Let them in without saying anything and just sit on the floor in the living room. pull out the chicken and toss a piece to Oliver so he gets the idea that really good treats come from him. Then tell him to avert his eyes and pay no attention to Oliver. At this point i'm sure Oliver is still going to be barking from the moment your dad or grandpa walks in the house. that's ok. After the first piece of chicken he has to work it out on his own that he needs to be quiet to have a piece of chicken tossed to him. Toss the chicken only at first. Don't expect him to walk up and take it from their hands. And be sure he tosses the chicken at the exact moment that oliver stops barking. after a few rounds of this Oliver might beging to pick up on the fact that if he's quiet he gets a piece of chicken tossed to him. Then your dad/grandpa can start tossing the chicken closer and closer to themselves until Oliver is eventually taking it directly from their hands and is still quiet.

This may take a few tries on different dads for it to work and BOTH men are going to have to do it seperately. The key is to make themselves as small and quiet as possible, which is why the no talking rule is in effect during these training sessions and they need to be sitting on the floor so they are on his level, laying on the floor on their bellies would be even better.

Good luck

Citronella collar.. hmmm.. that sounds interesting! I will have to look and see if I can find one here. It definitely sounds like it might work, as the water in the face does, although he gets smart and runs away while barking so I can't reach him. lol.

I have had my dad give Ollie treats a lot, and he will sometimes take them from his hand, but is very scared to - I have not tried chicken, and that is a great idea, as I think it would be harder to resist! Going to try that asap, as we are travelling next month with Ollie and all staying in a hotel room together... if Oliver is still scared of my dad it could be a really bad trip!

Thanks for the advice!!

To get a dog over the fear of someone or types of people try this

Have you grandfather come in
Have him not greet or look at the dog no matter what the dog is doing
and have your grandfather just drop trats on the floor at regular intervals
Your pup will come and take them
and as he does this have you grandfather drop them closer and closer
until the pup is taking them from his hand
Then he can look at the dog while giving him treats
Your dog will eventually get the idea Hey this guy isn't so bad after all

When he goes to greet the dog even if he has a treat for him
he is perceiving that as a threat

do you have the squirt bottle on the stream mode? if it is on the spray mode then it will just feel like a nice misting. I am going through the same thing with my 4 month old Kingston. It is making me nuts!