Can't cope with the barking anymore

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by Abby08

I like the Citronella collar idea, but what is the Bark repeller, with the button? Is that one of those "shock" collars?

I just ordered one on Amazon for about $12. It looks as if it emits a sound your dog can hear.

[TatumsMom]

Okay, I'm going to have to break down and try this. We have an Australian Shepherd outside who barks her fool head off from the time it gets dark to the time we put her up for the night. We live out in the country so I know that she's barking at either the critters she sees out in the woods or the coyotes off in the distance and when go outside and tell her to hush, she does... but only until we go back in. We have even more reason to nip this in the bud now because we kept a little boy from her litter and don't want her to teach him this bad habit. His bark is already a lot louder and deeper than hers.

Can someone please post a link to exactly what they've bought. I've seen a couple recommendations here so I want to know what works the best.

[Abby08]

I looked it up using the words 'Bark repellar' and found it on Amazon. I read the customer reviews. Wish the product had more description, but the price and the customer reviews I read, seems like it is a product I would try! Also the folks in here seem to be happy with the way it works too, so it must be a good product!

Currently I am happy with the water squirt method, as it is the cheapest, but it does take a bit longer than one or two squirts to work.

Does it damage the dog's hearing? Would it damage a human's hearing, even though we can't seem to hear that high? Those would be some of my qestions I would want to ask someone who would know.

[Zeus08]

I have a barking problem too! Barking at people and the cat next door I get. However, my little nut barks at the TV incessantly. It started with other dogs,cats etc in commercials and has now advanced to the cute little Frosted Mini Wheats that talk and move around. He can be asleep or in the other room and he will just go nuts when he hears these commercials or shows. Starting to drive us crazy and I am wondering if the noise would harm his ears. I tried the can with coins and sometimes it works but you have to have it handy. We love Animal Planet but now we don't dare go near that channel. I am going to try the newspaper trick.

[TatumsMom]

Okay.... I'm going to start my own thread so as not to detract from this one. Have more issues with the barking thing. Please go see my thread also.

[Zeus08]

Well so far the newspaper trick is working. He hasn't been barking at the TV!!! He will growl but I am working on that. Nevertheless he has made leaps and bounds in such a short time.

[zaknnana]

I could have written the same exact post as Zeus08!! Lily barks at the TV horrible!! It is like it drives her nuts!! I know it is making us crazy too!! I bought one of the sonic sound things and it didn't phase her. I have tried everything that I have ever heard mentioned like the water bottle, coins in a can, whistle, treats, ignore her, read books and taken her to the Petsmart Classes and nothing stops her from barking!! She is a great dog except for the barking and it drives me crazy!!

[Zeus08]

Originally Posted by zaknnana

I could have written the same exact post as Zeus08!! Lily barks at the TV horrible!! It is like it drives her nuts!! I know it is making us crazy too!! I bought one of the sonic sound things and it didn't phase her. I have tried everything that I have ever heard mentioned like the water bottle, coins in a can, whistle, treats, ignore her, read books and taken her to the Petsmart Classes and nothing stops her from barking!! She is a great dog except for the barking and it drives me crazy!!

I know how frustrated you are. It wears on you after some time. Have you ried a rolled up newspaper yet? That seems to be the only thing controlling Zeus right now.

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by Kirby

I just ordered one on Amazon for about $12. It looks as if it emits a sound your dog can hear.

So it came, but the 9-Volt alkaline battery (which it requires) was old and didn't work. Running to the store today to pick one up.

[MollysMum54]

I have just bought D.A.P.(dog appeasing pheromone) diffuser. it hasnt been plugged in long enough for me to tell you if it works yet or not, but i have a friend who has a german shepherd pup and it has transformed his life...he's now calm and serene..well, most of the time anyway!

[aqeuous18]

Extinction is when a dog repeats a behavior and does not receive any positive response and once he realizes this, he stops the behavior. Dogs are very needy. They will always be doing things to get good stuff for themselves. They are hedonistic! But this works against them when we train them. Ideally, this is the way to get rid of barking.

"Attention" from you can be something as simple as eye contact. Even what you would consider negative attention (like yelling or swatting) is still good attention for them. When using the extinction method (works well for jumping, nipping) I tell my clients to completely ignore their dogs. No eye contact, arms crossed, no physical contact. The next step is to walk away and shut the door behind you. But those of us in our apartments don't have the time frame to achieve our goals this way.

If an immediate cure is needed, please get citronella or sonic collars. Shock collars are incredibly painful especially for little guys, it doesn't matter if you can turn it down. Also, they can cause matting around the neck where the prongs are. Most long haired dogs have to be shaved on their necks. Also, I saw a client whose dog's skin was infected and smelled like rotting flesh from the prongs.

A lot of times sonic collars don't work, especially when persistent dogs just fight through it. Citronella can be the same way too. I recommend the Remote Trainers because it's easier to actually have control in your hands to train the barking out of the dog. Make them realize that being quiet gets them much better things than barking, which gets them a corrective tone. The auto-pilot ones are just cruel in my opinion...>_>

I'm also a Certified Dog trainer, so I'll help in any way I can. Barking is always a huge issue with our terrier friends, but we love em!

[TAStetherainbow]

Originally Posted by Abby08

RamsesMom cannot ignore the barking and let it go and hope he gets tired of it and shuts up, because she lives in an apartment and her neighbors have complained already.

She has to take action, so if the citronella thing will work, that may help while she is out of the apartment.

Take him for a long walk when you can and play fetch with him when you can each day at a certain time and do it for the time you have alotted for it,(try to wear him out!) He may have excess energy and needs to have play time and exercise which is natural for any dog.

What I have done in the past when my dog barks while I am in the room is to pick her up, say "HUSH" sharply and put my hand over her muzzle and gently but firmly keep her mouth closed momentarily. I am not keeping her from breathing! I also squirt water,(from a water bottle with a spray/mist choice when I am further away from her and can't catch her)

My dog became even more defiant and barked more when I squirted her on her back and butt. You should be squirting him with either a mist or gentle stream in his face, not his nose, but in his face for it to be affective. Say hush/quiet,(what ever your word for silence) when you do it. Then reward him imediatly with petting or a treat when he shuts up. You need to sound somewhat aggressive/threatening when you say "hush" not exasperated.

As long as you let him have his way and ignore his behavior,(in this particular case because you have neighbors who will complain) he will be in charge, you have to be the leader and make him do as you tell him to. As long as he gets his way, he will be just like a defiant 2 year old and do what he wants and gets attention from "mom".

If at all possible, and if you have the time, look into taking him to obedience classes, you will learn how to get him to behave and the instructor should be able to observe how you two "behave" together and give you some extra pointers on how to be "Boss" if you need them.

I hope you are able to get him to quiet down before more trouble happens with neighbors

Great Tips Abby08! I dont want my baby yorkie to end up very yappy so I think I will try the "HUSH" teqnique you mentioned.
thanks so much for this!

[VJuarez]

Originally Posted by Lolli_lah

I got the bark repeller today, and let me tell ya it worked! When on a walk she started barking at someone almost immediately and I pressed the button and said 'quiet' and she stopped. I did have to do it a couple of times, but she will learn what this means in no time you can just TELL.

So I got a bark repeller last week...WOW my dogs are amazing now...I was frustrated and embarrassed anytime we would go on walks my dogs would bark at anyone or any dog walking by...I tried all the Dog Whisperer stuff and nothing seemed to work (I'm sure I was doing something wrong)...but my last resort was advice on yorkietalk and I found a thread that recommended this device:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Pet Parade's Dog and Bark Repeller and Training Aid

Let me tell you the best $14 I have ever spent in my life!!!...I live in Galveston, TX a big tourist place...we now go on walks downtown where we live... lots of tourists and absolutely NO barking now it's really a miracle and I've only had to use it the first day really to get any results (I bring it along just in case but don't have to use it I tell them my command "shh" and they listen now!...the best part really was it took less than a day for my dogs to turn into the most adorable angels!

I would recommend it b/c if it works then you'll be happy if it doesn't it was just $14

[Abby08]

aqeuous18, I appreciate the information. I know we'll be greatful for your advice and knowledge! However, my dog, several months back, decided for what ever reason, to bark incessantly anywhere from 12 am to 5 am for well over a month. I have to get up at 5am to go to work and though my husband gets up later for his job, she kept him up too. We of course ignored her and hoped she would go back to sleep. First I would get up and let her out thinking maybe she needed a bathroom break. Instead she would go under our boats to visit with the cat.

I would have loved to have one of those sonic things. Instead I did it the hard way and road out her constant night time barking

I changed the amount of food I normally give her and instead of one feeding, she got 1/2 the amount at two different times of day. I can't give her long walks but I did try to engage her in different ways and still do each day. I also sprayed her with water and said "Hush" each time even though by the time I got out of bed to the living room where her ex pen is, she was already quiet.

Compleatly ignoring her or any dog I have ever owned,(when barking) has just always been fruitless for me. They increased the loudness or hurriedness of the barking to the level of ignoring that they received.

Maybe it works for some dogs, but our previous border collie and our Yorky, they just didn't have any respect for that method.

Tastetherainbow, I sincerely hope your dog does not become a "yapper" as it may take more than one way to help them learn the word "Hush"!! It takes persistance on our part as they can be just as persistant!!!

[speleogirl37]

I ordered the bark repeller from amazon . It is freaking awesome!! I have been using it for 3 days, and she has changed drastically. She also likes to bite my hands a little to hard a lot of times. She is getting better with that also.