What barking is okay? I need to figure this out since Joel has just started to bark a couple times at the door or window in the last 2 weeks which has been one of my fears:rolleyes: He barks for potty or when he needs help with something which I don't mind, but the part that worries me is at the door or out the window, how much should he be aloud to bark and when should I say no, and what do I do if he continues? At first I thought any barking was bad but it's not, I want to teach him to bark normal not the crazy kind:) We didn't have much luck with Rosco, and Akitas aren't supposed to be barkers, lol |
Just allow him the barking you want then tell him "Stop" or "No" or "Enough" or whatever word you want to use. First teach him to bark on command using treats after each time he starts barking, saying "Bark, bark" or "Speak" when he starts barking and then "Good bark/speak" and offer instant treat right after the verbal "Good" verbal mark. Soon you won't need to wait until he's already barking, just say the words and he'll start, you verbally mark that he's doing it and instantly treat. Keep repeating that exercise for short periods for a couple of weeks. Then when he's doing that on command nicely(easiest trick to teach a Yorkie!), say your stop word, make a gesture across your throat as a movie director does in "Cut!" and stand up or something to get his attention as you say it. If he will stop without you standing up, that's fine but do something different to get his attention if he's barking away on command and doesn't stop when you use your stop word. When he does stop barking, say "Good stop" or whatever word you said to stop him and instantly offer a treat. He'll soon learn that barking on command gets him a positive verbal mark and a treat - but so does instantly stopping on command! At first he will learn it simply as a trick but later, he will see it as just something he does because you told him to and if he's barking like crazy at the person on the other side of the front door and momma says "Stop", you stop out of habit and because she said to. |
Cool, Thanks:) He already barks on command so now I need to have "bark" and "quite" training practice. Yesterday I was trying something with him where I would knock on the door or ring the door bell and give him a treat when he was good but all that did was make him sad thinking someone was here but not coming in, so he was whining the whole time lol |
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Most dogs love to bark, and that can be VERY useful. Actually, this can be worked into a "job", and all Dogs need a job. I allow my guys to bark rather freely, praising them highly when it's right, and not praising at all, when it's wrong. I think that positive reinforcement is best for me, though, yorkietalkjilly's is a good way too. I differ in the "control" issue, by using/repeating the word "Hay" a few times, but, speak it very quietly, actually a whisper. I do this to intentionally keep my voice and presence somewhat undetectable by someone who might be near/outside. I try to impress on them that the word "Hay" is not scolding, just to quiet them down, and usually pet them a little, after they comply. The more an Intruder doesn't know about you, the better, and that includes where you are. My guys respond to several other "whispered" commands as well. SO many times, people think that a small Dog is useless against an intrusion (territorial or residential). Actually, it doesn't matter how big a dog is, if a Human wants to overcome it, he can. So IMHO there's no use in putting one of our animals in harm's way ever, weather it weights 2 lbs or 200. What they can do is... Sleep lightly & patrol regularly, Use their Eyes, Ears and Noses to detect, Bark Loudly when they notice something, and RETREAT (keep their distance) from a Human threat. If they're wrong, you can work that out later. :thumbup: |
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Once I was sitting on the couch and it had just gotten dark out, sitting right with my back to the big den open window and thought I heard a breathing or human sound coming from just outside - barely 2 feet or so away, just through the screen. The blind was still up even but it was dark outside. I just froze! Tibbe was sleeping at the other end of the couch but I leaned/reached over and managed to poke him a bit, he woke up and I was making that "Oh!" face, careful not to turn it too far to either side in case someone was out there. Tibbe heard nothing - and probably I hadn't either - but anyway I made that face & he went crazy barking as I just sat there sort of frozen, scared silly. He jumped up in the window from the couch and continued to bark like a wild dog out the open window, growling occasionally too. Eventually, I swear I heard a sort of sound from where the gate is and though it is locked, I heard a sound that could have been it jiggling from someone trying to get over. Soon as I could, I lowered the open windows, lowered the blinds & turned on every light in the house and in the front and back and got the gun and the phone, just in case. But I kept making that face a lot and kept my little alert-dog barking like a police dog or something for quite a while. I swear if I hadn't had him to do that I don't know what I would have done. His little endless alarming barking could very well have discouraged someone who was maybe prowling around down the alley, saw the windows were up, blinds still up and decided to come check us out! Probably all in my vivid imagination but am so glad I have a barking dog to turn to. |
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