Stopping Barking Before It's Bad
 

Hi everyone! I got a lot of great feedback about potty training, so I figured I'd pick your brains again...

Shea is becoming quite the little barker. It mostly happens when someone is coming in the door or when he hears a loud noise outside. However, a lot of his barking are also "false alarms". While I know this is common behavior, I would like to bring his barking habit to as minimal as possible.

Making a loud noise to deter him from barking does not work (clapping hand, saying "no" in a firm voice, etc.). Any suggestions?

I have two barkers too. Anxious to see what people say. I have resorted to using a spray bottle. They now bark and run away before I can squirt the bottle. I have used all the usual things too.

We use an old vitamin bottle with bb's. When he barks, we shake it vigorously and he scampers off. It seems to be effective. Good luck!

I use the spray pet corrector. It has done wonders. Now I just hold up the spray and they stop barker. All it is a compressed air canister. The dogs do not like the sound. I am now using it to try and train the dogs to not jump on guests.

Nothing has worked with my Poppy, she barks at the compressed air and bottle of stones (rattle) etc. The only thing that even makes a dent is the water spray but she ends up soaked as she doesn't give up easy and if she's really worked up even that's no good. Ashamed to say I've even tried vibration collars and the high pitched noise ones but still no use. She knows I don't want her to do it but it's as if she is physically unable not to ?

I came across this issue with Scottie when he was between 7 to 11 months (can't remember exactly). I looked up some training videos and this ended up working for me (the pennies in a can didn't work for him):

Have someone knock on the door, on the wall, make noise outside the door, and various noises that prompts the barking. Each time right after the noise, you feed the pup a treat. Initially stuff the pup with treats right after the noise. Then gradually increase the amount of time he/she's quiet before treating. Before you know it, he/she's been conditioned that those noises are okay and they'll stop barking.

I've also read a 3-bark rule somewhere here on YT, where it's okay to bark 3 times as an alarm to you that someone's at the door. With this though, you'll have to proceed to train the dog "enough" and "quiet". So, each time they're allowed 3 barks, then you give the commands "enough" and "quiet". Difficulty for Scottie was teaching him to "quiet", you have to first teach "speak".

Spray bottle works too. But for me, I use that as a last resort. Think it's better to train them out of the annoying barking first. If he gets too crazy, then I spray. I wouldn't want to risk spraying too often and having him eventually think it's no big deal lol :eek: