Barking getting out of hand! Please help! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

mandimarie · 03-08-2006, 07:30 AM

Fiona barks at everything! Anyone that comes to our door, she barks and she does it the entire time we're talking or whatever. I can't get her to be quiet, even after she sees it's alright.

The Schwan man comes twice a month to the door and he even brings treats, she'll snatch them out of his hand, eat it real quick and start barking again.

I don't know what to do, we went to visit family last month and we had to stay at a hotel overnight, we didn't sleep at all, she barked at every little thing.

Any little noise she will growl and bark at. Popcorn popping, electric beaters (I think that's what they're called), accidentaly hitting the computer desk with your knee, things that jingle, like change in your pants pockets, my husband has these cargo pants that have a belt with the metal loops to hook through and I was upstairs folding and putting up clothes, and she would start barking and growling, so I'd go to the door and noone was there, and I'd go back upstairs and put them up, and I realized that everytime I picked them up, she would go off again, even if other clothes would knock against them while I was putting them up in the closet. I could barely hear the jingle, but it would drive her crazy.

Ok, sorry I'm rambling...I love her to death, but this has gotten to be every little thing. And it's not just a bark or two, she goes on and on.
When other dogs are barking outside, I can understand, but not all these other things.

We'll be moving soon and will be going in a couple of weeks to look at houses for a few days, I don't want to put her in a kennel, but I can't leave her in a hotel, no telling what she'd bark at. And it would be too much to bring her to look at the houses with us, we have 2 kids that we are going to have to get in and out of a car.

Do any of you have this problem? And if you do, how do you minimize the barking? It's almost like she just likes to hear herself! I know she is a dog and she will bark, but this is too much!

Sorry this is so long!

lnovack · 03-08-2006, 07:53 AM

We have the same problem with Sammie and Gracie. We talked to our trainer who told us when this happens, you need to take control of them. She told us to call them by name and make them sit - use a treat as a lure. It is hard to get them to do it at first because they cannot seem to hear when they are already barking and excited. Just be persistent, no matter what they are barking at, get their attention, make them sit and give them something else to do like play ball, go in a different room. Reward them when they are quiet. She also said if you have them on a leash and they bark at anyone, YOU remove THEM from the scene. You be the one to take the pups out of the situation that is causing them to bark. If you are outside for pottying or just a walk and they start to bark at a neighbor, car, schoolbus, birds, take them immediately into the house or turn and start walking back toward the house - get them away from the situation. Our pups are almost cured of their barking now. We now have progressed to the point of being able to say "look at me" when they look like they are going to bark and they immediately calm down. We are working toward the day when they don't need us to tell them to calm down. We will get there.

Bridget's Mommy · 03-08-2006, 07:53 AM

I feel your pain. I adopted Bridget at 11 months and initially had a tough time with barking. Not quite as challenging as Fiona, she mainly barked at other dogs. But I understand how frustrating it can be.

Lots of socialization and a training class did wonders. Have you tried a training class with Fiona? Bridget still barks – she is a dog after all! But it’s controllable. A training class helps you learn techniques to let your dog know who is in control and what is and is not acceptable behavior. I wish you lots of luck… Keep us posted on her progress!

SnowWa · 03-08-2006, 01:56 PM

I sympathize with you and totally could not stand my dog barking all the time - as I'm sure you can't.

My friend had a puppy that was beginning to bark that way and her trainer had her use Binaca (the mouth spray that we use). He had her spray her pup in the mouth with Binanca, not everytime he barked, but whenever he starting barking for a long time for no good reason -- especially after she told him to stop barking and he wouldn't.

Her pup hated the Binaca and actually began turning around to see if she had it before he went on a barking spree. And - it worked well and stopped most of his barking.

As you might guess - a lot of people here think this is cruel and mean -- but I don't at all. Binanca is only a mouth freshner that has a surprising refreshing little kick to it. It doesn't hurt us and it can't possibly hurt a dog at all. It is something, however, that they certainly don't like. (And, this is the point!)

If you don't want to use Binaca - you can always try something else that he doesn't like the taste of.

My friend says she has the Binaca in her purse for herself -- it's just something that she shares with her dog once in a whle.

For me - the end result is that the sooner you can stop your pup from barking so much - the happier you all be -- especially your dog! It's no fun being in trouble all the time.....

Good luck!

Carol Jean

icy · 03-08-2006, 08:30 PM

Try putting pennies in an empty coke can and rattle it at her when she barks. Yorkies hate this and usually stop barking. So everytime she barks, just rattle the can. She'll eventually understand and stop barking at everything.

Connie · 03-08-2006, 11:01 PM

I agree with icy...penny's in a can. Maddie acts scared to death of that can, and now all I have to say is, "Do I have to get the can?" She will stop her barking immediately. Put cans around the house so you always have one nearby when needed. Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

mandimarie · 03-09-2006, 06:09 AM

Thank you for your replies! I will start trying some of your ideas and see how this goes.
I've tried the water bottle and making a loud noise with the newspaper, and she goes in her crate and starts to growl, not a mean one, but like she's catching an attitude. She's like a sassy teenager, lol! That usually goes on longer than the barking, until I guess she thinks she's fussed at me enough.

Bridget's mommy: We have actually brought her to an obedience class, even with us working with her everyday, she ummm...didn't graduate. She's very smart, but extremely stubborn. She had fun at the class you could tell. We will sign her up for another session after we move and get settled.

lnovack · 03-09-2006, 07:10 AM

I just read last night in Gracie and Sammie's obedience training manual from PetCo that when your dog barks excessively to l. tell them hush and 2. if they do not stop, spray them with a water bottle. We tried it last night and it took Sammie three sprays to stop. In fact, if the phone rang or something on TV got his attention, he turned around to look at me first I guess to see if I was going to spray him - nevertheless, he did not bark! WOW! That was easy. Now we work on Gracie. This works better than making them sit and distracting them. The book did say that this is for unacceptable barking but not for all barking because barking is a dog's communication so you have to choose when you think it is okay to bark and when it is not.

lnovack · 03-09-2006, 07:11 AM

I forgot to tell you to wait 5 seconds after you tell them to hush and then spray them with the water bottle if they continue to bark.

Bridget's Mommy · 03-09-2006, 07:47 AM

Good tips from lnovack... I use the water bottle with Bridget occasionally. If they don't listen the first time, It's a good method to get their attention so you can give them the quiet command again and distract them to play with a toy or get a treat. I'm sure your little one will come around. It took Bridget awhile, I was losing hope. But patience and persistence truly does pay off!

Yorkie Owned · 03-09-2006, 11:39 AM

One of my yorkies is pretty yappy too. Some days are worse than others, it's like sometimes she is just on edge and every little thing sets her off. Other days she's not too bad.
I have tried the squirt bottle method and that didn't help at all. I have also tried to created a louder noise to distract her- that didn't work either. I keep meaning to try the pennies in a can, but I don't think about it until she's going off on something.

I don't really scold her, I mean she is a dog and they do bark.... but she knows that I don't like all the noise and I know she will stop when I pick her up. So I just keep telling her to "hush" and by the time I reach down to pick her up she will quit. She is getting better about nuisance barking, she will usually stop now when she sees me coming toward her because when she is excited and all worked up over something- getting picked up is not what she wants. Sometimes she will run under the table so I can't get to her if she's really not done yet!

My babies all get placed in their carriers when no one can be at home with them- and none of them will bark from inside their carrier. I mean a burglar could break in and they wouldn't make a peep.

Do you hear Fiona barking when you return home before you get inside? If not then she might be fine in her carrier in your motel room while you house hunt.
Just a thought- I hate to leave my babies in someone else's care. Makes me a nervous wreck until I am reunited with them.

03-08-2006, 07:30 AM	#1
mandimarie Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Posts: 46	Barking getting out of hand! Please help! Fiona barks at everything! Anyone that comes to our door, she barks and she does it the entire time we're talking or whatever. I can't get her to be quiet, even after she sees it's alright. The Schwan man comes twice a month to the door and he even brings treats, she'll snatch them out of his hand, eat it real quick and start barking again. I don't know what to do, we went to visit family last month and we had to stay at a hotel overnight, we didn't sleep at all, she barked at every little thing. Any little noise she will growl and bark at. Popcorn popping, electric beaters (I think that's what they're called), accidentaly hitting the computer desk with your knee, things that jingle, like change in your pants pockets, my husband has these cargo pants that have a belt with the metal loops to hook through and I was upstairs folding and putting up clothes, and she would start barking and growling, so I'd go to the door and noone was there, and I'd go back upstairs and put them up, and I realized that everytime I picked them up, she would go off again, even if other clothes would knock against them while I was putting them up in the closet. I could barely hear the jingle, but it would drive her crazy. Ok, sorry I'm rambling...I love her to death, but this has gotten to be every little thing. And it's not just a bark or two, she goes on and on. When other dogs are barking outside, I can understand, but not all these other things. We'll be moving soon and will be going in a couple of weeks to look at houses for a few days, I don't want to put her in a kennel, but I can't leave her in a hotel, no telling what she'd bark at. And it would be too much to bring her to look at the houses with us, we have 2 kids that we are going to have to get in and out of a car. Do any of you have this problem? And if you do, how do you minimize the barking? It's almost like she just likes to hear herself! I know she is a dog and she will bark, but this is too much! Sorry this is so long!

03-08-2006, 07:53 AM	#2
lnovack YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Virginia Posts: 308	We have the same problem with Sammie and Gracie. We talked to our trainer who told us when this happens, you need to take control of them. She told us to call them by name and make them sit - use a treat as a lure. It is hard to get them to do it at first because they cannot seem to hear when they are already barking and excited. Just be persistent, no matter what they are barking at, get their attention, make them sit and give them something else to do like play ball, go in a different room. Reward them when they are quiet. She also said if you have them on a leash and they bark at anyone, YOU remove THEM from the scene. You be the one to take the pups out of the situation that is causing them to bark. If you are outside for pottying or just a walk and they start to bark at a neighbor, car, schoolbus, birds, take them immediately into the house or turn and start walking back toward the house - get them away from the situation. Our pups are almost cured of their barking now. We now have progressed to the point of being able to say "look at me" when they look like they are going to bark and they immediately calm down. We are working toward the day when they don't need us to tell them to calm down. We will get there. __________________ Gracie's Mama

03-08-2006, 01:56 PM	#4
SnowWa YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA Posts: 2,992	I sympathize with you and totally could not stand my dog barking all the time - as I'm sure you can't. My friend had a puppy that was beginning to bark that way and her trainer had her use Binaca (the mouth spray that we use). He had her spray her pup in the mouth with Binanca, not everytime he barked, but whenever he starting barking for a long time for no good reason -- especially after she told him to stop barking and he wouldn't. Her pup hated the Binaca and actually began turning around to see if she had it before he went on a barking spree. And - it worked well and stopped most of his barking. As you might guess - a lot of people here think this is cruel and mean -- but I don't at all. Binanca is only a mouth freshner that has a surprising refreshing little kick to it. It doesn't hurt us and it can't possibly hurt a dog at all. It is something, however, that they certainly don't like. (And, this is the point!) If you don't want to use Binaca - you can always try something else that he doesn't like the taste of. My friend says she has the Binaca in her purse for herself -- it's just something that she shares with her dog once in a whle. For me - the end result is that the sooner you can stop your pup from barking so much - the happier you all be -- especially your dog! It's no fun being in trouble all the time..... Good luck! Carol Jean __________________ http://tinypic.com/ipxhmb.jpg A Yorkie is worth a thousand words.

03-08-2006, 08:30 PM	#5
icy YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 473	Try putting pennies in an empty coke can and rattle it at her when she barks. Yorkies hate this and usually stop barking. So everytime she barks, just rattle the can. She'll eventually understand and stop barking at everything. __________________ Yorkies, Yorkies and more Yorkies

03-08-2006, 11:01 PM	#6
Connie Loved by Maddie & Libby Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North Dakota Posts: 10,732	I agree with icy...penny's in a can. Maddie acts scared to death of that can, and now all I have to say is, "Do I have to get the can?" She will stop her barking immediately. Put cans around the house so you always have one nearby when needed. Good luck! Let us know how it goes! __________________ Custom doggie dresses and vests Memory is a country where I can go to see your face - but where do I go when I miss your embrace?

03-08-2006, 07:53 AM	#3
Bridget's Mommy YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 263	I feel your pain. I adopted Bridget at 11 months and initially had a tough time with barking. Not quite as challenging as Fiona, she mainly barked at other dogs. But I understand how frustrating it can be. Lots of socialization and a training class did wonders. Have you tried a training class with Fiona? Bridget still barks – she is a dog after all! But it’s controllable. A training class helps you learn techniques to let your dog know who is in control and what is and is not acceptable behavior. I wish you lots of luck… Keep us posted on her progress!

03-09-2006, 06:09 AM	#7
mandimarie Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Posts: 46	Thank you for your replies! I will start trying some of your ideas and see how this goes. I've tried the water bottle and making a loud noise with the newspaper, and she goes in her crate and starts to growl, not a mean one, but like she's catching an attitude. She's like a sassy teenager, lol! That usually goes on longer than the barking, until I guess she thinks she's fussed at me enough. Bridget's mommy: We have actually brought her to an obedience class, even with us working with her everyday, she ummm...didn't graduate. She's very smart, but extremely stubborn. She had fun at the class you could tell. We will sign her up for another session after we move and get settled.

03-09-2006, 07:10 AM	#8
lnovack YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Virginia Posts: 308	I just read last night in Gracie and Sammie's obedience training manual from PetCo that when your dog barks excessively to l. tell them hush and 2. if they do not stop, spray them with a water bottle. We tried it last night and it took Sammie three sprays to stop. In fact, if the phone rang or something on TV got his attention, he turned around to look at me first I guess to see if I was going to spray him - nevertheless, he did not bark! WOW! That was easy. Now we work on Gracie. This works better than making them sit and distracting them. The book did say that this is for unacceptable barking but not for all barking because barking is a dog's communication so you have to choose when you think it is okay to bark and when it is not. __________________ Gracie's Mama

03-09-2006, 07:11 AM	#9
lnovack YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Virginia Posts: 308	I forgot to tell you to wait 5 seconds after you tell them to hush and then spray them with the water bottle if they continue to bark. __________________ Gracie's Mama

03-09-2006, 07:47 AM	#10
Bridget's Mommy YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 263	Good tips from lnovack... I use the water bottle with Bridget occasionally. If they don't listen the first time, It's a good method to get their attention so you can give them the quiet command again and distract them to play with a toy or get a treat. I'm sure your little one will come around. It took Bridget awhile, I was losing hope. But patience and persistence truly does pay off!

03-09-2006, 11:39 AM	#11
Yorkie Owned YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 277	yappy One of my yorkies is pretty yappy too. Some days are worse than others, it's like sometimes she is just on edge and every little thing sets her off. Other days she's not too bad. I have tried the squirt bottle method and that didn't help at all. I have also tried to created a louder noise to distract her- that didn't work either. I keep meaning to try the pennies in a can, but I don't think about it until she's going off on something. I don't really scold her, I mean she is a dog and they do bark.... but she knows that I don't like all the noise and I know she will stop when I pick her up. So I just keep telling her to "hush" and by the time I reach down to pick her up she will quit. She is getting better about nuisance barking, she will usually stop now when she sees me coming toward her because when she is excited and all worked up over something- getting picked up is not what she wants. Sometimes she will run under the table so I can't get to her if she's really not done yet! My babies all get placed in their carriers when no one can be at home with them- and none of them will bark from inside their carrier. I mean a burglar could break in and they wouldn't make a peep. Do you hear Fiona barking when you return home before you get inside? If not then she might be fine in her carrier in your motel room while you house hunt. Just a thought- I hate to leave my babies in someone else's care. Makes me a nervous wreck until I am reunited with them.