How do I stop the barking?
 

My beautiful Zoe has become a barker. In a BIG way! I am at my wits end! It is the worst in the morning, when I am getting ready. I have tried the water bottle trick, but as soon as she sees it she runs away and then comes back and does it again. It is like a game.

I bought a collar today that gives a loud sound when she barks. So far, no luck because I can't get it to go off when she barks. Maybe she is just too small?

I am afraid I'm going to get kicked out of my apartment if I don't get this under control.

Help!

I can sympathize! My two are barkers and we've tried several different things that haven't worked. The 'sound diversion' method works for awhile, but then they get used to whatever the noise is, and they ignore it. Frustrating!

My new tactic is to give them a really long walk in the morning and tire them out. It helps a little. :aimeeyork

maggie is a barker too. not as bad as some i have seen cuz she usually only barks when she is mad at one of the other dogs or when she reallly reallllllly wants a toy that she can't reach....or when the doorbell rings. LOL. and if she is sleeping and gets alarmed.

but anyway...


i dont know what to do about the loud barking. I know my hubby had a 8 year old min pin when we moved in together that barked like a NUT. OMG that dog drove me NUTS!!!!!!!!!! so...I told hubby the only way to break him of barking is to teach him to bark when you tell him to. so we taught him the "speak" command. It has helped a LOT. sounds weird, I know, but when they think it is something they are supposed to be told to do, it is like they realize they are not supposed to just bark to hear themselves bark. it's weird but it worked for him. I had taught my cocker to "speak" when she was a pup and we VERY rarely her seriously bark. she only barks when we tell her to before throwing the ball for her. once or twice she has barked at someone outside the window...the lawn guys caught her off guard once or twice.

now...maggie...I can't seem to get her to grasp the concept of "speak". but she is pretty young. I will keep working with her and see if it helps. she knows when she hears me say "bad" that she is doing something she is not supposed to be doing. so I can usually get her to stop temporarily by saying that in a stern voice but she only stops for about 30 seconds LOL

good luck...the only suggestions I ever hear are the collars and the water bottle...since those dont seem to be working, I really dont have any other suggestions other than trying to teach them to speak on command.

The only thing that works with Taylor is using a "Bark Can".... a soft drink can with coins in it. When he barks I shake it. The first time or two you have to actually toss it at them, and startle them. Then after that you usually just need a rattle but if they don't respond look like they are going to get it tossed. Sometimes the word "Time Out" works. We have a pen type thing that sometimes he goes into when we have to contain him when we have workers or someone coming to the house to keep him from running out the front door. We've used it when he's gotten into a crazy mood and we say FIRMLY... Time Out!!! Both of these things have worked fairly well. Good luck.

This sounds like great advice. I did the can with coins with Eddie, and he's very good now. He barks sometimes, but he also shuts up when I ask him to. I don't even have to shake the can anymore.

I never tried the timeout thing. Makes sense, though.

Can does work!
 

Emmy barks everytime I plug something into an outlet. This is rough in the kitchen with the mixer, blender, etc. I tried the coke can with pennies in it and VOILA!! it works! I have noticed that it does not seem to work as well with other reasons she barks, but it does work in the kitchen.:thumbup:

what works for us is a small metal bowl and a spoon. when Baby barks I get that bowl out and bang it with the spoon and tell her NO Barking and she stops!

Baby is a barker and a whiner and this little trick has really helped!

All I have to do is show her the bowl and she goes running!

I think you just have to try different things because different dogs will react differently. for mine, the spray bottle works because he hates it so much. but for others, they may hate the loud noise of a can of pennies.... but no matter what be VERY consistent and act like the barking is completely unacceptable!!! then if he gets quiet, praise him, Good Quiet!!! and give a treat. try not to give him too much attention when he barks except for your reprimand. good luck.

We have a house full of barkers! Our lab never barked until we got Tucker. And he and Maddie set each other off. If I can get Tucker to stop the others will stop. One thing that works (it's weird but I swear it does stop the barking) is that I get Tucker to make eye contact and I say "thank you Tucker. Yes, I know. Thank you for telling me" and he comes to me and stops! My family thinks I'm insane, but I was willing to try anything. A small treat (like a cherrio) when he stops helped in the begining. Now, he just responds to my voice. One thing he doesn't respond to is yelling at him, then he thinks it's a contest to see who can be louder!

I have this old antique enamel pot with a cover that we use to put spare change in...Like you, I have a problem with the girls being quite "vocal" at times...and....they go after the cat. a couple of weeks ago I picked up the pot and shook it! Scared the life out of ME! never mind the girls!! Well, to say the least...all I have to do is pick up that pot and shout STOP! and they do!! Sometimes all I have to do is show them the pot and they stop barking and run into the other room!....The other day I was at my parents and they started barking...all I said was...."do you want me to get the pot"?...and they stopped.,....not for very long but, they stopped!