Barking

gettingready

Ok, I give up finding excuses for my Zara barking mad and.. hope for some help.

My general attitude always was - people talk, dogs bark - no problem.

By Zara's barking IS a problem....

She barks like mad when the intercom rings.

She barks like mad when she sees through the living room window (we are on first floor) that someone is coming up to the communal entrance to our block.

She barks when she sees me gettign ready to take her out.

She barks when we are out and she wants me to kick the ball for her.

She barks when we are out and I stop to talk to someone.

She barks when someone comes in.

She barks when I leave the flat. I can go to work - no barking- but God forbid I come home and then want to go out again....

She barks.... she barks.... she barks....

Now, this is never an "angry" type of bark but that high pitched, ear piercing bark that does your head in (and everyone around head in) and is not possible to ignore...

Yes, she is spoilt rotten and yes, I know this is attention seeking and she knows it works as I give in as can not have my eardrums damaged by this insane noise.

Yes, I have seen all Ceasar Millan Dog Whisperer (got all series at home on DVD LOL) and yes all seems so simple when you watch someone else do it... I do not seem to be able to.

Someone suggested an anti barking collar - anyone familair with those? Has anyone used this and can recommend any particular one? With a link where to buy it from would be great.

Any other solutions/suggestions?

Open to ideas... will take beating up from experts too as I know very well this is all my fault as Zara is 2.5 years old now and this should have been dealt with ages ago.....:o

Thanks a lot.

EDIT - I will list other issues that I have with Zara later on... one at a time, do not want to be eaten alive listing all of them at once :rolleyes:

Raggs_2

Just a few quick tips (that others may or may not agree with).

When she barks, get between her and the object before telling her off. That way she doesn't feel that you are joining in with her, but you know what's there, and she's done her job in telling you. This applies also with people coming to visit, get her to sit away from the doorway, stay, and no barking allowed, you standing between the door and the dog. Open the door whilst watching the dog, and tell the person coming in not to pay her attention. It's useful to have a friend do this at first.

With the getting ready to go out, is there anyway you can do it in stages? So put your shoes on, wait 10 mins, put your coat on, wait, put her collar on, wait, put her lead on, wait etc etc. Basically waiting until she's stopped barking, and is involved in something else.

It can be hard to tolerate a barking dog, but with the waiting part if you sit down and turn the tele on she may get the idea that you aren't taking her out just yet, so it will end sooner.

I got very lucky with my dog, we're in a building where sounds travel easily, and barking a lot would have been awful. To stop it, we would leave the flat, make noises that we were walking away, then wait. Louis would bark. After one or two (I didn't like doing it immediately, because then there is immediate gratification), I opened the door, sternly walked upto him, held his muzzle gently and with one finger wagging told him No. Then immediately turned around and walked out. The only interaction the dog got was a swift negative one, and after a few hours he was greatly improved, the next day he started again, same process (though much faster), and since he hasn't barked when we leave.

Another useful trick, that is probably best used in conjunction with the above is a favourite treat. Only given when you leave. Chicken, liver etc etc, whatever she really enjoys, and preferably something that will keep her engaged for at least a few minutes (enough time for you to be away, and her to stop thinking about you). This is very useful if the dog always stops barking a few minutes after you've left.

gettingready

Raggs - thaks for that.

I leave Zara a kong filled with bits of yummy things and "blocked" by sof t cheese on both ends so she has to work on it a bit to get the things out of it.

I will try that going out in stages/delay and see how that works with her.

joan_brennan

i agree with all that raggs has said. but just a little to add. I think if you try to work out why she is doing what she is doing it helps to give the insight to work on a solution. From all that you have said it seems that she is a very anxious little person inside that rather large gsd. what you could do to help is give her confidence in you.. i mean she currently is responsible for everything and is actually very afraid of the responsibility. so take the pressure of her. It really is not a quick solution. It starts with basics test her confidence in you by asking when you meet another dog out on a walk does she ignore it or is it a mildly interested but not maniacal greeting? is she the same when you meet people out on a walk . I am trying to find out does she have confidence in you in any areas? sorry i cant go into this further now as i am just off to work. but will be able to be back tommorrow p.m.

gettingready

Joan - thanks for reply.

I kow with Zara it is separation anxiety most of the time and attention seeking the rest of the time.

She is a very confident dog otherwise.

No problems with her being scared of anything or anyone.. quite the opposite.

She is fine with all dogs in the park - although she seems to have an issue with big, fluffy black dogs for some reason (only those) and runs up to them barking (angry bark that time). Any other dogs she is fine with.

But she much prefers her ball than playing with other dogs - when she has a ball she is just ignoring all other dogs.

She is fine with all people too - just happy to great anyone and get a cuddle.

Raksha

I have a barker - OH taught him to bark for attention by ignoring him until he barked, and then doing what he wanted..........

It's taken me ages, but we're now at the stage where he 'woofs' for attention rather than barking. I acheived this by very pointedly turning away from him and ignoring him when he barked. I coupled this with lots of praise when he did manage to contain himself. Now it did get worse before it got better, but I expected that (it's called an 'extinction burst' in scientific terms ). He is now a lot better.

Personally I don't believe in telling a dog off - it just teaches them that you are angry, but that's generally no bother to them, unless they suffer from sep anxiety, and then telling them off can actually make it worse, as they start to stress about what will happen when you get home. It's far more effective to teach them that doing what you want them to do is more beneficial to them.

HTH

gettingready

Raksha wrote: »

I have a barker - OH taught him to bark for attention by ignoring him until he barked, and then doing what he wanted..........

Ermmmm - I am sorry but I have to say that I do not understand the above?
Zara is already barking for attention, this is what I want to stop rather than encourage more... hmmmm

I do not understand the logic of ignoring the dog untill it barks?

Thanks

(goes back to her slow cooker wondering...)

Raksha

gettingready wrote: »

Ermmmm - I am sorry but I have to say that I do not understand the above?
Zara is already barking for attention, this is what I want to stop rather than encourage more... hmmmm

I do not understand the logic of ignoring the dog untill it barks?

Thanks

(goes back to her slow cooker wondering...)

That was how my OH taught him to bark for attention, maybe you, or somebody else in your household has done the same?

catlou

My dog is becoming a bit of a pain with barking.......

But his is in a good way sort of - as he barks when he hears a noise so it's great that he is being a guard dog but he seems a bit over sensitive so is barking more at the slightest noise if he hears something from upstairs, a noise from next door or at cars driving past.

I'm not really sure how to stop him as some days if he hears something like the recycling lorry in the morning that sets him off for the day and he is then on mega alert and he will bark everytime he hears the slightest noise even when he is sleeping!!

He is half Lhasa and I know they were originally bred for guarding so maybe it's just a really strong trait in him?

Anyone have any ideas what would be best way to go about stopping him doing it so much? It can be really annoying at times and the neighbours must be able to hear him especially as he does it quite a bit late at night when they are in bed!!

gettingready

Raksha wrote: »

That was how my OH taught him to bark for attention, maybe you, or somebody else in your household has done the same?

Only me and my daughter here so nope...

I mean not intentionally but perhaps by giving in when she barks .. so far:o

Still, absolute nightmare with ONE lot of neighbours (who do not like dogs anyway, weir people).

Their live oposite me, grumpy lot.

The ones below me, just brought Zara a pressie for Xmas... they love her to bits, barking and all. Same with the other neighbour on the ground floor and bot lots above me. Just the ones opposite me.. grrr

Still, that barkimg is driving ME nuts too

Raggs_2

In my eyes ignoring a dog is punishing it also, especially if done very deliberately. I see no issue whatsoever with telling a dog off, thats how dogs work (not even using pack/dominance etc), one dog upsets another, it gets a short sharp bark and maybe a show of teeth/snap, 2 seconds later everyones friends again.

And as for turning my back on any dog, for any reason, whilst training, no thank you. This is perhaps more from a dog trainer point of view, but I'd rather always see what the dog is upto.