Barking

smileypigface

Turning your back makes it absolutely clear to the dog that it's current action is not gaining your attention (ie, what it wants) - if you are worried to turn your back you could try pre-positioning a mirror so you can see the dog and it can't see your reflection - you will most likely find that to begin with the dog will continue to try and gain your attention with the barking then it will probably sit and try and puzzle out what is going on - sitting and having a scratch is a typical "puzzling it out" action for a dog.

You will probably only be turned away for a few moments anyway - because as soon as it stops doing the undesireable behaviour you turn back and praise, and maybe reward, the dog - this works well with teaching a dog not to jump up as well as teaching it not to bark for attention.

Hope that helps too - best of luck to the OP getting it sorted.

Raggs_2

I understand how turning your back works, I merely disagree with doing it. Especially for a dog that jumps up. I admit most the dogs I've worked with have generally been "bad" dogs, so large mastiffs/rotties/dobies but I still dislike the idea of turning my back on any dog. I'd rather chastise it, so it knows that it's current behaviour isn't one that I like, and when it proceeds to a behaviour I do like, it gets rewarded.

Whenever I tell my dog off, for whatever reason, I will find a reason to praise him soon after. Even if I just make him sit, stay and come (then plenty of reward for coming).

I wonder how well dogs understand being praised when not performing an action (geniune question). Just because your dog isn't barking, doesn't necessarily follow that he understands the praise he is now recieving is for that.

smileypigface

I suppose my main rationale for not chastising a barking dog is that I would find it hard not to raise my voice (to be heard over the barking) - and this can been perceived as joining in the noise making and can exacerbate the problem.

My main experience of training is with springer spaniels - so very different to the ones you have dealt with Raggs - it's interesting to compare which training methods are useful for different types of breeds.

With springers they very quickly learn that jumping up for your attention = no attention given whereas a calm sit = big fussings For some reason almost every springer I have ever met loves to sit on your feet for a fussing - much more than any other breed I've met.

I should also say that rather than chastise what I don't want I name the action I do want - so if my dog jumps up I turn away whilst saying "off" and when I turn back he is praised with "good off" - turning away from barking is "quiet" and "good quiet" when I turn back.

Someone told me to train a "quiet" you should first train a "speak" - so basically train the dog to bark on command and then to be quiet on command ... I must say this hasn't been a successful strategy for me

It's also worth saying that as you can see from the different approaches that work for different people, and breeds, is to work out what works for you and your particular dog and build on that - consistency is definitely key.

Raggs_2

As I mentioned in my first post whenever you chastise a dog you need to be between it and the item, facing it, and obviously talking to it. Otherwise as you say, it could be mistaken as joining in.

Generally being firm and in charge with "bad" big dogs works well. You need to be in charge, and very confident. Then they tend to just let you do your stuff. This is why I love Rotties most of all, they completely take the mickey if they think they can (even if for no reason but to it), but hand the lead to someone confident, and they suddenly become the most well behaved dogs.

Anyway, enough derailing the topic .

smileypigface

Raggs wrote: »

Anyway, enough derailing the topic .

sorry, training, and all the different methods, is a great interest of mine - I think I have it very easy with springers - they are very bonkers :eek: but so very eager to please and respond very well to reward based training

I would love to have a go with the bigger breeds - maybe when I've had a bit more experience!!! I love rotties - trained properly they are great big softies aren't they

Good luck OP - sorry to go off at a tangent

gettingready

Raggs wrote: »

Anyway, enough derailing the topic .

smileypigface wrote: »

Good luck OP - sorry to go off at a tangent

Hey - u2, get a room



So, what about that barking, huh?

Raksha

Raggs - why don't you trust your dogs when you have your back turned?

loobyloo2

Hi gettingready,
I have been having a similar situation with a visiting dog I am looking after for the next month, thing is, when he barks at every slight noise, he starts my other two off.
Phoned a very knowledgeable dog friend on how to deal with this, and she suggested the rattle bottle.
So, plastic bottle, a few dried beans, dog barks, quick shake of the bottle,
instant success.
Sometimes we look so hard at a problem, that we forget to try the simple things.
Try it, it may just work for you as it has for me.
Good luck.

mrcol1000

Teaching a dog to bark on command then allows you to teach the dog to stop barking on command. You answered your own question in your orginal post. You have run out of excuses for the dog barking so you obviously have been letting the dog get away with it. You need to teach the dog when and when its not acceptable to bark. Its a lot of hard work and part of that you will need to stop spoilling the dog and teach it your in charge not willing to drop everything when the dog barks. Ignoring a well behaved dog barking is wrong as they obviously need to alert you to something. Ignoring a barking spolit dog is first step to training it.
It sounds like the dog has a lot more problems than just the barking though so maybe you need to look into a dog trainer? Or even just taking it to a dog training session? RSPCA run them in lot of areas for £50 for three month session.
But really you need to put the effort in and realise the dog is a dog not a child to spoil. Unless your willing to do that your just have to put up with the barking and hope no-one complains.
Don't use anti-barking collars as that is just cruel and very lazy.

sarabe

Sounds to me like she has too much energy and doesn't know what to do with it.

All dressed up and nowhere to go!!

Don't go down the route of anti bark collars or any aversives for that matter as these just deal with the symptom not the cause.

I see that you now say there are other issues and I expect they are all connected.

Teaching a dog to bark on command and be quiet on command is okay as long as you understand how to put them both on cue control. In other words you would reward the barking when you ask for it but not if you don't ask for it. Being quiet on command would eventually be more rewarding than barking on command but you would have to build up to that as I expect the dog gets a huge buzz out of barking.

She probably uses barking as a way to release pent up energy and to relieve stress.

If you were to offer her other ways to do this then you may find that the barking incidents will decrease anyway.

I use tug games and hand feeding for this. You may have to change your thinking a bit on how to play tug with your dog if you are a CM follower because for the game to be effective as a stress reliever the dog must always win the game.

Anyway these links explain it far better than I can.

http://www.naturaldogblog.com/blog/2007/08/natural-dog-training-fundamentals-how-to-relax-and-attract-your-dog-using-pushing/

http://www.naturaldogblog.com/blog/2007/07/how-to-play-tug-of-war-with-your-dog-and-have-the-happiest-dog-on-the-block/