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Barking at neighbor (sweet, loving older lady)

7K views 27 replies 15 participants last post by  Jo Ellen 
#1 ·
My neighbor is so kind hearted, caring and loving. If I'm outside by myself she always chit-chats with me. She a little bit on the older side. She even loves my dogs and always is saying 'that's ok that's ok'. Our backyards are adjacent to each others and she has to exit out the back door to get to the garage so we run into each other quiet often.

How can I train Zeeva to stop barking at her. It's so rude and it breaks my heart to have this 75 pound dog bark so wildly at such a kind lady who, although you can tell from her posture and face is terrified, reacts calmly by saying 'that's ok, she hasn't gotten used to me yet'. I haven't tried anything yet. I don't want to involve my neighbor because I'm afraid Zeeva might bite her. I just want Zeeva to shut the eff up and come to me when I call her. Or at the very least, stop barking at her as if she's going to bite her :(

Here's what I have been doing without neighbor around. We've been working on 'stay' and 'come'. She's doing well. But, again, any kind of distraction including 'kind neighbor lady' and Zeeva goes nuts again :(

Suggestions to help my kind, caring, older neighbor out PLEASE!
 
#2 ·
I used distraction,high value treats. With Lucky and his fence running I use fetch .He has to come sit before I throw it and that refocuses him. I also tried to feed high value treats whenever the neighbors would mow the field once a month. How does Smoky react to your neighbor?They are other people on here who can give better detailed plans but I would start with Zeeva getting a treat she loves and using it only when she sees the lady. With Lucky I do sit ,down other commands to keep his focus on me but that is really difficult with people as the condition your normalizing.I'm looking forward to reading the responses.
 
#3 ·
Smokey LOVES strangers and has never EVER barked at anyone let alone the our nice neighbor. He completely ignores the neighbor and goes to the other side of the garage to watch the squirrels or if he wants to be by her he just simply sniffs at the fence....

I will go to petco today (am out of cat litter and need cat food). I will also find some high value treats to try to start training Zeeva the nice neighbor terrorizer.

And you gave me a good idea but our neighbor waters her flowers every Thursday. I will use this as an opportunity to train :)

Thanks! :)
 
#4 ·
I just wondered as Lucky by himself doesnt react and if he does is more easily directed. Daisy and Lucky together were the problem. Daisy reacted to things not scheduled on her calander. Zeeva has a good role model in Smoky then and you dont have the pack mentality to deal which makes it easier.
 
#5 ·
Years ago my grandma had a Rott that lived next door to her. This dog barked at everyone that went through her yard..thankfully the walkway was not connected, otherwise someone would have gotten bit. The fence was not tall enough for that dog, he kinda hung over it. Well anyways, we didn't feel it was safe and feared the dog would go over to attack Grandma. After talking to the neighbors, grandma started giving the dog treats herself. It didn't take the dog a long time to like my grandma after that. That dog never barked/growled at my Grandma again. In fact the rest of us got terrorized unless Grandma was with us:)
 
#7 ·
Where is your dog when he starts barking at her? Is he inside barking out a window? In the yard with you? Behind a fence?

Saber had a habit of going nuts with the crazy barking whenever she saw one particular neighbor dog out the window. She would race around hackling up and barking and wouldn't knock it off. So I now give her one warning ("quiet" or "leave it") and if she barks again I crate her and walk away. I let her out in a few minutes when she is calm. She got the picture very quick not to bark at that dog. She still looks, but doesn't usually bark anymore.

I would also try having her TOSS him treats if he is outside, but not have her approach him when he is barking. I would correct his barking if you are outside with him. When he is quiet and relatively calm, lots of praise and treats from you and/or her (tossed from a safe distance).
 
#9 ·
Zeeva is usually outside doing her business when my neighbor comes home. It happens probably 2-3 times a week. Zeeva will bark at my neighbor from across the fence (we have a single fence that divides the two yards). I just bought some high value treats and will leave them at her doorstop with a note explaining to her to toss the treats to Zeeva...I hope this works :)
 
#8 ·
High value treats = freeze dried liver, boiled chicken breasts or something similar. For Shasta, I used to dice up boiled chicken breasts and store them in a bag with a couple of slices of cooked bacon. I never fed her the bacon, but it made the chicken smell even better.
 
#10 ·
Is your dog unfriendly toward people if they are properly introduced?

I would invite her over. Your dog should be ok with you meeting friendly strangers. Maybe let them meet and have her reward your dog with a treat if it is behaving properly. I think throwing treats to your dog over the fence while it's barking at her would reward that behaviour?
 
#11 ·
No Zeeva is friendly toward people when properly introduced. However, my neighbor is scared of her :( and I think Zeeva feeds off of that. I don't want to put either one in a bad situation. I think you're right about the throwing treats over the fence being a reward for barking...It hasn't worked and I need a new game plan.
 
#12 ·
So today we had a random guy come into our yard. I think he was doing some sort of telephone line survey or something? I dunno.

Anyway, Zeeva began barking at him through the window. I redirected her attention to me with a high value treat. I held her focus and she stopped barking. But as soon as I gave her the treat she went back and began barking at the window again.

I'm surprised that guy didn't get scared. He stood his ground and took his readings without hesitating an inch...

Do you think redirecting Zeeva away from sweet neighbor lady would be good for Zeeva? Or keeping her on a prong while we see neighbor lady outside?

I don't want Zeeva terrorizing our neighbors. On either side. The ones on the other side are not as cooperative but they are not afraid of Zeeva which kind of worries me in a way. I don't want them reaching over to pet her while she is in a bark frenzy...

I guess in brainstorming, my main question is this. How do I properly introduce my dogs to my neighbors.

Zeeva is heavy. She might jump. IMO she is unpredictable. She has never bitten nor IMO will she but she will growl and IMO I think she may become fearful, hackles up and back away.

Smokey is friendly. He WILL for sure jump and bonk them in the face by licking on the lips (that has always been his greeting toward strangers).

I am guessing right now a one by one introduction with the prong on to prevent jumping from Smokey and any unpredictability from Zeeva.
 
#13 ·
" but I would start with Zeeva getting a treat she loves and using it only when she sees the lady"

I think this is not a good plan. It will make Zeeva hyper vigilant to spot the lady to begin the reward loop.
Ideally you want the dog to ignore the lady, recognize the pattern as being normal .
 
#15 ·
so many threads with dogs being rewarded , inadvertantly , for undesireable behaviour, yet when they are good they are ignored. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

If the dog is shy , fear aggressive , an introduction to the neighbour is not going to solve anything. It might give each party a false sense of security. Invitation for disaster. They need to leave each other alone. Dog barks at neighbour privileges taken away. Crate Zeeva up . When she realizes the negative "reward" she'll start responding as best as she can.
 
#18 ·
so many threads with dogs being rewarded , inadvertantly , for undesireable behaviour, yet when they are good they are ignored. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

If the dog is shy , fear aggressive , an introduction to the neighbour is not going to solve anything. It might give each party a false sense of security. Invitation for disaster. They need to leave each other alone. Dog barks at neighbour privileges taken away. Crate Zeeva up . When she realizes the negative "reward" she'll start responding as best as she can.
Very much agree with this. I would never reward my dog for jumping up and acting like a fool by giving it a treat. I call the dog over and it is expected to settle on command. If dog doesn't settle, everything is taken away. Up the obedience, consult a good trainer, and take control of your dog. Remove privileges and manage this behavior.
 
#16 ·
How obedient is your dog, other than the barking?

Can you put her in a platz to meet your neighbour? Or can you put her into a different room and put a baby gate as a deterrent and invite your neighbour over for tea? Maybe if she sees that you two are friendly she will relax?
 
#17 ·
Our OB training is a working progress (sometimes regress :(). I started training both my dogs recently (Smokey is 3ish Zeeva is a little over 2 years old). I have been a horrible dog owner and I know...but we will get there. Both had classes when they were younger and know commands, but they are wishy washy and unpredictable about listening.

For example, a simple sit or down with Zeeva can take her 30 seconds to do. I do not repeat the command; I simply stand over her and wait. Treat if she does immediately and praise if she takes her time...

I can put Zeeva in another room and invite for tea :) Maybe in her crate so she can watch us? :)
 
#20 · (Edited)
Up the obedience, consult a good trainer, and take control of your dog. Remove privileges and manage this behavior. -- ditto blanketback.
all this treating - first your timing has to be spot on and then the famous question "so how's that working for you and clearly it is not" , there is no reduction in behaviour. The dog barks, you distract , dog gets treat , Oh yay , me want more treats, back to barking, back to rewarding with treats . Behaviour conditioned .

Oh yeah , reading from the same book , same page.
Crate can be used as CONSTRUCTIVE confinement - not punishment. Nanny's time out naughty chair. You want to be out it is going to be on MY terms. To many people have dogs running their lives. They are supposed to be our companions
 
#22 ·
by turning things around (with crate) you are making the dog responsible for his behaviour. After a while the penny will drop . Might make him calmer all round , exercise better judgement .
I have a friend who is a teacher - just went back -- specialty class , aggressive outburst , attention deficit, autism and all the spectrums, young adults in primary grade ability -- she uses the exclusion from group when they become difficult and unmanageable . This is what we expect from you if you are to be a member at this table- group, activity. Even the most challenged figures it out.
 
#25 ·
If your dog is keeping you awake at night barking or disturbing the neighbors during the day with his barking, you know how important it is to overcome this problem. You may have already tried yelling at him and realized that this is completely ineffective. Understanding the causes of barking in a dog can be tremendously helpful.
 
#26 ·
my dogs barking for no reason annoys me to no end. Riley is a barker but to be honest, there's some wires in his head that aren't right so really I'm just managing him until I can finally get myself to take him to the vet to release him from the demons that have been growing in his head for a couple years now.

Shasta is generally a very quiet girl but the dogs next door set her off like a lunatic. I originally bought a bark collar for Riley to wear because his barking was just past excessive. He's toned it down considerably and all I have to say now to remind him that its unacceptable is 'Riley bark collar!' and he'll stop barking and just grumble and growl. I started putting the bark collar on Shasta before letting her outside when I know the neighbor dogs are out. The first couple times she went flying out like usual and started the nonstop barking. The collar got her. She tried again. Collar got her again. It also helped redirect her away from the object(s) of the obsessive barking when the collar would get her and I called her to leave it. It works for us and I'm really just waiting for the time my husband gets home from deployment and we move back to the east coast.

I definitely agree that you need to stop rewarding her behavior.
 
#28 ·
I have the same issue with Spirit, Zeeva. Except he barks at everything...neighbors, birds, dogs, the snow, planes, sounds. I haven't received any complaints but it's bothering me a great deal, so I guess we do have a complaint :p

I know what I have to do, I just don't want to do it. When he starts his barking jag, he won't come to me for anything, he won't even let me get close enough to get ahold of him. I need to take him out on leash only so I have complete control. The only way I'm going to be able to correct this behavior is to stop it from happening. Gotta have him on a leash for that, all the time, until he gets it.

It's winter, it's freezing, sub zero sometimes, cold, icy, windy. I don't want to go outside! Lame, yes. Come spring and summer, I am totally on this, I will get it done. I was very happy with Punxatawny Phil yesterday :)

I have some major rehab work ahead for Spirit and I. If I was a completely respectabe person, I would be doing it now. I know.
 
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