Not barking anymore

abuzar1 · 12-20-2011, 10:43 PM

I very recently got my GSD. Maybe about 2 weeks ago. When I first got him he was very friendly towards me but if he saw someone approach me or my property he would start barking at them.

I've just had final exams and I haven't had much time to train him. All I've taught him so far is to sit lol. The one thing he has stopped doing, however, is barking at people. Not even for newcomers he sees for the first time. We actually got him in the first place kinda like a watch dog. We wanted a dog that would bark and alert if someone was approaching our property and also as a deterrent (GSD can look pretty intimidating).

Is there anyway to get him to start barking again? I know this sounds like a weird question. Or any sort of training I can do by myself to make him "protective" short of taking him to a professional trainer, which is something I can't afford to do at the moment.

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO · 12-20-2011, 10:49 PM

Why would you want your dog to bark at anyone who approaches you? GSDs are supposed to be approachable.

How old is he?

abuzar1 · 12-20-2011, 10:52 PM

He's about a year old. I didn't mean anyone who approaches me. I just want him to bark when someone comes up to my house.

Is that bad for a dog to do? We've got some cars in our backyard and we got him like a watchdog that would alert us to the presence of anyone going in there. For example if someone sneaks into my backyard at night I don't want him to be approachable. I want him to scare them.

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO · 12-20-2011, 10:55 PM

Sorry, you made it sound like you want him to bark when someone comes up to you.
I just looked at your other posts- you just adopted him, right? Give him some time. Bond with him, train him, and socialize him. You don't need to teach GSDs to be good watch dogs, but you do need to socialize them so they recognize the difference between normal and strange situations. And you're right, his mere presence will scare most people.
Is he being kept outside as a watchdog?

onyx'girl · 12-20-2011, 10:57 PM

Barking reactively is sometimes(most often) a fear based reaction. I'd rather have my dog watch and bark if they need to.
abuzar1 as you bond with your dog, he'll feel more at home and confident. Training him in protection without knowing properly how to do it, may backfire on you.

abuzar1 · 12-20-2011, 10:59 PM

He isn't outside all the time but at night he is outside. Yes, I just adopted him. I guess I'll just get all the basics out of the way first and see what happens. I take him for walks and show him to as many friends/family as I can and have them interact with him. Most are scared to come up to him lol

12-20-2011, 10:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
abuzar1 New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 5	Not barking anymore I very recently got my GSD. Maybe about 2 weeks ago. When I first got him he was very friendly towards me but if he saw someone approach me or my property he would start barking at them. I've just had final exams and I haven't had much time to train him. All I've taught him so far is to sit lol. The one thing he has stopped doing, however, is barking at people. Not even for newcomers he sees for the first time. We actually got him in the first place kinda like a watch dog. We wanted a dog that would bark and alert if someone was approaching our property and also as a deterrent (GSD can look pretty intimidating). Is there anyway to get him to start barking again? I know this sounds like a weird question. Or any sort of training I can do by myself to make him "protective" short of taking him to a professional trainer, which is something I can't afford to do at the moment.

12-20-2011, 10:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO Knighted Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 2,249	Why would you want your dog to bark at anyone who approaches you? GSDs are supposed to be approachable. How old is he? __________________ Mikko GM, RM, AAD, ASA, SJ, SS, EAC, EJC, TN-E, TG-E, WV-O, OCC, HP-O, VerO, NAJ, CGC - 6 year old GSD

12-20-2011, 10:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO Knighted Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 2,249	Sorry, you made it sound like you want him to bark when someone comes up to you. I just looked at your other posts- you just adopted him, right? Give him some time. Bond with him, train him, and socialize him. You don't need to teach GSDs to be good watch dogs, but you do need to socialize them so they recognize the difference between normal and strange situations. And you're right, his mere presence will scare most people. Is he being kept outside as a watchdog? __________________ Mikko GM, RM, AAD, ASA, SJ, SS, EAC, EJC, TN-E, TG-E, WV-O, OCC, HP-O, VerO, NAJ, CGC - 6 year old GSD

12-20-2011, 10:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,605	Barking reactively is sometimes(most often) a fear based reaction. I'd rather have my dog watch and bark if they need to. abuzar1 as you bond with your dog, he'll feel more at home and confident. Training him in protection without knowing properly how to do it, may backfire on you. __________________ Jane~ Kept by Onyx, Kacie and Gideon v Wildhaus aka Karlo

12-20-2011, 10:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
abuzar1 New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 5	He's about a year old. I didn't mean anyone who approaches me. I just want him to bark when someone comes up to my house. Is that bad for a dog to do? We've got some cars in our backyard and we got him like a watchdog that would alert us to the presence of anyone going in there. For example if someone sneaks into my backyard at night I don't want him to be approachable. I want him to scare them.

12-20-2011, 10:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
abuzar1 New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 5	He isn't outside all the time but at night he is outside. Yes, I just adopted him. I guess I'll just get all the basics out of the way first and see what happens. I take him for walks and show him to as many friends/family as I can and have them interact with him. Most are scared to come up to him lol

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