Barking issues

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Try to keep this concise ... we have four dogs: Lhasa Apso, Shïtzu, 4month old GSD, 2month old Goldendoodle...

History: the Lhasa and ****zu have a bark collar we interchange between the two, depending on who is the most annoying at the given time. It's been a life saver.

*Yoschi is crate trained and never had an issue with excessive barking until recently.
*The goldendoodle and Yoschi, both have their crates in our den.

The barking is at night and is out of control. I wake up at 4:30am for work,, I actually had to call in sick, due to no sleep, today.

My wife refuses to put the crates upstairs in our room.

Question: Would putting a bark collar on Yoschi be advisable? If not, why?
Would it hinder him later with the protection phase of schutzhund?

[sit,stay]

I would be willing to bet that the crated puppies are responding to the environment. Perhaps the little dogs. Perhaps each other. On the other hand, if the little dogs and their human family routinely disappear every night, they might be expressing concern over being alone. Puppies are pretty driven to seek the security and protection of inclusion.

Or perhaps you get out of bed and respond to them, which has reinforced the behavior? You didn't give much information about the circumstances of their barking, just that they do it and it keeps you awake when you should be sleeping.

I am not sure how fair it is to put bark collars on young puppies while they are crated. At this young age they might still need potty breaks at night. I think you need to ascertain why they are doing it before you can decide how to stop it.
Sheilah

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by sit,stay

I would be willing to bet that the crated puppies are responding to the environment. Perhaps the little dogs. Perhaps each other. On the other hand, if the little dogs and their human family routinely disappear every night, they might be expressing concern over being alone. Puppies are pretty driven to seek the security and protection of inclusion.

Or perhaps you get out of bed and respond to them, which has reinforced the behavior? You didn't give much information about the circumstances of their barking, just that they do it and it keeps you awake when you should be sleeping.

I am not sure how fair it is to put bark collars on young puppies while they are crated. At this young age they might still need potty breaks at night. I think you need to ascertain why they are doing it before you can decide how to stop it.
Sheilah

The issue of them indicating the need to potty and me letting them out at that time seems to be in conflict with the need to not respond to the barking, thereby reinforcing it.

We do give regular potty breaks a couple times a night. He also spends time in the crate during the day while we're at home. We've tried a radio, ignoring etc.

[llombardo]

I think the GSD wants to be with you, starts whining, then the younger pup decides that sounds like fun or it could be the younger pup starting it all. Either way they aren't understanding why they aren't with you and the other two might be. Have you tried separating them at night? Putting the crates where your at might help.

[JakodaCD OA]

dogs pick up not only the good habits of the other dogs in the house but the bad ones as well.

I would never leave any type of collar on a dog/puppy in a crate .

I have no idea if putting a bark collar would hinder his schutzhund training, but I do know I would never put a bark collar on a 4mth old puppy.

IF your wife refuses to have crates in the bedroom, maybe try an experiment and sleep in the den one nite see if you get the same barking..

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by llombardo

I think the GSD wants to be with you, starts whining, then the younger pup decides that sounds like fun or it could be the younger pup starting it all. Either way they aren't understanding why they aren't with you and the other two might be. Have you tried separating them at night? Putting the crates where your at might help.

The two smaller dogs don't have crates but are kept downstairs, blocked by a child safety gate ... this didn't start until shortly after we got the goldendoodle... it may very well be the doodle starting it.. hard to tell.. but Yoschi takes it to a whole 'nother level. Its that elongated "talking" whining with endless barking solos...
Could a bark collar be used for just when he's in the crate at night without doing him any harm?
As for keeping him near us, i.e. crates in the bedroom,, my wife has vetoed that because she doesn't want our room smelling like dog.

[sit,stay]

I don't think putting a bark collar on a four month old puppy is a good idea. Especially not a good idea when you don't know what is causing the behavior.

I don't have a ton of experience with the protection phase of schutzhund, my dog doesn't have the nerve for it so I have stuck with tracking and obedience training. But I have watched a fair number of dogs training in protection work and barking is something that is encouraged. If you put a bark collar on a puppy, you might be curbing a behavior that you'll want later on in his training. That aspect is totally separate from the question of whether or not a bark collar on a crated, four month old puppy is a good idea.

Maybe you should post that particular question to the schutzhund form here? I am sure the experienced trainers could give you a great answer.
Sheilah

[JakodaCD OA]

I will repeat as well, putting a bark collar on a 4mth old is not adviseable and NEVER leave a dog in a crate with any type of collar on.

[Jag]

Seriously? You have four dogs and your wife is worried about the bedroom smelling like dog?? Another reason why I wouldn't have 2 pups at the same time. You can either sleep in the den, or re-home the wife and put the pups in the bedroom. I didn't put my pup's kennel in our bedroom because we didn't have room for it. He didn't have an issue with it, but I had to shut the door so he couldn't see our other dogs or he'd have barked, too. Please do NOT put a bark collar on your pup! He's way too young for that. You want only good things to happen in your GSD's world. You need to build confidence. I'd seriously consider returning the golden-doodle pup to the breeder. Otherwise, I'm afraid you're going to be sleeping in the den for awhile.

[Typhoon]

You can either sleep in the den, or re-home the wife...

Okay, I admit that made me chuckle.