Need suggestions about barking

DharmasMom · 10-14-2010, 05:27 PM

So my next door neighbors (we live in a townhouse) have gotten a dog. This is all well and good except he is driving Dharma crazy. Suddenly over the weekend (when I had the windows open) she started running to my dining room window that looks out into my backyard and barking like mad. It wasn't until Monday that I realized they had gotten a dog. I guess she could smell him or hear him moving around the yard.

The dog doesn't bark much but sometimes give a "woof" or 2. This set Dharma off and she races to the window and barks like her life depends on it. On Tuesday morning she woke me up from a sound sleep at 7am going crazy because this dog was in the yard (my bedroom window was open). When I let her out, if the dog is out there then she runs up and down the fence (a 6 foot privacy fence so she can't really see him), barks her head off and refuses to go potty. She is driving me crazy and I am afraid that she will disturb the neighbors and they will complain.

How on earth do I stop this behavior. I have tried doing "no bark" and treating when she stops. She takes the treat and runs back to the window/fence and resumes barking. I have tried redirecting her, even grabbing her collar and leading her away from the window or fence. This works for a minute. As soon as I turn her loose she runs right back over there and resumes barking.

Any ideas on how to stop this would be greatly appreciated. It is to the point I am considering getting an ecollar but I really don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary.

DCluver33 · 10-14-2010, 05:51 PM

have they met before? Maybe letting the two dogs meet will help curb her barking.

DharmasMom · 10-14-2010, 06:09 PM

I thought about that but the problem with that is I have never even met my neighbors. I'm just not sure I would be comfortable with ringing their doorbell and asking to let our dogs have a meet and greet.

I guess if there are no more options I may have to do that but for right now I would like to have opinions on other options.

kimi · 10-14-2010, 06:15 PM

I am curious to the answers-we have same exact problem with a barker...

DharmasMom · 10-14-2010, 06:23 PM

The thing is she has never been a barker in the past. With the exception of strangers entering the back yard, the landsacpers or garbage men, she has never barked. Even when the dog behind us would bark or howl she would just ignore them.

I had the same problem with her about 6 months ago though. The same neighbors had one of those small, yappy dogs for about a week. I don't know if they were dogsitting or fostering, the dog disappeared after a week but that dog barked all the freakin time. Dharma would go crazy then as well. She even woke me up a 2am one night because the dog (who lived outside) was barking. The dog disappeared though, and since then she has been quiet as a church mouse.

I don't know how long they will have this dog but I am going to assume the worst and would like to get my dog to quit going off every time the dog is outside. She is driving me crazy with it and I am afraid to take her outside to potty late at night because I don't want her disturbing the other neighbors. I don't care so much about these particular neighbors since it is their dog setting mine off but I do care immensely about the other neighbors. I don't want her reported to the police or the neighborhood association.

DCluver33 · 10-14-2010, 06:24 PM

hum what about teaching a 'enough' and 'watch me' command? and use a really high value treat

**JKlatsky** · 10-14-2010, 06:34 PM

Tag will get going sometimes when the other dogs are out and doing things. He gets in a high state of excitement, and his brain shuts off. He's no longer thinking just this higher pitched excited barking like some kind of fool. I've generally only found that aversives work. Bark collars, or I will use a collar and leash because I have to break that state of mind so that he can even think about what I want. Then I reward once he's quiet.

DharmasMom · 10-14-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCluver33

hum what about teaching a 'enough' and 'watch me' command? and use a really high value treat

I haven't tried teaching "watch me" She pretty much knows "stop it" That is how I get her to stop digging when she starts or anything else I catch her doing that she isn't supposed to. She just gets to excited and doesn't listen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKlatsky

Tag will get going sometimes when the other dogs are out and doing things. He gets in a high state of excitement, and his brain shuts off. He's no longer thinking just this higher pitched excited barking like some kind of fool. I've generally only found that aversives work. Bark collars, or I will use a collar and leash because I have to break that state of mind so that he can even think about what I want. Then I reward once he's quiet.

I'm afraid that may be what I will have to do. I hate the idea of doing it. I have never used negative reinforcement. The only time I have ever raised my hand to her at all was once when I caught her chewing on my love seat. I yelled stop it and reached for her collar. She turned her head and bared her teeth and growled at me. I admit that she did get her butt beat then. I didn't hurt her but I made it clear that that behavior would NOT be tolerated. She walked off and sulked for several hours. And she has never bared her teeth at me since. Well except when I put eye drops in her eyes or am trying to clip her nails but saying loudly "no" or stop is usually enough to put an end to it.

ShenzisMom · 10-14-2010, 07:30 PM

I would suggest either obtaining a long-line(30 ft) training lead, or an ecollar. When working with an ecollar please read leerburgs website, and watch as many videos as possible. Ecollars are great tools, in the right hands. You don't even have to make the stimulus high at all. Level 1 or 2, just enough so she feels it. Of coarse, if she ignores it then up the stimulus. But use the least force necessary to get a reaction.
I have tried a high quality ecollar on myself. And the 'tap' while it made my muscles twitch, were nothing. It would definantly get your attention, but does not hurt. The constant stimulation even on low levels is something that I would avoid, not at all cost, but avoid. On constant the stimulation itself was somehow very much greater than the same level on tap.
Don't knock it till you've tried it.

krystyne73 · 10-14-2010, 08:34 PM

I have this same issue with one of my dogs, I have 4, and she gets in such a frenzy, barking at the new dog next door that she turns around and attacks my other dogs who aren't even barking!
Now 2 of the dogs run inside when she starts barking. Luckily that next door dog isn't outside often nor are my dogs but it is still stressful. She has even bitten my leg when I tried to get her away from the fence. we have now put an ugly wire fence 6 ft from the wooden fence and this has helped a little since she can't bite at the fence closest to the neighbor dog. I bought the e-collar but have been worried to use it when the other dogs are around. I was told with her she might attack more viciously.

10-14-2010, 05:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
DharmasMom Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 2,587	Need suggestions about barking So my next door neighbors (we live in a townhouse) have gotten a dog. This is all well and good except he is driving Dharma crazy. Suddenly over the weekend (when I had the windows open) she started running to my dining room window that looks out into my backyard and barking like mad. It wasn't until Monday that I realized they had gotten a dog. I guess she could smell him or hear him moving around the yard. The dog doesn't bark much but sometimes give a "woof" or 2. This set Dharma off and she races to the window and barks like her life depends on it. On Tuesday morning she woke me up from a sound sleep at 7am going crazy because this dog was in the yard (my bedroom window was open). When I let her out, if the dog is out there then she runs up and down the fence (a 6 foot privacy fence so she can't really see him), barks her head off and refuses to go potty. She is driving me crazy and I am afraid that she will disturb the neighbors and they will complain. How on earth do I stop this behavior. I have tried doing "no bark" and treating when she stops. She takes the treat and runs back to the window/fence and resumes barking. I have tried redirecting her, even grabbing her collar and leading her away from the window or fence. This works for a minute. As soon as I turn her loose she runs right back over there and resumes barking. Any ideas on how to stop this would be greatly appreciated. It is to the point I am considering getting an ecollar but I really don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary.

10-14-2010, 05:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
DCluver33 Crowned Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 4,530	have they met before? Maybe letting the two dogs meet will help curb her barking. __________________ ~Steph~ Dodger 3 yr old GSD (6/23/08) Molly 13 yr old Border Collie/Aussie Mix (7/4/98) RIP my Angel: Chopper 17 yr old Border Collie (10/1/94-12/30/10) fruit good, cake great, fruitcake nasty crap ~ Jim Gaffigan

10-14-2010, 06:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
kimi Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NW Burbs of Chitown Posts: 178	I am curious to the answers-we have same exact problem with a barker... __________________ Kimi Codi-May 14, 2002 female GSD Jackson-May 15, 2010 male GSD

10-14-2010, 06:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
DCluver33 Crowned Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 4,530	hum what about teaching a 'enough' and 'watch me' command? and use a really high value treat __________________ ~Steph~ Dodger 3 yr old GSD (6/23/08) Molly 13 yr old Border Collie/Aussie Mix (7/4/98) RIP my Angel: Chopper 17 yr old Border Collie (10/1/94-12/30/10) fruit good, cake great, fruitcake nasty crap ~ Jim Gaffigan

10-14-2010, 06:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
JKlatsky Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 2,985	Tag will get going sometimes when the other dogs are out and doing things. He gets in a high state of excitement, and his brain shuts off. He's no longer thinking just this higher pitched excited barking like some kind of fool. I've generally only found that aversives work. Bark collars, or I will use a collar and leash because I have to break that state of mind so that he can even think about what I want. Then I reward once he's quiet. __________________ Argos vom Eisernen Loewen VPG1, CGC, TC 3-3-07 Bianka vom Eisernen Loewen BH, CGC, TC 1-3-08 Cade vom Eisernen Loewen CGC 3-25-09 D'Artagnan (Tag) vom Eisernen Loewen 2-2-10 G Aiko von Burkndeiros SchH 3, IPO3, FH, TC, KKL2 9-17-02

10-14-2010, 06:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
DharmasMom Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 2,587	I thought about that but the problem with that is I have never even met my neighbors. I'm just not sure I would be comfortable with ringing their doorbell and asking to let our dogs have a meet and greet. I guess if there are no more options I may have to do that but for right now I would like to have opinions on other options.

10-14-2010, 06:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
DharmasMom Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 2,587	The thing is she has never been a barker in the past. With the exception of strangers entering the back yard, the landsacpers or garbage men, she has never barked. Even when the dog behind us would bark or howl she would just ignore them. I had the same problem with her about 6 months ago though. The same neighbors had one of those small, yappy dogs for about a week. I don't know if they were dogsitting or fostering, the dog disappeared after a week but that dog barked all the freakin time. Dharma would go crazy then as well. She even woke me up a 2am one night because the dog (who lived outside) was barking. The dog disappeared though, and since then she has been quiet as a church mouse. I don't know how long they will have this dog but I am going to assume the worst and would like to get my dog to quit going off every time the dog is outside. She is driving me crazy with it and I am afraid to take her outside to potty late at night because I don't want her disturbing the other neighbors. I don't care so much about these particular neighbors since it is their dog setting mine off but I do care immensely about the other neighbors. I don't want her reported to the police or the neighborhood association.

10-14-2010, 07:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
ShenzisMom Master Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Brampton, ON Posts: 839	I would suggest either obtaining a long-line(30 ft) training lead, or an ecollar. When working with an ecollar please read leerburgs website, and watch as many videos as possible. Ecollars are great tools, in the right hands. You don't even have to make the stimulus high at all. Level 1 or 2, just enough so she feels it. Of coarse, if she ignores it then up the stimulus. But use the least force necessary to get a reaction. I have tried a high quality ecollar on myself. And the 'tap' while it made my muscles twitch, were nothing. It would definantly get your attention, but does not hurt. The constant stimulation even on low levels is something that I would avoid, not at all cost, but avoid. On constant the stimulation itself was somehow very much greater than the same level on tap. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

10-14-2010, 08:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
krystyne73 Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Edmond/Guthrie, Oklahoma Posts: 1,339	I have this same issue with one of my dogs, I have 4, and she gets in such a frenzy, barking at the new dog next door that she turns around and attacks my other dogs who aren't even barking! Now 2 of the dogs run inside when she starts barking. Luckily that next door dog isn't outside often nor are my dogs but it is still stressful. She has even bitten my leg when I tried to get her away from the fence. we have now put an ugly wire fence 6 ft from the wooden fence and this has helped a little since she can't bite at the fence closest to the neighbor dog. I bought the e-collar but have been worried to use it when the other dogs are around. I was told with her she might attack more viciously.

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