# Barking Advice



## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm wondering how much barking is considered normal and when and how I should stop it? Fionn is barking more these days. Not excessive, but he barks when he gets excited, wants to plays, or when the doorbell rings (he's 15 weeks). I really don't want a barkie dog. Lately if I'm sitting having dinner, on my computer, reading, etc. and he wants my attention or to play, he'll crouch in front of me and start with a low grrrr which after I ignore him long enough elevates to a bark. When I tell him "no" (sternly, but not with a raised voice) he runs in circles and starts barking like crazy. I've tried completely ignoring him and putting him in his expen for a time out (he doesn't bark when I put him in there). I always make a point of giving him lots of attention and "good boys" when he's playing quietly or chewing a toy on his own to encourage that behaviour. 

Tonight when the barking started I told him "no" and put him in his expen. He seemed so sad and dejected when I came back to get him. I gave him lots of affection and "good boys" and held him on my lap for a while. Now he's curled up in the corner asleep. I feel like a heel..... I think he's ticked off at me.....

So, my question is, should I expect and accept a certain amount of barking? If so, when and at what intensity?

How do I effectively correct unwanted barking?

Thanks....


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I will be following this thread with interest for SURE.
i wish I had some advice, then maybe I'd know how to handle OUR barking dog.
She hasn't always been barky, but as she has gotten older (she is a year) she has started barking at everyone who walks by our house whether they have a dog or not.
We do the "quiet" command and she just completely ignores it barking like a madwoman at the front fence. I HATE it. She will also bark when she sees any other dogs anywhere. I think it is mostly a "I want to get closer and meet you" bark for both the people AND the dogs as when we are able to get up close to stops barking and greets them excitedly. But all the barking is starting really get worrisome. She just will not stop no matter what I do.
Hope the experts chime in soon and help us out!!
Thanks!


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## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

Since writing this post over an hour ago Fionn has been quietly sitting in the kitchen watching me cook. I continually told him "good boy" and gave him lots of praise as he laid beside me playing with his toy or just watching me. I just took him out for a pee and came inside was getting ready to start to play with him and wham!! Barking!!! Help..............!!!!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

My boys bark. Different barks for different wants...

Jack will bark if I do not get the signal that he wants to go outside to potty. 

Alert bark (someone is outside, across the street, or walking down the street). I acknowledge...I get up to see what it is... "Ok" "Thank you, it's ok." And they stop barking. 

Make sure your pup is getting plenty of exercise. "A tired puppy is a good puppy."

Praise all good behavior a lot! We tend to say no to our pups and not enough praise. We need to teach them what is acceptable.

Patience. Isn't training fun!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Pooch said:


> I'm wondering how much barking is considered normal and when and how I should stop it? Fionn is barking more these days. Not excessive, but he barks when he gets excited, wants to plays, or when the doorbell rings (he's 15 weeks). I really don't want a barkie dog. Lately if I'm sitting having dinner, on my computer, reading, etc. and he wants my attention or to play, he'll crouch in front of me and start with a low grrrr which after I ignore him long enough elevates to a bark. When I tell him "no" (sternly, but not with a raised voice) he runs in circles and starts barking like crazy. I've tried completely ignoring him and putting him in his expen for a time out (he doesn't bark when I put him in there). I always make a point of giving him lots of attention and "good boys" when he's playing quietly or chewing a toy on his own to encourage that behaviour.
> 
> Tonight when the barking started I told him "no" and put him in his expen. He seemed so sad and dejected when I came back to get him. I gave him lots of affection and "good boys" and held him on my lap for a while. Now he's curled up in the corner asleep. I feel like a heel..... I think he's ticked off at me.....
> 
> ...


First, I have to say that I think it is pretty common for them to go through a "barky" phase. How you handle it determines how long it lasts or whether it ever goes away. I don't think any of us want a totally silent dog. As Linda pointed out, there are times that barking is appropriate... Like when they need to go out or when someone is at the door. It took Kodi a LONG time to start to bark to go out, and it has made life MUCH easier. I don't have to guess when he might need to potty! Since adolescence, he has barked when someone comes to the door. I really don't mind this. Like Linda's dogs, he stops when I say, "OK, Kodi, I've got it."

As you've already learned, saying "no" doesn't do anything. That's because they haven't got a CLUE what you are saying "no" to! The best way to stop most unwanted behavior is to TOTALLY ignore it, if at all possible. This is particularly true with demand barking.

Puppies also just wind themselves up sometimes and bark for no reason other than to hear themselves bark. The best way to deal with this is to gently and COMPLETELY silently, put them in their crate or ex-pen until they settle down. Don't even look at them until they settle down. It sounds like this is pretty close to what you are doing, and it seems to be working nicely. It sounds like he's getting the message!

At one point when Kodi was little he would get so wound (usually shortly after supper every night) that even putting him in his crate wasn't enough to get him to unwind. I had to cover his crate with a table cloth so he couldn't see us until he got himself under control. Every once in a while when we are at a trial, he'll start making little hippy noises that he wants to get out of his crate at a time when he needs to be waiting (and resting) quietly. All I have to do is put a small towel over the front of his crate as a reminder, and he settles right down. He learned that as a puppy.

I think it's a matter of careful management AND teaching though the barky period so that they learn when barking is or isn't appropriate. I know it can be frustrating... It was THE most frustrating thing I've encountered in training Kodi. He drove me CRAZY with demand barking in our classes whenever it wasn't our turn. he would, bark and bark. I would do what the instructor suggested, ignore him, not look at him, turn my back to him, stand on his leash... Nothing seemed to make it any better. I finally decided that he was not mature enough to handle these competition obedience classes where there was a lot of standing around, waiting your turn. I switched to taking private lessons and a "drop-in" class that was much faster paced with very little standing around time. He improved IMMEDIATELY. I realized that I was just asking too much of him for that point in his maturity. now we can participate in classes with more waiting, and he can quietly wait his turn. And I don't think we would have gotten him to that point if I hadn't taken him out of that environment where he couldn't succeed when he was younger.

I don't know what to say about Tillie's barking at everyone going by on the street. That sounds like a tough one. We don't live within sight of the street, so any time there is someone witting sight, they actually ARE coming to our house. Tammy, why don't you ask this question again in a week or so? Dave is away at the moment, but, knowing him, he'll have an article or two with useful information!:biggrin1:


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

I agree. Ignore is key. When Roshi barks in his crate to be let out. I just turn my back on him and just sit there and wait. Then barks become whines and whimpers and then there will be a "clunk", which means... Roshi gave up, and will lay in the crate and wait. When i hear the total silence, I count to 30 and then let him out. 
Same thing with play. When he barks for his toy, I shut down on him. Fold my arms with toy in hand and look away. He now knows, crap, shouldn't have barked. He just drops into a down with head between paws. and looks up with eyes saying "Look mom, me quiet now. Toy please."


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## evaofnc (Feb 22, 2011)

Pooch said:


> Since writing this post over an hour ago Fionn has been quietly sitting in the kitchen watching me cook. I continually told him "good boy" and gave him lots of praise as he laid beside me playing with his toy or just watching me. I just took him out for a pee and came inside was getting ready to start to play with him and wham!! Barking!!! Help..............!!!!


You're on the right track!

Eva decided to become a terrible barker whenever the doorbell rang, or she heard voices outside our front door, or when the neighbor's dog barks. What makes it extra frustrating is she rarely barks out in public, just when she's inside and it gets amplified by the walls:frusty:

Our trainer has had us do two things to get her to stop.

For the doorbell, we do 5-10 minute sessions where one of us stands outside, with the front door open, and rings the doorbell. As soon as the doorbell rings, the other person gives her the command to go to her bed and when she's not barking, lavish her with her favorite treats. As soon as a bark comes out of her though, the treats stop. If she stops barking and remains silent for a few seconds, the treats resume. We've been doing this for about a week now and already have seen results.

For the barking at any other time, we wait until she has stopped barking, give the command "no bark" and give her treats. She's supposed to get the association, "Hey I get treats when I don't bark and don't get treats when I do." This has been slower going but she's started to pick up on it. She's now started in a situation where she used to bark just coming up to one of us and nestling her head in our hand which I greatly prefer!


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