# Barking help?



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Hello!

Tillie is nearly 5 months old and is doing amazing blending into our family, with potty training and in her puppy class!
But within the past few days she has started barking more, in "play" with our cats, at any unexpected noise, kids riding skateboards out front, etc...
I know some barking is okay, but how do I stop her from "over barking"? I don't want to yell and having a shaker can full of rocks or something isn't always conveniently nearby ... any reccomendations before this becomes a problem?

Thanks!!


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

I wish I could be more hopeful about this. Ellie is now 2 years old and as she has grown, she has become more and more of a guard dog. I live in an apt. bldg. and she barks at noises in the hall, carries on conversations with other dogs in the building, and "threatens" delivery-people with all of her 15 pounds! She also chases skate boards and joggers in the park. I've hired two trainers with only some improvement.
I have found that bribery and dominance really helps and I wish I'd taken the dominance approach from the start. 
If I stand over her, make her sit down (they need to calm down because they are usually quite excited by the time they're barking), and tell her "quiet", it does have a positive, although not guaranteed, effect. A treat also has a very positive effect .
I've recently read in the AKC descriptions that Havanese were bred to be guard dogs - guard dogs bark when they think they need to protect you.
On the more positive side, she is getting a little better as long as I am very consistent and very serious. 
Hope this helps in that you know you are not alone.
And btw, the high pitched devices made to stop the barking seriously hurt Ellie's ears and she would squeal in pain - I stopped using it immediately.
Louise


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## PuraVida (Aug 18, 2010)

When Picasso came home with me a little over a month ago, all hell broke loose around here. Suddenly a sink hole opened up and you cannot imagine the noise. Then an earthquake. Picasso was barking at everything and anything. He was totally getting on my nerves with all the noise. He would even bark at the little noise my computer makes when the sound is either made louder or softer. Out of total and complete desperation, I finally realized I had to do something. When I heard something, whether he was reacting already or not, I called him over to me. I held a treat between my eyes and told him to "look at me". He would also sit at that point, something he had already learned. I would hold the treat there as long as I could without his going too nuts (he is, after all, still a puppy!) while telling him what a good dog he was. I would finally give him the treat. I would do it again if need be. I am happy to report that it has worked for him. Yes, he still barks at some things but overall he is so much quieter. No longer does it seem like the more hysterical barking he had been doing. Also, he no longer seems to join in the dog chorus we have around here. I think the whole "look at me" thing really worked to let him know that all was safe and good. He was clearly able to relax some. When I told my new trainer about this whom I met after the fact, he told me that it was a perfect approach so I share it with you so you can see if it is perfect for your dog.

Good luck. I know how tough it can be. I marvel that some Havanese don't make much noise at all. Not my guy! Evidently not your little one either! Guard puppies - lovely!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kodi went through a VERY noisy period from about 5 or 6 months through just over a year. He drove me batty, because nothing I did seemed to help. A lot of it was "demand" barking, and when he did that, I just turned away and ignored him. With demand barking, it's important not to say ANYTHING to the dog, because anything you say, or even just looking at them, can reinforce the behavior. But then a couple of times he was saying he needed to go out, I ignored him and he had an accident. So it was a tricky balance.

Barking at the cat we had to limit by just separating the two of them. She teased him, he barked. They BOTH were at fault, and I was stuck with the noise.<g> Separating them with a door was the only thing that worked there, but it has definitely gotten better over time. She doesn't tease as much and he ignores her more.

There was a short period, around 13 months, when he was barking just to hear himself make noise. It almost seemed to be becoming a habit. I had a trainer come to the house to help me. Some of the things she told me:

Yelling NEVER works. To dogs, that's "barking". What do dogs do when they hear other dogs barking? They join in. So they are happy to chorus right along with you!

Penny cans don't work in the long run. The dog just learns not to bark (much) if you have the penny can near you.<g>

If it's not demand barking, try to distract the dog, and in a very quiet voice, tell them "Quiet". I even found that a quiet, relaxing "Shhhh" sometimes settled him.

Over time, he has learned that it's OK to speak up, but then he needs to stop when I say, "enough". But it was NOT something he learned quickly. It's something that just eventually faded (mostly) away. (and thank HEAVENS, because it was one of our most difficult things... WAY harder than potty training!!!!!)


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

So far the only barking Jack does is when he believes that he has been left in his ex-pen too long and needs a cuddle. I ignore him until he stops and give him a snuggle a couple of minutes later, if it is convenient..... Sometimes I think he gets jealous of homework time.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I have absolutely nothing to offer on this, Gucci barks like a maniac when the doorbell rings (unless it is someone who brings food, post office, ups, pizza delivery...she won't bark if there has been a history of food in a box)

My husband *believes* that all dogs should be 'guard dogs' so he has TRAINED her to do this and encouraged her, despite my efforts 

Although, she only barks then.

Maybe its just a temporary thing, although..If I were you, I'd get a handle on it quickly, the more they get in the habit, the harder it is for them to stop, lol...some people believe that dogs 'need' a job and alerting us is a good job, but I'm not so sure on that.

Kara


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Kara , how many words can we post on this forum . Has it been upgraded?


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

davetgabby said:


> Hi Kara , how many words can we post on this forum . Has it been upgraded?


What do you mean? As far as posting articles?

I'm not sure, I know their are some upgrades in the works, I'll inquire about it though.

Kara


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Thumper said:


> What do you mean? As far as posting articles?
> 
> I'm not sure, I know their are some upgrades in the works, I'll inquire about it though.
> 
> Kara


I mean , the maximum number for one post. If you post over so many ,it wont' accept the post ,but I can't remember. ?


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Eli has become a bit of a barker himself. He's 5 months tomorrow. He makes a noise that sounds like a "hurmph" from deep in his throat. Rarely does he full out bark. But it does happen, particularly if a stranger enters the house or the kids startle him by walking into the room while he's sleeping. 

A few weeks ago I ran into a 10-month old Hav and his owner in the park where I walk Eli on Saturdays. I was surprised it was a Hav because this little guy barked non-stop. I mean he never, ever, ever stopped barking the whole 10 minutes I spoke to his owner. He was purchased in a pet store and looked like he had some Bichon in him which would explain the barking. It was very irritating.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ellie NY said:


> Eli has become a bit of a barker himself. He's 5 months tomorrow. He makes a noise that sounds like a "hurmph" from deep in his throat. Rarely does he full out bark. But it does happen, particularly if a stranger enters the house or the kids startle him by walking into the room while he's sleeping.
> 
> A few weeks ago I ran into a 10-month old Hav and his owner in the park where I walk Eli on Saturdays. I was surprised it was a Hav because this little guy barked non-stop. I mean he never, ever, ever stopped barking the whole 10 minutes I spoke to his owner. He was purchased in a pet store and looked like he had some Bichon in him which would explain the barking. It was very irritating.


I don't know that having some Bichon in him would make him bark non-stop. I know several really nice Bichons.


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

My Hav is a fairly infrequent barker: when he gets really excited playing with the cat, when he gets really excited for agility, at a rare stranger (I'd say 99% of people he mets are his BFF, but a few are just shady and he lets them know), and usually to wake me up at the first light of day, especially if I'm trying to sleep in (AND he doesn't even need to potty just wants to play or will settle for joining us in bed). 

The excited barks (or more like monkey noises) I control really quickly by having him come to me and sit. The shady stranger bark I'm fine with because it's only happened twice - complete with a growl; I figure they might deserve it. The unexpected noise bark you described, only happened a few times for me. Really I think it was a habituation thing - I'm fairly klutzy and drop things like my keys or retractable leash handle or my phone or a kitchen spoon or something somewhat frequently. It happened enough my Hav just quit reacting to it and now's he's fairly unflappable. For the first light of day bark, I haven't a clue; I think my cat plays into it and goads my Hav and together they conspire to get me out of bed. My Hav gets quiet and soon as he hears the shower run and then sits there patiently in his crate waiting for me to come downstairs and let him out.


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