# 6 months old havanese barking problem



## ox3pxo

my puppy continually barks. she only barks at me (her mommy) because she wants attention (especially if she's in her ex pen in the living room and i'm trying to get things done around the apartment). I've tried completely ignoring her but her incessant barking just never stops. 

i do work a 9-5 job so may be thinking it has a little to do with separation anxiety but she's very stubborn and won't listen to me when i try to quiet her.

i tried using a clicker. when she would bark i would say "quiet", click, then give her a treat. it's just not working.

my breeder did warn me that she was one of the yappy ones out of the bunch but I had no idea the barking would be this loud and continuous. I thought it would be easy to train her to stop. 

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks.


----------



## Fashiongal21

I feel your pain! We have a barker too!


----------



## ox3pxo

omg... i just read through some of your old posts about barking issues and it looks like most people just said they'll stop as they get older... :frusty:


----------



## Fashiongal21

ox3pxo said:


> omg... i just read through some of your old posts about barking issues and it looks like most people just said they'll stop as they get older... :frusty:


I have asked several trainers and one whom we might work with privately about training not to bark, or correct the barking. We are not in a situation where we can "just ignore it" or let him bark so if we wind up pursueing I will let you know.


----------



## Momo means Peach

YouTube has several videos of teaching a dog how to be quiet. Here's a link to one video.


----------



## lfung5

It sounds more like a case of separation anxiety. Have you tried searching the forum for that topic? There are tons of threads on it and some very good advice. If it is separation anxiety you can nip that in the bud but you have to get on it immediately. Good luck!


----------



## Suzi

ox3pxo said:


> my puppy continually barks. she only barks at me (her mommy) because she wants attention (especially if she's in her ex pen in the living room and i'm trying to get things done around the apartment). I've tried completely ignoring her but her incessant barking just never stops.
> 
> i do work a 9-5 job so may be thinking it has a little to do with separation anxiety but she's very stubborn and won't listen to me when i try to quiet her.
> 
> i tried using a clicker. when she would bark i would say "quiet", click, then give her a treat. it's just not working.
> 
> my breeder did warn me that she was one of the yappy ones out of the bunch but I had no idea the barking would be this loud and continuous. I thought it would be easy to train her to stop.
> 
> any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks.


 I think the way you are using the clicker is teaching barking. Bark click treat. I would bark too if I got a treat. That age is a very vocal age. Mine hardly ever would bark at me except to play and I usually give in and give some attention. That's probably bad but I figure that's there voice asking me for attention. Other barks don't get the same attention like barking at people or other dogs. I try to distract and say no bark. If they don't stop I take them away from the situation and go in a bit of time out.


----------



## misstray

Mine is an alert barker. He's pretty good now with stopping when I tell him to. What I used to do was tell him "quiet" and then if he didn't stop I'd calmly go and pick him up and put him in his crate for a few minutes until he stopped. Now he pretty much stops when I tell him to, unless he really feels like he can't stop himself and then he crates himself! It's the funniest thing.


----------



## krandall

lfung5 said:


> It sounds more like a case of separation anxiety. Have you tried searching the forum for that topic? There are tons of threads on it and some very good advice. If it is separation anxiety you can nip that in the bud but you have to get on it immediately. Good luck!


I'd be VERY surprised if it's separation anxiety with this puppy... I know her big brother quite well,  and he drove me to distraction with demand barking from 8-18 months.

Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes for demand barking, but if you are consistent, it DOES get better as they mature. I was ready to tear my hair out in the middle of it, but now it has faded into a (semi) amusing dream!

We tried, as much as possible, just to ignore demand barking (easier said than done!) If that wasn't possible and he wouldn't stop, he was put gently in his crate, where he stayed until he was quiet. He even barked at me in classes, when it wasn't our turn... he had to be DOING something ALWAYS!!! I can't tell you how many times I marched him out of the ring to show him that he didn't get what he wanted (me working with him) by barking at me.

Suzi is correct that at least from your description, it doesn't sound like you are using the clicker correctly, and it could actually be adding to the problem. A clicker is a better tool for teaching an animal to DO something than it is for extinguishing an unwanted behavior anyway. You might want to work with a trainer a bit to help you set things up as much as possible for success, and to teach you strategies for handling her demand barking when it occurs.


----------



## Tom King

In training animals, the difference between having quick success and actually going backwards can be quite subtle differences in timing and body language. I know you are 3 1/2 to 4 hours away, but feel free to bring her back and stay long enough for us to work with you and Adri some if you like.

If you came on a weekend night and stayed into the next day, it would probably be long enough, and not interupt your work schedule. Pam can explain much more easily in person than writing it out. Timing is much more easy to pick up in person.

We kept her Sister Willo. She and Willo will have a ball together. Their Sister Rainy came back to stay for several days, and Willo and her Mom, Razzle had a great time playing with her. We also kept ownership of Rainy, but she's living with Pam's Sister in N.J. Experience with the pack is also good for them.

We're having puppies in a few weeks, and Pam is showing some weekends before then, but you can work it out with Pam when is a good time to come, if you can.


----------



## krandall

I would DEFINITELY take Pam and Tom up on this offer if you could. This type of training is invaluable, and you (and Adri!) will have a ball as well. I wish we lived close enough to see more of Pam and Tom. They are both a fantastic source of knowledge. We are both lucky to have breeders like them!


----------



## ox3pxo

Tom King said:


> In training animals, the difference between having quick success and actually going backwards can be quite subtle differences in timing and body language. I know you are 3 1/2 to 4 hours away, but feel free to bring her back and stay long enough for us to work with you and Adri some if you like.
> 
> If you came on a weekend night and stayed into the next day, it would probably be long enough, and not interupt your work schedule. Pam can explain much more easily in person than writing it out. Timing is much more easy to pick up in person.
> 
> We kept her Sister Willo. She and Willo will have a ball together. Their Sister Rainy came back to stay for several days, and Willo and her Mom, Razzle had a great time playing with her. We also kept ownership of Rainy, but she's living with Pam's Sister in N.J. Experience with the pack is also good for them.
> 
> We're having puppies in a few weeks, and Pam is showing some weekends before then, but you can work it out with Pam when is a good time to come, if you can.


Wow, Tom! Thank you so much for the generous offer!! I was thinking it would be nice to visit one of these days to have Adri with her family again =) We definitely are so lucky to have such great breeders!! I'll be in touch shortly and hopefully we can schedule something. If not an overnight stay a day trip sounds fantastic as well. Thanks!!


----------



## Tom King

Yumi and Adri came for their visit yesterday. We (including the dogs) all had a good time. Here's a picture of Yumi holding Adri, and her Mom, Razzle. Adri (pronounced Audrey) had a very good day.


----------



## krandall

Tom King said:


> Yumi and Adri came for their visit yesterday. We (including the dogs) all had a good time. Here's a picture of Yumi holding Adri, and her Mom, Razzle. Adri (pronounced Audrey) had a very good day.


Boy, can you tell those are Kodi's (close) relatives?!?!?

For those who don't know, Razzle is his mom, and Adri is his (little) full sister.


----------



## bjackier

How am I supposed to distinguish between "I want attention bark" from "I need to go out" or "I need water"???


----------



## Tom King

There is a difference, but I don't know how to explain it in words. Keep paying attention, and you'll get it after a while. They're pretty good communicators.


----------



## krandall

bjackier said:


> How am I supposed to distinguish between "I want attention bark" from "I need to go out" or "I need water"???


With Kodi, If he wants attention, he barks AT me. If he wants to go out, it's a much lower, single bark, and he's by the door when he does it. But he didn't do that until he was almost 2. I don't think he's ever barked for water, but I'm pretty careful to make sure his dish is always full.

I think, though, that as with babies, If you aren't SURE there is no physical need, you really have to check and make SURE it's not an "I want to go out" bark (or I need water!) before you put them on ignore. You CERTAINLY don't want them to get the idea that it doesn't do any good to tell you they need to go out!


----------

