Help with barking training...

P

Pennylane

Forums Regular
Hi all

Im sure this has been discussed before - but unfortunately i couldn't find the search function...

My Sheltie is now just over 1 years old. He's becoming more and more vocal and willing to bark at anything. He's also barking quite aggressively for about a couple of minutes at strangers visiting the house. He's a stubborn little dog! This behaviour has been more noticeable lately and he's getting harder to shush up.

Any tips on how to reinforce my authority and train him to be silent when i command him to? What about training him to not bark at just any noise outside (that would be hard i guess!).

I don't want to use a bark collar yet...

Thank you everyone!!
 
Theres several things you can try. One is some penny's in a can...you shake it to get their attention and interrupt the barking..once you have their attention then you can get them to hush...(thats the theory anyway) I found it hard to have that darn can handy when and where I needed it...plus my dogs just redirected their barking at the noisy can. Or you can use a spray bottle of water..again..wheres the darn can when I need it!! And again..my dogs liked being sprayed with water..another thing to consider with the water bottle is if you use one when grooming....you can see that problem!!
We were instructed to teach them to bark on command...once you can get that ...which is easy with Shelties!! Then you can teach them the "quiet" command. If you do clicker training it goes even better. Start by getting them to bark...(click) praise and treat...when you can get them to bark consistantly add your command..we used "speak"...then when you can get them to bark by just saying "speak"..then you are ready to start the "quiet" command. After you give the command to "speak"...don't praise or treat right away...Your dog should quiet on his own and start looking for the treat of praise..as soon as he's quiet even for a nano second..then (click) praise and treat...again..after he is consistantly quieting on his own..then add your command for "quiet"...It takes alot of practice with the excited barking for them to get it.
For now, when guests come and your pup goes nuts barking..I'd just get ahold of his collar and just put him in a crate or other room...He will soon get it that he gets removed from the action with all the barking.
Theres a whole other thing with door manners...unfortunately we never mastered it real good!! LOL Mine still rush the door and have to sniff anyone that comes in..even from a sort of sit..they wiggle and squirm their way to the person...but after a minute or two..they settle down...
Whatever method you figure out will work for you..be consistant and patient...I find that me doing alot of talking and commanding while they are in a bark fest..only gets them barking more...so get their attention as quietly and with as few words as possible..they will quiet down faster...

Julie
Clancy & Abby
 
What worked really well with mine was to let him bark naturally (he only does so in bursts), but say SHHH combined with a finger over your mouth when he stops to take a breath and praise him for being a good boy. The trainer I met said to combine it with treats, but I didn't want him to do it only for the treats and he responds very well to praise.

Now you can say SHH when he's barking, and he'll stop immediately.

It doesn't end the barking when he's excited, but it does control it.
 
We are also using this same method with Trapp. I put my index finger over my lips,and say "hush". It is the way we taught Earnhardt,and it really works. In the begininng I used a treat when the desired behavior occured.

We get more barking from Trapp when he is playing with Earnhardt,more than anything,he has not shown the tendancy to bark just because he feels like it. Gosh he does'nt even bark when I vacumn~
 
My housekeeper uses "Ah,ah!" in a low growly voice while holding up her finger and she advances on them a little, which actually forces them into a sit. It works like a charm for her when she's trying to vacuum, or wash floors and they decide that the mop or hose needs to be tamed once and for all!

I've had some success with it myself, but the hair dryer and the visitor's at the front door is still a challenge. Working on that!
 
I have barkers. Deska in particular just loves the sound of his own voice!

I use the shh with the finger at the lips as well. If they are outside barking I just whistle and they come back inside (you have to train this with a treat everytime they come inside, now I only occassionally give a treat). They go back outside again but invariably whatever stirred them up has stopped. I was taught by a vet behaviourist to slip a lead over the culprit's head and bring them inside (to time out/calm down) without a word if I was ignored. Time out is excrutiating for a sheltie.

To stop barking when people arrive, or when we go outside for a walk, or when I go to the rubbish bin (you get the idea) I put a lead on Deska and get him to wait. The wait and the lead seem to give him time to think and calm a little - it makes a huge difference. I often just use a slip lead to put on him at these times (its hanging off the back of the door). You could also teach him to 'go to his mat' when a visitor comes and put the mat near the door - maybe let him do one bark to warn and then be quiet. That way he has a 'job' when visitors arrive that doesn't involve being a guard dog.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top