Hello, I just bought my first puppy a few weeks ago, her name is Sophie and will be 4 months next week. I've been housebraking her and teaching her basic commands such as down and sit but need help with teaching her to bark less. It seems she does it for attention (which she gets plenty of!). Is there a way that I can teach her to be quiet before it really gets out of hand? My neighbors have a sheltie who is 10 years old and they got him debarked and recommended that i do that. I would rather try and train her first before even thinking about doing anything like that. Please help! Thank you~
New Sheltie and puppy owner/Behavior
- Thread starter Klara
- Start date
congrats on your new addition!! Work on teaching her to bark, once she understands that no bark is easy for them to understand. Also I know some people have used pennies in a tin can to make them stop. Ive never tried that method so im not sure if it works, but as crazy as it sounds teaching her to bark will help teaching her not to bark...
I dont believe in debarking unless its for 2 reasons..1. you have many shelties and they like to yap to each other, and 2. youve tried everything and they just nunsience bark..I have one of those whos 4 1/2 and im considering having her done because she just barks to bark..
I dont believe in debarking unless its for 2 reasons..1. you have many shelties and they like to yap to each other, and 2. youve tried everything and they just nunsience bark..I have one of those whos 4 1/2 and im considering having her done because she just barks to bark..
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BarbV
Forums Celebrity
My Indy was debarked before I got him, but he still barks....apparently the surgery didn't work.
I would focus on training techniques. All dogs will bark it's just a question as to what you can live with. It can be managed down.
Indy barks at my hair blower. But that's 5 minutes per day. And he yips when I'm feeding him. I can live with that too. And my boys bark at the pup next door. When that happens, I bring them in.
If you can't abide a dog that barks, then don't get a dog. Simple!
I would focus on training techniques. All dogs will bark it's just a question as to what you can live with. It can be managed down.
Indy barks at my hair blower. But that's 5 minutes per day. And he yips when I'm feeding him. I can live with that too. And my boys bark at the pup next door. When that happens, I bring them in.
If you can't abide a dog that barks, then don't get a dog. Simple!
Caro
Moderator
Options I found worked better (esp for pup) for attention barking is turning my back, walking off or giving them time out. I now have the problem that my male goes outside and barks if he cannot get my attention inside - because I used all the other techniques I was given which involved my going outside to where he is (including the can shaking).
Don't respond to any of the barking (even if it is cute). At this age they are too young to be guard dogs, so its best to be vigilant early. I did this with my late sheltie and he almost never barked.
Don't bother with "no" (at that age they don't really grasp the word) because it just gets your attention and don't give her a treat if she stops (Shelties are too smart and she will work out bark first, then be quiet and I will get a treat - mine did). Also you might find your pup is set off by your neighbour's barking sheltie (even if it is debarked) so just be wary.
Don't respond to any of the barking (even if it is cute). At this age they are too young to be guard dogs, so its best to be vigilant early. I did this with my late sheltie and he almost never barked.
Don't bother with "no" (at that age they don't really grasp the word) because it just gets your attention and don't give her a treat if she stops (Shelties are too smart and she will work out bark first, then be quiet and I will get a treat - mine did). Also you might find your pup is set off by your neighbour's barking sheltie (even if it is debarked) so just be wary.
shelly&sara
Forums Regular
just ignore it if iit is for atention. if he is barking at things just give him a soft poke on the side to get his attention of what he is barking at. and with a firm voice use what ever word u want to associate. no, hey, stop. whatever u like eventually u wont need to poke him or touch him when u use the word he will know what u want.
I personally do not believe in debarking a dog. i know they say it is no harm to the dog but u know what god made them to be able to bark it is not like neutering or spaying them for health reasons. debarking is to ease the human not the dog. personally i think it is cruel. its like shaving them because u dont wanna be bothered with grooming them. Well then u should not have got a sheltie.
I personally do not believe in debarking a dog. i know they say it is no harm to the dog but u know what god made them to be able to bark it is not like neutering or spaying them for health reasons. debarking is to ease the human not the dog. personally i think it is cruel. its like shaving them because u dont wanna be bothered with grooming them. Well then u should not have got a sheltie.
Need some more advice please
I appreciate all of your posts in regards to barking advice.
I don't mind the occasional bark, which all dogs do, however I have read that sheltie's are known for excessive barking. I think that is my main concern with her because she does just bark to bark, for no reason. That is why I'm trying to minimize that bechavior with a proper command and training. I've tried ignoring her and not paying attention to her when she is barking and it seems to just get worse. Has anyone tried any type of barking collar or any other methods I can try? Like I said before this is my first dog and first Sheltie so I'm new at this and any advice is a great help! Thank you
Klara
I appreciate all of your posts in regards to barking advice.
I don't mind the occasional bark, which all dogs do, however I have read that sheltie's are known for excessive barking. I think that is my main concern with her because she does just bark to bark, for no reason. That is why I'm trying to minimize that bechavior with a proper command and training. I've tried ignoring her and not paying attention to her when she is barking and it seems to just get worse. Has anyone tried any type of barking collar or any other methods I can try? Like I said before this is my first dog and first Sheltie so I'm new at this and any advice is a great help! Thank you
Klara
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
There is another thread on the forum where someone suggested to first train the pup to bark on YOUR command. And then once that was learned, offered training tips on then eliminating the negative barking behaviour.
If you do a search on the site, you should find some good stuff already posted.
Good luck
p.s. For the record and just to clarify, I did not debark my dog - he came to me that way at 10 months. But he still barks anyway! I would not recommend surgery or the barking collars either (I hear they don't work well on Shelties anyway - too much fur???)
If you do a search on the site, you should find some good stuff already posted.
Good luck
p.s. For the record and just to clarify, I did not debark my dog - he came to me that way at 10 months. But he still barks anyway! I would not recommend surgery or the barking collars either (I hear they don't work well on Shelties anyway - too much fur???)
Thanks Barb!
I will try and do that. I had purchased some Sheltie books to help me along the way also haha. I love her she is a sweetheart, but every dog has it qurkes like people do
As for shelties having lots of fur, my puppy is a tri color, 4 months and isn't fluffy at all. Not like the pictures I have seen of other sheltie pups. Is that normal? She isn't a mix and I know that they won't get their full coats until 2-4 yrs. Should I expect her to get fluffier?
Maybe I will post a picture of her and you can see what i mean.
I will try and do that. I had purchased some Sheltie books to help me along the way also haha. I love her she is a sweetheart, but every dog has it qurkes like people do
As for shelties having lots of fur, my puppy is a tri color, 4 months and isn't fluffy at all. Not like the pictures I have seen of other sheltie pups. Is that normal? She isn't a mix and I know that they won't get their full coats until 2-4 yrs. Should I expect her to get fluffier?
Maybe I will post a picture of her and you can see what i mean.
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
I will try and do that. I had purchased some Sheltie books to help me along the way also haha. I love her she is a sweetheart, but every dog has it qurkes like people do
As for shelties having lots of fur, my puppy is a tri color, 4 months and isn't fluffy at all. Not like the pictures I have seen of other sheltie pups. Is that normal? She isn't a mix and I know that they won't get their full coats until 2-4 yrs. Should I expect her to get fluffier?
Maybe I will post a picture of her and you can see what i mean.
Oh, 4 months is the start of the "gawky teenager phase". They get all leggy and gangly and just all round ackward looking! Some pups are in full coat very early on (my first Sheltie was full-coated by about 1 year). But my two current boys - who are also almost one year - have a ways to go. Bacca's is filling in, but still short. Indy still has puppy fur.
I wouldn't worry about the coat for many months. And just think....summer coming, and less grooming!
HopeShelties
Forums Enthusiast
Mine knows how to speak on command, and also quiet down on command. Instead of saying speak/no speak (which i think is a bit confusing for the dog) I use speak and mouth (mouth being shut up). It works well. However, it is not going to work when the dog is unsupervised.