Barking While I Train Other Dog And At The Neighbours

[Henrietta]

Hi all,

I have recently started doing some more training with my staffy, it's great because she loves it and we get to have some 'us' time away from my pup. I used to just have big games in the backyard or walk with Gracie (staffy) for some 'us' time, but she really enjoys the obedience too, so I have taken to training her everyday and having a big game afterwards.

As you probably know, I am training Abby also, she is coming along well and is enjoying herself too. I usually train her first, about 5 minutes worth and have a big game (I also do some mini training sessions in my room or anywhere I can during the day). But for this 'big' training session I train her first, then Gracie. When I put Abby upstairs, she barks and won't stop.

Now, she isn't normally a huge barker, although there is another time when she will bark without fail and that is when she greets the neighbours. She has known them since she was very young and gets pats off them too, but she always wants to bark, and she will keep going if I don't stop her. I have watched from the window too, and when this happens she barks at the neighbours and then turns around to see if I am coming.

I am hoping to minimise unecessary barking, because before you know it I may have a big barking problem. I usually say 'that'll do' or 'quiet', but lately that doesn't cut it. Today I couldn't make her stop whilst I was training Gracie. I had to put her in my little brothers' room at the other end of the house. (He was in the room, so she was quite content and didn't bark). She comes when she is called a lot better nowdays, so I can usually call her when she is barking at the neighbours.

I feel that I am not doing something right, maybe I am not stern enough, maybe I need to enforce time out, maybe I sound like I'm barking myself??? Our staffy hardly ever barks, so to be honest I've never had to deal with barking.

Any tips at all would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and I don't think it's a boredom thing, because she does this when I am at home.

[Henrietta]

Guys, I just forgot there is a search function, can you believe it.

Seems to be heaps on barking, I will have a squiz, but if I have any further questions relating to my situations, I'll ask. Silly Em.