kezza_bear Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 hi just wondering if anyone has any tips for me to get my gsd to stop barking i walk him for more than an hour everynight and he still barks all night i have tried a citronella colar and it doesnt work i have tried getting up to him everytime he barks telling him to leave it and he waits about 5mins then starts again and i have watched him and most of the time he just sits in the middle of the lawn and barks at nothing.. how can i stop this i need to do something before the neighbours get fed up and complain to the council about it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 How old is he? He is barking for a reason even if it's not immediately apparent. It might be strange noises or it might be just because he's distressed and lonely. Can you bring him inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kezza_bear Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 (edited) he is 5 yrs and he isnt lonely because i have another dog with him that doesnt bark uless there is something there Edited January 18, 2010 by kezza_bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 he probably hears noises that you dont, small animals, cars, people etc bring him inside, crate training is a great idea. If walking for one hour a day is the only stimulation he gets as well that is not enough for a german shepherd. Remember too you have a guarding breed so he is doing what is breed is meant to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Bring him inside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Midniara~ Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Bring him inside and crate him for the night. He will feel safe and secure in his crate once he becomes accustomed to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macka Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 I'd bring him inside and I'd also add that if he is only barking at night, get his eyes tested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aziah Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Yep another one who agrees with crate training and indoor sleeping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninahartland Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 and another that says bring him inside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 he probably hears noises that you dont, small animals, cars, people etcbring him inside, crate training is a great idea. If walking for one hour a day is the only stimulation he gets as well that is not enough for a german shepherd. Remember too you have a guarding breed so he is doing what is breed is meant to! agreed 100% - one of my mini schnauzers gets more than that! Do some mental exercise with him (ie training). Look up clicker training and give that a go. Does he get much off leash time outside of the yard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRADA68 Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 And another bring him inside let him become more a part of your family all dogs need this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pockets Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 (edited) If he is barking only during the night, I would want to know why, I wouldnt automatically place him in a crate at night, as it could be making an underlying problem worse. Perhaps start by giving him something to amuse himself when he goes outside, like a nice bone, a kong etc. A sandpit with buried treats When you go out to tell your dog off, on one hand the dog is getting what he wants, regardless that you are telling him off you are going outside and paying him attention, so you could be infact reinforcing this behaviour because the dog knows if he barks you will come out. like a child who continually says "mum, mum, mum, mum, eventually you give in and go "what" just to shut them up Whats does his day consist off? Is he inside until you go to bed? I ask this because some dogs can deal with it, being inside from the time you get home and put outside when its bed time, others can not. For this many times when you get home, I would alter the time he is inside and outsise and mix up the time frames. That way the dog gets used to no routine and learns that being away from you is not the end of the world. Also an idea to maybe advise your neighbours you are aware of the issue and are currently trying to remedy it, the most frustrating thing would be a neighbour thinking nothing is being done to curb the dogs behaviour. Also if you are not home during the day, it is possible he is barking while you are not there aswell, neighbours might indicate this to you, if this is so it may be that the dog is suffereing from seperation anxiety. Edited January 19, 2010 by Pockets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Another vote to bring him inside the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monah Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 He may have got into the habit now. Something could have started it, but now he just does it anyway. Even if he can hear something, because he wont stop barking, you'll have to take action and may need to bring him inside. Maybe he sleeps all day and just isn't tired? He is large active breed, and doing his job of looking after his territory, day and night is the same to him. I also would bring him inside, esp. if it is going to become a neighbourhood problem. Awful to be forced to make some sort of a decision later. it could be that the walk is not enough interaction for him. He has an exceptional brain too, and may need to use it. Bring him in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfsie Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Bring him inside Ditto.......My dogs are scardy cats (newfoundlands) and they would bark if left outside. They would imagine big monsters. Especially our newf rescue, she hates the dark. She like to sleep on her bed inside. three dogs and they are quiet...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monah Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Bring him inside Ditto.......My dogs are scardy cats (newfoundlands) and they would bark if left outside. They would imagine big monsters. Especially our newf rescue, she hates the dark. She like to sleep on her bed inside. three dogs and they are quiet...... Keep that to yourself!! I told someone not to be scared of my wolfhounds years ago (always indoors), next day I went out for an hour and got ROBBED, they were still there when I got home!!! and the dogs were ASLEEP ;) I had to chase them myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~JessyBee~ Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Yep, I would bring him inside too I also agree with Nekhbet, he needs mental stimulation too - a walk is great but probbaly not enough for such a smart breed. I started teaching my boy tricks when I was pregnant (thanks Cosmolo ) and it is great for him, he loves it and it's something I can do even if I can't make it for a walk. Pockets had a good point about breaking up his routine (if he has one) I don't have a routine with my dogs, it saves them getting stressed if the think it is 'walk time' or 'food time' and they are not getting what they think they should. Saves stress if you are out at doggy dinner time or it's too haot to walk. GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 My german shepherd automatically gets on patrol and barks as soon as it's after 10pm at night... when we take her for her final toilet stop, we have to take her on leash or she goes off barking! She even barks before stepping out the door at that time of night.. so she is definitely expecting all the usual night things out there (cats on fence, weird noises, possums) and so now pitch black outside = exciting. To stop her doing that she's on leash only after 10pm I don't see how most dogs WOULDN'T bark at night, it's such a totally different atmosphere when compared to the daytime, I would bark too in the dark! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pockets Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I have 4 GSD's, all of whom sleep outside of a night, mostly there is never a peep unless there is something there. So I doubt it's a guarding instinct at all. As Shell said her dog expects to do it because she is expecting something to be there to bark at :-) Your dog is 5, has he been doing this for that amount of time? if he has started recently has anything changed? is it possible to restrict his access to the yard or leave the laundry door open for him to sleep and feel secure in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Yep, I would bring him inside too Pockets had a good point about breaking up his routine (if he has one) I don't have a routine with my dogs, it saves them getting stressed if the think it is 'walk time' or 'food time' and they are not getting what they think they should. Saves stress if you are out at doggy dinner time or it's too haot to walk. GG LOL Me neither but that's just because I am basically a totally disorganised routine-less individual. My dogs have never had problems with it - they know good stuff happens all the time with me - you just never know when!!! But I never had a really cool sounding excuse for being disorganised before - now I do THANKS GG!!! I can use that one on my super-organised sometime walking-buddy, greyhound-owner friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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