Resisting Knee-jerk Reactions

[corvus]

On Monday Erik spent most of the day jumping up every minute to go bark at something for 5-10 minutes, that being how long I can stand a barking dog for. I couldn't even tell what he was barking at most of the time. Sitting in my study trying to work, all I wanted was for a certain little dog to shut the hell up and let me work in peace. I didn't want to take time out to take him for a run or do some training. I just wanted to work! I got crankier and crankier and was doing that human knee-jerk reaction thing where I was just like "ERIK, SHUT UP!" and I'd get that instant gratification of him shutting up for a few moments before he started again.

Eventually, I admitted to myself that this was a long way from anything I would suggest someone else do. I knew it didn't work and was only making me cross and desensitising Erik to the useful pause reaction when someone shouts his name. So I brought the treats into my study and set about teaching Erik why lying on his bed beside me is a good pastime for him. I started that on Wednesday. Not three days (and 5 "reward straps") later, Erik is cutting off his own barking after one short bout and then coming back to sit on his bed. A few rewards later he is lying on his bed half asleep. So not only have we curbed the barking, but also lowered his arousal. The guys that mow the lawn are here this morning and Erik gets very aroused by strange people inviting themselves into the yard. He almost wasn't going to leave them out there alone to do their thing, preferring to bark manically at them instead. I thought for a moment I was just going to have to put up with crazy, over threshold Erik inside for the next half an hour and was dreading the inevitability of Erik being worked up for the rest of the day, as that's what normally happens. Somewhat to my surprise, I only had to put up with it for five minutes, then he was lying on his bed squashing his barks down to quiet little yips and then nothing. Kept the reward rate high for a bit so he was motivated to stay put and then tapered it off and now he's snoozing there on his bed, completely relaxed.

So next time I'm tempted by a knee-jerk reaction, hopefully I will recall how useful it is to resist and approach the problem from a training perspective rather than an emotional human perspective. The thing I love best about Erik is that I can't be lazy with him. He doesn't just mould himself to our lifestyle the way Kivi did. If he wants to do something he won't just give up because I say I think he should come inside and be quiet. He needs better reasons than that.

[huski]

I had a similar problem with Daisy the other day. We had to spend the day clearing the yard up and had to have the dogs locked on the back deck/inside. Daisy barked and barked and barked wanting to come downstairs. I agree yelling at them to be quiet is very ineffective, so I sprayed her with a water bottle a couple of times when she barked and it worked and she was quiet for the rest of the day

[corvus]

I like my way. I didn't even have to get out of my chair. And I don't have a dog that runs away whenever someone picks up a water bottle. I do have a dog that ducks whenever someone tosses a pillow around, though... Didn't have to get out of my chair for that one, either.

[huski]

I like my way. I didn't even have to get out of my chair. And I don't have a dog that runs away whenever someone picks up a water bottle. I do have a dog that ducks whenever someone tosses a pillow around, though... Didn't have to get out of my chair for that one, either.

I didn't have the luxury of time (we had a lot of work to get done ASAP so I couldn't hang around for days dolling out treats) and I hid under our deck and squirted her so she didn't see where it came from

[Tilly]

I tried the squirt bottle with my boy when he was getting into stuff he shouldn't or barking ... but he loves water and thinks it is an absolutely fantastic game rather then any sort of correction

[huski]

I tried the squirt bottle with my boy when he was getting into stuff he shouldn't or barking ... but he loves water and thinks it is an absolutely fantastic game rather then any sort of correction

LOL what is aversive to one dog is not necessarily to another!

For Daisy it was more the shock/surprise of a short burst of water hitting her when she was not expecting it. I wouldn't have done it if she was barking out of fear/anxiety, but she was barking because she thinks that's how she can get her own way.

[corvus]

Or out of frustration. Most of Erik's barking is usually frustration barking, but if something exciting happens he just gets himself wired and goes into hyper-vigilant mode. Frustration barking is difficult IMO, because you have to figure out why the dog is frustrated. If it's because they are anticipating something and haven't got it yet the best solution I've found so far is to de-couple all the cues that led to the anticipation from the reward or activity that is anticipated. If it's frustration because the dog wants something and doesn't know HOW to get it, then it's harder. You can teach them a way, but IME you have to be very consistent. I did this with Erik for attention-seeking, and it's a bit hit-and-miss. I tend to periodically reward the bark without realising it until after. If you don't ever plan to give the dog what they want, I've found it's also a bit hit-and-miss. I have a "go away" cue for Erik that is meant to convey that he's not getting what he wants so he may as well give up. Takes a bit of generalising, though. It works brilliantly for food, but apparently only if I say it, and only about my food. I'm working on generalising it, but it takes a bit of tolerance and I have to admit I don't get that many opportunities to introduce it into other situations. I do have a "that's all" cue to tell him to quit staring at his toys and barking at them, so I guess maybe I've made both a bit too specific. And then there's over threshold frustration barking, and there's nothing much for that but to try to calm Erik down. I guess a punishment would work, if I was that upset by it.

Kivi just gets cuddles whenever he starts barking incessantly. It's the only reason he barks. I used to resist, but every time I went out there to see what he was on about he'd be looking so cute and happy and he'd come and lean on me and I couldn't help myself and I'd be cuddling him before I knew what I was doing. Luckily he's got Erik these days and is now rarely socially frustrated.