Barking Problem?

[DaveS]

Banjo my 11month old Cattle dog has started to bark lately up at the back fence. People have suggested a few things to me but I'm not sure which may be triggering it? He gets walked twice a day (1hour walk in morning and afternoon) and is played with all day when possible.

He has my mums dog with him and various toys when I have to leave for school, study etc. From what I can tell it seems to be an aggressive bark though sometimes it just seems he is barking for the sake of hearing his own voice. Whenever I see him barking I can't see anything that would be making him bark, though the side neighbours say they have seen the back doors neighbours cats in our tree and there kids jumping up on the trees/fence.

The back door neighbours have said if he doesn't stop barking they will complain but I've tried everything possible that I can think of and the vets in my area say he is bored and needs more exercise so I have tried walking him 3 times per day and trying to play with him more but nothing still works, 10minutes after I leave him after a long walk or just tuckering him out he will go up and bark non stop. So could anyone please give me some advice on what to do? Is it his testosterone coming into play with this?

Dave

[mumof3]

Banjo my 11month old Cattle dog has started to bark lately up at the back fence. People have suggested a few things to me but I'm not sure which may be triggering it? He gets walked twice a day (1hour walk in morning and afternoon) and is played with all day when possible.

He has my mums dog with him and various toys when I have to leave for school, study etc. From what I can tell it seems to be an aggressive bark though sometimes it just seems he is barking for the sake of hearing his own voice. Whenever I see him barking I can't see anything that would be making him bark, though the side neighbours say they have seen the back doors neighbours cats in our tree and there kids jumping up on the trees/fence.

The back door neighbours have said if he doesn't stop barking they will complain but I've tried everything possible that I can think of and the vets in my area say he is bored and needs more exercise so I have tried walking him 3 times per day and trying to play with him more but nothing still works, 10minutes after I leave him after a long walk or just tuckering him out he will go up and bark non stop. So could anyone please give me some advice on what to do? Is it his testosterone coming into play with this?

Dave

Hi Dave,

Cattle dogs are a terrific breed. I bet he is heaps of fun. He could be barking at anything, cats, children, anything really. Unlikely that he is barking at nothing, particularly if it sounds agressive. Once the habit of barking at something in particular has been formed, it can be very difficult to turn off. Here are some ideas:

1: Change the way he is confined so he can't see whatever it was anymore. This may mean making it so he can't see through the fence, or confining him in a different spot.

2: Distract him when he barks. We've often used either a stockwhip or a long low whistle. If you can swing a stock whip, that usually gets their attention away from what is causing the barking (you only use the whip to make a noise, not to hit the dog). Trouble with this method is that it only works when you are there to do it, so it won't stop him barking when you are away.

3: Consider some sort of anti barking collar. There are two basic types that I know of. The citronella ones, and the electric ones. They may help to break the habit, but I've found that dogs soon know it is safe to bark again when the collar is off. It works for some dogs, not for others. At least they work when you are not there. Check the legality of using electric antibark collars in your area, and make sure you follow the instructions carefully and read everything twice. They can be harsh, but cattle dogs are tough, and it is better than having to get rid of your dog because you can't control his barking.

I think option 1 is your best bet. He is a working breed, which means he will really notice and be attracted to any movement outside the fence. He is an adolescent pup, which is the hardest time to get through. Try whatever you can to remove the problem.

Another idea, to get some more support and advice is to join a local obedience club or something similar.

All the best with your dog.

[Lady Flying Furball]

Although a Papillon is a very different breed :D I found that when my dog barked when I was out it was because he was getting stimulated, so I basically sought to leave him in a way that blocked what he was getting excited over. In my case he was looking out the window at the passing parade of people and dogs going to the park next door. I actually blocked him from being able to look out the window and in fact, because he had gotten into the habit of barking in that room, stopped access totally. So maybe there is a way to contain him for a while to break the habit, also if it could be the neighbour's cat you could perhaps explain the situation and see if they could contain the cat for a bit...seeing if that makes a difference.

It sounds like you are taking the right approach, trying to work out what is happening. Good luck

[oakway]

Have the dog de barked and the problem is solved for good.