giraffez Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 Looks like my puppy has discovered his voice. Its the barking period we are going through. He barks at anything new now... he never used to mind this before. Its hard to get him to stop barking with a treat on walks outside as I carry him on my arm (not fully vaccinated yet). We have had alot of people around to our house when he was younger so should be quite people socialised. Is this nerves that they bark or to get attention? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitzbaby Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 (edited) He might be going through his fear period.. there's a thread by Steve about it stickied. here http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=117592 Edited December 19, 2010 by spitzbaby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 If you offer a treat whilst the dog is barking you're rewarding that behaviour and asking the dog to continue. You can either ignore the behaviour or stop the dog by distraction or correction. The dog could be in a fear period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 He is barking at everything now. He does seem to fit the fear period. If i let him continue to do it by ignoring, how will he know it is a bad behaviour? I am finding it hard to get his attention when he is barking, i make excited noises to get his attention and he just continues on barking. Food sometimes work but when he is barking, he seems to make that priority even if he has food in his mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 He is barking at everything now. He does seem to fit the fear period. If i let him continue to do it by ignoring, how will he know it is a bad behaviour? I am finding it hard to get his attention when he is barking, i make excited noises to get his attention and he just continues on barking. Food sometimes work but when he is barking, he seems to make that priority even if he has food in his mouth. Our boy went through similar, albeit recently not at the young age your pup has. He would bark at anyone and anything. If OH walked around the corner and he got a fright he would bark... just *anything* and he never barked before. We ignored him, didn't respond to the behaviour by telling him to be quiet or anything... and he just stopped it on his own. He will only bark now if he's looking out the window and strangers walk past. Then he gets reprimanded, and he will stop. To us that is different behaviour to when he would bark at *everything* including his reflection ;) If you give him food while he is barking, you are reinforcing to him that it's ok to bark because he'll get a treat if he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 He is barking at everything now. He does seem to fit the fear period. If i let him continue to do it by ignoring, how will he know it is a bad behaviour? I am finding it hard to get his attention when he is barking, i make excited noises to get his attention and he just continues on barking. Food sometimes work but when he is barking, he seems to make that priority even if he has food in his mouth. Ignoring in the sense if it is attention seeking behaviour - you'll need to decide if that is what it is. I wouldn't be giving the dog food whilst its' barking - you're rewarding the behaviour. If you're not sure how to issue a correction and whether or not it is fearful behavour then you'll want to probably have a session with someone who does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 He is barking at everything now. He does seem to fit the fear period. If i let him continue to do it by ignoring, how will he know it is a bad behaviour? I am finding it hard to get his attention when he is barking, i make excited noises to get his attention and he just continues on barking. Food sometimes work but when he is barking, he seems to make that priority even if he has food in his mouth. Ignoring in the sense if it is attention seeking behaviour - you'll need to decide if that is what it is. I wouldn't be giving the dog food whilst its' barking - you're rewarding the behaviour. If you're not sure how to issue a correction and whether or not it is fearful behavour then you'll want to probably have a session with someone who does. Its not attention seeking, well not entirely anyway. He barks if there is something new like a person walking pass our house and he sees them from the gate. I do get the "bark bark bark" when i come home from work though which i completely ignore... hasn't gotten better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Carry a water bottle with you & squirt him every time he goes to bark...worked for my BC girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 Carry a water bottle with you & squirt him every time he goes to bark...worked for my BC girl haha no won't work, he has never been frightened of the water bottle. My big dog has tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyDog Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 My understanding of using a squirt bottle was that it distracted the dog from the behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 (edited) Carry a water bottle with you & squirt him every time he goes to bark...worked for my BC girl :D haha no won't work, he has never been frightened of the water bottle. My big dog has tho. My girl just loves water, even loves playing & having the hose put on her face, full force, but show her a water squirt bottle & she will go away & hide. Its either the shock of it, or maybe even the sound....hissssss, but most dogs, even if they love water will still find the water bottle squirt a nuisance & if they are smart soon learn, that if they want the annoying, distracting squirt to go away, then they stop barking. You wont know till you try, but make sure you squeeze that trigger as soon as dog opens mouth to bark...if dog changes his mind & doesn't bark, then praise & treat. Works wonders. If you have a small breed dog & you don't get onto this problem early you will regret it for the next 18 or so years ETA & if this doesn't work then get a hand held ultrasonic devise & press the button on that every time he barks, along with your "Ugh" word. But don't use it around your other dog who is probably being very good. Edited December 21, 2010 by sheena Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted December 22, 2010 Author Share Posted December 22, 2010 (edited) My understanding of using a squirt bottle was that it distracted the dog from the behaviour. no i have tried the squirt bottle on my pup before. He has absolutely no fear of it. He welcomes the spray of water and he will look at you like "one more one more" i know, its very weird. maybe i have to tighten the nozzle a bit more. At the moment the water is evenly spread out, i didn't want to spray him with the tighter one just in case i accidently get his eyes. Edited December 22, 2010 by giraffez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 The idea of the water is that they do get a decent squirt ..not a mist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 If he is barking due to fear, it is not a good idea to punish him by squirting him with water. An aversive/punishment might work if it is truly attention-seeking behaviour. Can you tell if its fear based or attention based? If not, i'd see a professional who can tell you. How old is your pup btw? My pup is also going through a bit of this, but I feel it is more a fear based thing as she is in the 2nd fear period age range. I usually ignore this behaviour completely but if its in public and she needs to stop, i'll give her the "look" command and get her to focus on me, and then maybe get her to work some more by asking for other commands such as sit/drop etc which always stops the behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyDog Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 My understanding of using a squirt bottle was that it distracted the dog from the behaviour. no i have tried the squirt bottle on my pup before. He has absolutely no fear of it. He welcomes the spray of water and he will look at you like "one more one more" i know, its very weird. maybe i have to tighten the nozzle a bit more. At the moment the water is evenly spread out, i didn't want to spray him with the tighter one just in case i accidently get his eyes. They're not supposed to be scared of it. The squirt is meant to to make them stop the behaviour. Which if he looks at you it probably does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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