Help Needed!?!?!?

[Erny]

Good news is, that's why he squeals, cause it IS a zappy collar!!!!!

Is he squealing to rise above and through the collar sensor, or is he squealing as a result of the stimulation? If the latter, then the collar and/or the collar settings are not right for him.

I actually think you'd do better with a trainer/behaviourist to come out to see you and your dog because I think there are potentially a number of things going on here. In essence : be calm, be assertive. Avoid inadvertently reinforcing your dog's barking by giving him attention. Work out WHY he is barking (attention? fear?) so that you can avoid meeting his goals. Try putting a blanket over the crate. However, use this in conjunction with leadership. Use it as a response cost. And/or use it as something which makes him feel more comfortable.

There is so much more but it depends on the other of the interactions you and your dog share on a daily basis.

[Mrs D]

Good news is, that's why he squeals, cause it IS a zappy collar!!!!!

Is he squealing to rise above and through the collar sensor, or is he squealing as a result of the stimulation? If the latter, then the collar and/or the collar settings are not right for him.

I actually think you'd do better with a trainer/behaviourist to come out to see you and your dog because I think there are potentially a number of things going on here. In essence : be calm, be assertive. Avoid inadvertently reinforcing your dog's barking by giving him attention. Work out WHY he is barking (attention? fear?) so that you can avoid meeting his goals. Try putting a blanket over the crate. However, use this in conjunction with leadership. Use it as a response cost. And/or use it as something which makes him feel more comfortable.

There is so much more but it depends on the other of the interactions you and your dog share on a daily basis.

Hi there, yes, he is barking as a result of the stimulation of the collar. It's not working, so I'm no longer using it, as he just squeals / yelps? every time it zaps him when he barks, but he's not making the connection between his barking and his being zapped!!! ARGH!!!! I have got the collar on the lowest setting.

When visitors come to the house, I tell them to ignore him. When visitors he KNOWS come to the house, they KNOW to ignore him until he finishes his crazy antics and running and barking and jumping up. THEN they can say hello. Recently, I covered his crate because I knew some people were coming, and he still barked non stop until I let him out (he won that one because I could not talk to the people, I literally could not hear what they were saying!) It's been a very frustrating experience, but apart from the barking, he is a lovely dog and so wonderful with the kids. I just thank everyone so much for helping!!!

[Erny]

Hi there, yes, he is barking as a result of the stimulation of the collar. It's not working, so I'm no longer using it, as he just squeals / yelps? every time it zaps him when he barks, but he's not making the connection between his barking and his being zapped!!! ARGH!!!! I have got the collar on the lowest setting. When visitors come to the house, I tell them to ignore him. When visitors he KNOWS come to the house, they KNOW to ignore him until he finishes his crazy antics and running and barking and jumping up. THEN they can say hello. Recently, I covered his crate because I knew some people were coming, and he still barked non stop until I let him out (he won that one because I could not talk to the people, I literally could not hear what they were saying!) It's been a very frustrating experience, but apart from the barking, he is a lovely dog and so wonderful with the kids. I just thank everyone so much for helping!!!

It is potentially the wrong collar style for your dog and/or it could be that you are using the collar for the wrong purpose. I still say that you would be better having a trainer/behaviourist (experienced in this type of behaviour and the various causes that could be the reason/s for it) attend. For example, if your dog is barking from fear, an anti-bark collar isn't going to help.

If it is not fear but excitement (or attention demand behaviour) then it could be your timing (or the timing of your guests) in allowing him attention.

It is not a simple matter and it's not necessarily ONLY about the barking and what you do ..... changes in your daily interactions might benefit even if to you they might not directly relate to the immediate problem expressed here.

[aussielover]

You're both right! Teaching a dog to bark on cue can be a disaster if you don't get it under stimulus control, but fantastic if you do. That's why I recommend teaching the dog to bark on cue, for a short amount of time, with the cue being a knock on the door. If he's already barking at that, you're not risking anything so you can't really go wrong.

I love "speak", it is a great party trick!

I would be hesitant in teaching it to a problem barker though as barking may have become a self-rewarding behaviour for them. They may learn to chain the behaviour eg. bark to get you to say quiet, if you heavily reward the quiet command.

I think its safer just to reward calm behaviour than to teach "speak" and "quiet" to a problem barker.

[Aidan3]

You're both right! Teaching a dog to bark on cue can be a disaster if you don't get it under stimulus control, but fantastic if you do. That's why I recommend teaching the dog to bark on cue, for a short amount of time, with the cue being a knock on the door. If he's already barking at that, you're not risking anything so you can't really go wrong.

I love "speak", it is a great party trick!

I would be hesitant in teaching it to a problem barker though as barking may have become a self-rewarding behaviour for them. They may learn to chain the behaviour eg. bark to get you to say quiet, if you heavily reward the quiet command.

I think its safer just to reward calm behaviour than to teach "speak" and "quiet" to a problem barker.

Seems to depend on the trainer more than the dog Barking in response to knocking on the door is "safe", the dog already barks in response to knocking on the door, we're just clicking for 2 or 3 barks, instead of 100 barks. Everyone is scared of rewarding the barking though, which is silly, because it's already being rewarded. It's not going to get worse! We're also changing the reason for barking, the dog is now barking for food instead of safety/excitement/whatever. It's much easier to control food, and thus easier to control how it's earned.

Very sneaky...

[mita]

Mrs D, I'm a tibbie owner, too. I agree with Erny that there's more involved than just the barking & it'd be good to have a session with a dog behaviorist. Maybe Jane Harper the one that was recommended would know of someone in your area?

My 2 tibbie girls aren't problem barkers, but the tibbie next door, Lily, is.

I think it's because all her barking is really a great dominating act. She has to do the big, 'I'm in charge here!' act.

But over at our place, she seems to accept that our tibbie, Annie, who's very confident & not a problem barker, is her dog model. It's like as if Lily resigns from her 'gotta say I'm in charge!' job when she comes over here. So Lily changes behaviour when she comes to stay for the weekend or whenever & takes a different 'job' in the 'pack' of 3 dogs.

Like at home, she goes ballistic about possums walking over the deck roof. Here, she just ignores them when they do the same. It's like as if she 'thinks' it's 'leading dog' Annie's job. And Annie doesn't give a damn! So there's no barking.

Our other elderly tibbie girl has always been just a big sweetie, like as if someone shrunk a golden retriever. She's never been a barker.

And both our tibbie girls have been trained in everyday situations to know that I'm in charge, not them.

(I'm not saying get another dog , by the way!)

We used to own working dogs, so when we got tibbies, I automatically did the in-home training things that show I'm in charge, not the dog.

Like , our tibbies are taught to 'Sit' first, to get all the things they like. And that includes attention & pats.

Any jumping up for attention, gets greeted with a turned back & ignore. 'Bottoms on the ground & quiet' is the rule here. Any kind of noise or getting over-excited, also gets the turned back.

The penny soon drops for the dog... excitable, noisy, demanding, bossy behaviour doesn't get the things they want. Attention, food, treats, cuddles, leads on for a walk etc. But 'Bottoms on the ground & quiet!' does. They also learn they have to wait, while the humans go thro' gates & doors first.

I take the tibs for a daily walk, keeping their leashes short so they're beside me, not in front.

When I was training the tibs, I found it useful to have a light lead tucked into their collar, so I could quickly hold them on lead, to get them to 'Sit', like when going thro' a gate. But only when I was at home. I wouldn't want the lead to get caught on something & hang them.

All of this is aimed at teaching a dog what behaviour you want of it....& that you are the leader who calls the shots. Dogs crave leadership & will otherwise have a go at taking over the 'job' themselves.

In recent times, I've discovered the value of using a hissing sound to communicate behaviour that has to stop. The strange noise seems to stop the dog, in full flight, in their tracks....& makes them curious. They're calmer, then, & can be given a command, like 'Sit' or 'Come'.

The biggest problem barker we had was a sheltie. Her nickname was the 'Mouth from the South!'. Every strategy had to be pulled out for her, including never letting her have the last word. :D

Edited March 28, 2011 by mita