mantis Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I know people will think this topic is weird, as a lot of people have trouble stopping their dogs barking. My sweet rescue Staffy Cougar never barks when people knock on my door, which is a pain if I am out the back, as I can't hear the knocking & have missed many visitors who have come around. My other dogs have always barked to let me know someone was at the door, I was able to train them to stop barking once I went to the door, but how do you train a dog to bark when someone knocks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Why not just put in a doorbell with the speaker bit sitting on your back porch. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Why not just put in a doorbell with the speaker bit sitting on your back porch. :) I've never considered that, because I have always had four legged doorbells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm interested in the replies Mantis. My boxer is the same, and I wouldn't mind an alert bark when someone comes to the door. He just stands there wagging his tail at them. :laugh: Days go by without a single bark.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 It's a fine line between barking when a visitor arrives abd barking because there is a kangaroo standing on our front porch here so all barking is actively discouraged. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 It's a fine line between barking when a visitor arrives abd barking because there is a kangaroo standing on our front porch here so all barking is actively discouraged. :laugh: 'Meanwhile in Australia..' :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm interested in the replies Mantis. My boxer is the same, and I wouldn't mind an alert bark when someone comes to the door. He just stands there wagging his tail at them. :laugh: Days go by without a single bark.... You're lucky, Cougar doesn't even get off the couch. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) The way I have done it in years past, with a naturally quiet breed - catch when they bark at all, for mine that has been in play - reward that - put the bark on a verbal and/or physical cue, for me that was 'speak' and a hand signal - get the strength of bark I wanted by incrementally raising the criteria so I only rewarded the louder barks - get help from friends to come to the door, be there ready to give the bark cue after the door knock, and reward. - repeat until dog starts barking on the knock, in anticipation of the bark cue - fade bark cue - always reward a bark at a knock and made that easy by keeping a jar of goodies close by - ignore (but laugh to oneself) when smart dog learns that running at door barking earns a treat, even if no-one is there (optional step, lol) it took so long I never bothered to teach it again Edited May 31, 2013 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandybrush Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 dont teach it!! once they start barking its a pain trying to teach them how much is too much!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 as you live in a unit be thankful he doesn't bark. A door bell will do the job very nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 as you live in a unit be thankful he doesn't bark. A door bell will do the job very nicely. This! I wish my Anatolian would chill, he barks enough for every dog in my street :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 dont teach it!! once they start barking its a pain trying to teach them how much is too much!! I've never had a problem stopping my dogs barking, simply "enough" command & "sit" shut them up. All the other dogs in the unit complex alert bark, the other tenants all think it's hilarious that Cougar doesn't. Someone could break into my unit while I'm in bed & steal all my furniture & Cougar wouldn't care, well maybe she will have a problem if they take the couch. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleDuck Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 dont teach it!! once they start barking its a pain trying to teach them how much is too much!! Yes!!! Doof NEVER barked once until I taught him to do it a year after I got him. Now (10 years later) he's a bloody pest with barking at random stuff, he particularly takes offence if we seem excessively happy (laughing or anything vaguely exciting). I wish I'd never taught him!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 dont teach it!! once they start barking its a pain trying to teach them how much is too much!! Yes!!! Doof NEVER barked once until I taught him to do it a year after I got him. Now (10 years later) he's a bloody pest with barking at random stuff, he particularly takes offence if we seem excessively happy (laughing or anything vaguely exciting). I wish I'd never taught him!!!! So how did you teach him to bark? I've tried barking & telling Cougar to speak, but she just looks at me & then goes back to sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleDuck Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I used to just get him really really REALLY revved up, usually on walks, and as soon as he made a squeak I would mark and reward it, then just wind him up again and reward a bigger noise, and so on. The main reason I did it is that back then I was in the SES and so would go on jobs after work and sometimes not be able to walk him until the middle of the night so I wanted him to be able to let off a big scary bark if someone tried to bother us. In hindsight I probably should've carried a whistle or something :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 What Diva said Get the bark you want on cue - start with any situation your dog will naturally bark in - my dog's fave is dinner time... Once you have bark on cue - only reward when you asked for it (cue'd it). Then knock on the door as the new cue, say your bark cue, and reward when your dog barks. Repeat until your dog will bark when someone knocks on the door. Make sure the reward is with you so ideally your dog will bark when someone knocks and then come ask you for the reward... Get some friends or neighbours to help with the knocking and beware dog anticipating a knock on the door and barking at people walking by the door... My dog barks at the squeaky gate now - it's pretty hard to sneak in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 If you do teach bark just make sure you teach a stop word at the same time :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandybrush Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 i taught raz to bark at the whipper snipper...now he barks at the vacume the mower, the blower...and also on cue :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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