Safadao Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Howdy guys, My little mate, a 11 month old male (desexed) GSP has started barking non-stop from around 5am onwards. I've tried sneaking around seeing what he is barking at, but cannot find anything in particular. He's always been aflighty dog, and will bark at people working on roofs next door etc, but it is only in the last few weeks that he has started barking early. The days have been hot (40 odd degrees), and I guess he spends most of it resting, and gets up early to play around. But it does not sound like a playful bark, more a warning something off bark. There has been no real changes to the environment in the last few months. I was contemplating hiring a citronella dog barking collar, however my lil Eddie loves to jump in the kiddies pool (as it is hot), and to chase the spriklers, and from what I understand the citronella sprays are not water proof. There is limited shade as it is, and I like to encourage him to use the bath to cool down. He only really barks from 5am until we are noticably awake at 6:30, but he must be annoying the neighbours. If i go to the door, and he see's me, he stops for 5-10 minutes, then starts again. I have turned the sensor light on so that if he starts moving around chasing shadows, the light will clear his mind ..... it seemed to work for a little bit, but only for a day or two. If i let him inside (which is something i don't really like doing, especially while we are sleeping) he calms down, and often goes to sleep. Sprinklers come on at 10pm, so it is not that. Does anyone have any ideas? I am worried that the neighbours will complain to the council, or worse try to bait my dog hope someone can help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoiboy Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hi Safadao, It might pay you to sit with your pup a morning or 2 and see if you can hear what is upsetting him? I have found that if I go listen outside I can often pick up whatever is annoying my boys and then tell them it is ok or help them get rid of the foe. Cheers Linda Bagnall Wyee NSW Aust http://www.comcen.com.au/~birichino/ (it's a start) Ever get the feeling That your stuff strutted of Without you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safadao Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 *snores* .... 5am dog that needs reassurance ;-) Pity these types of things don't happen at say 7am. So i should just go out, sit with him and talk him through it. Won't this enforce a "if i want attention all i have to do is bark" mentality? I have been trying to ignore him as long as possible, hoping that he will give up .... but it does not seem to work. i will sit with him then :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Can pooch sleep inside the house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safadao Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hmmm, i guess I am funny about pets inside at all. Eddie comes in when it is hot, and waches movies with us, checks that we are cooking dinner ok etc, but not for long periods, and never unattended. I would prefer if he didn't sleep inside, as he doesn't like to sit still for long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axxl Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hey Safadao, Do you happen to live anywhere near the fruit blocks? Only reason I ask this is that I used to live in Mildura and would always be hearing the sound of those bird scarers going off early hours of the morning. Maybe one is going off in the distance, not that you can hear but maybe your dog is? Although 5am is pretty early, but the birds will stir at the crack of dawn ( I'm never up that early to know if it's getting light :D ) So maybe one is set for that time, who knows but I hope it all works out for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safadao Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 Thats an idea, yeah am close enough to hear bird scarers if they go off, i guess it could be that. Also we are getting close to picking season, so there will be increase activity on the roads, and equipment running all night. I had thought of that, but seems odd that it only occurs at 5am, and not all night. As for the birds, Eddis starts about 20 min before birds are out, but i guess he could hear them starting to stir in their nests etc. He is quite partial to birds. Getting his attention when he has spotted a magpie or pigeon is near impossible :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldieneale Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Hi safadao, My parents dog has been doing that for a few years now waking up and barking at 5am in the morning. Although his 5 am bark is a "wake up" call to mum and dad..."Hey mum and dad, it's 5 am...I'm ready to come inside now!!!"" Mum and dad always obey and he happily curls up and go back to sleep in the dining room!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safadao Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 lol .... i know if i started barking at 5am, my wife would kick me outside ..... *shrugs* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 I can understand that some people are conditioned to having their pets outside. BUT If you did have him inside sleeping it would be unlikely that he'd be barking. Sure it may take him a week to settle into sleeping inside as he may be a bit unsettled, but in the long run you probably won't have those 5am wake ups! Why not give it a go? Or how about crate train him and have the crate in your bed room. *sniff* I don't know what I'd do without my fur kids constantly around me, but that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Hi Safedao. I have a 6 year old JRT who has always "barked good morning to the sun" as we call it. It was always so bloody early and he always sounded so cheerful. He was also an outside dog as he doesn't like cats (I have indoor cats) but just recently we were given a lovely large crate. I started crating my two small dogs together and lo and behold - no more 5am starts..... Worth a shot I think, especially for peace of mind. They don't dirty in the crate (read up on crate training if you've not heard of it), they're only in it overnight, they don't have run of the house and no more nocturnal barking. Its been a godsend for us and the dogs love it. ;) The other terrier now starts barking as the sun is going down to tell us its time to come inside :p . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Hi Safedao, My OH isn't a big one for having dogs indoors, but my dogs have times and places that they are allowed and it is a happy middle-ground for us all. When my rottie was still with us, he would sleep in the laundry at night with a child's safety gate across the doorway. It prevented night time wanderings and didn't cause problems with any sort of separation anxiety as he could still hear us and see out. It may be a way through the picking season. Alternately you might like to try a similar strategy that is used with controlled-comforting with children/babies. Go and see to his needs when he starts barking, but then gradually increase the time it takes for you to respond to his barking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safadao Posted March 15, 2006 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 Heck, have tried so many things in the last month. I really thought that we were getting somewhere too. Two weeks we hired a citronella bark collar. Eddie barked once, was prayed and then for more than a week the problem was cured. Then the smart little pup learnt the volume he could bark at without setting the collar off ... (whilst this was funny, it did not stop him barking, and he learnt that when the collar is off he can keep barking). Now, after the bark collar he is back t normal ... well actually worse. Last night from 12:30am-3:30am (until we let him inside) he barked non stop. The night before Eddie started around 4am. I know the full moon has a bit to answer for, and there are other dogs in the area barking but just not as loud as my little fella. I am contempating building a small 4mx4m shed outside, with the intention of giving 1/2 of it to the dog. Putting him in there every night, and shutting the door. Either that, or as you guys have mentioned, the laundry. The other thing is, that this weekend I am picking up puppy Number 2 (a 3 month old dalmatian). If his barking is fear related, the addition of a constantly friendly pal should help should it not? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusky Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 If you go outside each time he barks you are conditioning him to bark. Barking is bringing a response. Bring him into the laundry for a few nights anyway to break the cycle, make sure he has a comfy bed outside, that he has a bit of a house to go into with a roof on, cave like or a big kennel and that he likes it. The kennel will deaden the sound of whatever it is, probably a dog barking somewhere. You do need to break the cycle... laundry room... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 another friend asked me about similar behaviour in her GSD the other day and i developed a behaviour modification strategy for her to implement. Get up before the dog starts barking and give him a reward, food, play, whatever works for him. Gradually make the time you get up a little later each day. If he starts barking before you get up to go to him, do not give the reward. It will take a week or two to get going and yes it is a drag to have to get up, but a little effort in the beginning should see things come right in a short time. If you implement this strategy, please let me know how it goes as my friend hasn't gotten back to me as yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidoney Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 jaybee I suggested this routine to someone that had bought one of my pups, and which started nocturnal barking as an adolescent. They did have success with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safadao Posted March 16, 2006 Author Share Posted March 16, 2006 thanks everyone, back to the drawing board. As i've said, it wakes me up, but i can live through it .... just worried the neighbours aren't as patient as I am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 jaybee I suggested this routine to someone that had bought one of my pups, and which started nocturnal barking as an adolescent. They did have success with it. cooly, thanks for the feedback Sid, gives me some reinforcement of my own to know that someone else had thought of this also and had success. GREAT MINDS etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidoney Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 LOL jaybee that's just what I was thinking!! "Great minds" and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 If you go outside each time he barks you are conditioning him to bark. Barking is bringing a response. Bring him into the laundry for a few nights anyway to break the cycle, make sure he has a comfy bed outside, that he has a bit of a house to go into with a roof on, cave like or a big kennel and that he likes it. The kennel will deaden the sound of whatever it is, probably a dog barking somewhere. You do need to break the cycle... laundry room... Well said Have you got a Video Camera or use of one that you can mount outside so you can actually see what it is that starts the barking? You looking is not as good as a camera as your movements, noise may change the balance. Barking dogs bark for a reason and generally the continuance is due to our actions ( as said above) A shed will not stop him barking and may infact make it worse, I assume he has a closed in covered shelter area that he can retreat to ? Keep plugging on, I have never heard of a dog that has barked all its life ( well only from complainants) The last option if you have no luck ( whichj I am sure you will as you seem responsible) is debarking a surgical procedure that stops barking and gives a muffled "Daffy Ducktype "bark. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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