Barking

[Ilovemypup]

Hi guys!

Okies , so my 7 month old is a barker... a real barker, like full on big dog bark.
She barks when somebody is outside in our hallway (We live in an apartment....) , when I might be in another rooom , and when we go out.. (doesn't bark the whole time , just when leaving)

How can we stop her barking? I don't mind if she barks , but when we need it ( burgaler , etc) but it gets really tough to do anything..

Please help

Thanks

Ali N Pepperoni

[Rivsky]

Does your dog know a command for quiet? If not when she starts barking at someone in the hallway tell her quiet or enough (whatever word you want to use) and as soon as she stops reward her (treat, toy whatever your dog is into).

If she's barking when you leave her - have you tried taking her for a walk before you need to go anywhere - that way when you do leave she's more likely to be ready for a sleep and less anxious about you leaving her. Also make leaving something good for her - give her a treat so she's busy doing something else when you actually walk out the door and hide some others around the place for her so she has something to do for a while after you've left.

Also leaving a TV or radio on when you go out helps them feel less alone when you're leaving - there's still all the usual sounds of the house happening that way.

[Cassiepeia]

I agree with teaching her the "quiet" command. Disrupt her barking by making a loud noise (coins in a can or a set of keys rattled can break their concentration for a moment). When she's quiet, reward her.
It might be easier if you teach her to 'speak' on command first...although maybe not. LOL Either way teaching 'speak' is great if you want intruders or dodgy looking people to hear her bark and for whatever reason she's decided to stay quiet at that moment.
If you're not clicker training (uh oh, here I go again )...you should try that method. It might be really helpful in teaching her the quiet command. Look up 'clicker training' in google and you'll find plenty of good sites explaining it. YouTube has some wonderful videos too.

Cass.

[Kuchi]

Kuchi is also a barker, I found if he gets a good walk in the morning, he doesn't bark as much. I do say quiet, praise if he does, spray at him with a vinegar/water mix and that works. Now all I have to do is hold the bottle and he'll stop.
And when you're leaving ignore them 10 minutes before you leave and give him something to do. I leave kongs filled with peanut butter, yoghurt, treats, etc. That way they aren't thinking about it.
Kuchi will still bark at a doorbell, but when I say quiet I expect him to be quiet.