Teaching dogs that don't bark to "speak"

[c0_re]

Hey everyone this may sound like a somewhat strange request but I’m trying to teach my boys to “speak” but they rarely bark at all. Out of concern for my neighbors\roommates and wanting a place to live I trained\conditioned Molson not to bark when we still lived in a townhome and Harley while never trained to not bark just really never barks.

So I want to move beyond obedience and teach these guys to speak or say “hello” to people while were out on off leash adventures.

How do I get them to bark so I can get them to connect the dots between bark and the “speak” command?

Thanks!

[Shmee]

That's a good question. The situation I have with my dogs, is that one is very vocal where the other doesn't make a sound unless there's an intrusion/mailman/repairman visit. So when that happens, i'm usually yelling at Peety to STOP barking and if he continues he is disciplined with a can filled with pennies. I can't get Peety to speak for a treat, or anything else for that matter. He will try to bark in that situation but he can't. I dont understand it myself. Barking one minute, then mute the next. Performance anxiety? I dunno..

One thing that I can understand is the simple fact that when your dog is barking repeatedly, you want him/her to stop. So you, as an owner, tell you're dog to "SHUT UP!" or "QUIET!!" Then flipping the switch, you ask poochie to SPEAK! on command, for a tender morsel. I'll be the first one to say im guilty of sending the mixed signals, but putting myself in the dog's place, I can see where the confusion would be....

I'm sorry I have no advice on how you teach a dog to do this..

best of luck,
-Shmee

[c0_re]

no problem thanks for your insight anything could help at this point.

[flyndog]

Be careful what you wish for!

For dogs who are generally quiet, you can try to build up some frustration. If you're working alone, you'll need to tether your dog's leash to something. If you have a helper, ask the helper to hold the dog's leash. Be sure he is on a harness or buckle collar, not a training collar.
Stand just out of the dog's reach with pieces of hot dog, tuna, chicken, liver or whatever it is that he will do *anything* for. If that's a favorite toy or a stick, use that. Doesn't have to be food. It just has to be the thing that your dog will do anything for.
Decide ahead of time the signal you will use for "speak". Let's say it's the "ok" sign with finger and thumb.
Call his name, excite him with the lure you have by teasing and waving it in front of him. Make a game out of it. Make him want to come to you for it!
As soon as he makes a sound, toss the reward to him or go play with toy with him and praise him. Repeat. From now on, add your signal before he begins to make a sound.
With dogs that don't easily bark, you sometimes need to "shape" a bark. That's why at first, you want to reinforce any sound at all - a whine, a squeak, a groan, a growl, whatever. Eventually, you will toss the reward or play with the toy only for sounds that are more "bark-like".

When your dog is barking on cue with the hand signal, it's easy to add a verbal cue if you want. Just say the word you want to mean "speak", let's say it's "speak", as you give the hand signal. Gradually stop using the hand signal if you want the dog to only respond to the verbal cue.

[c0_re]

Originally Posted by flyndog

Be careful what you wish for!

For dogs who are generally quiet, you can try to build up some frustration. If you're working alone, you'll need to tether your dog's leash to something. If you have a helper, ask the helper to hold the dog's leash. Be sure he is on a harness or buckle collar, not a training collar.
Stand just out of the dog's reach with pieces of hot dog, tuna, chicken, liver or whatever it is that he will do *anything* for. If that's a favorite toy or a stick, use that. Doesn't have to be food. It just has to be the thing that your dog will do anything for.
Decide ahead of time the signal you will use for "speak". Let's say it's the "ok" sign with finger and thumb.
Call his name, excite him with the lure you have by teasing and waving it in front of him. Make a game out of it. Make him want to come to you for it!
As soon as he makes a sound, toss the reward to him or go play with toy with him and praise him. Repeat. From now on, add your signal before he begins to make a sound.
With dogs that don't easily bark, you sometimes need to "shape" a bark. That's why at first, you want to reinforce any sound at all - a whine, a squeak, a groan, a growl, whatever. Eventually, you will toss the reward or play with the toy only for sounds that are more "bark-like".

When your dog is barking on cue with the hand signal, it's easy to add a verbal cue if you want. Just say the word you want to mean "speak", let's say it's "speak", as you give the hand signal. Gradually stop using the hand signal if you want the dog to only respond to the verbal cue.

That is awsome advice flyndog, we'll give that a shot tomorrow night and I'll come back and let you know how it went.