Barking

[pitbullmamaliz]

It's official. I'm going to kill Inara. Would anybody like the meat to feed their raw-fed dogs?

Grrrr. She is beginning to drive me crazy. Since day one of getting her, one of the things we have been super-ultra-paranoid about is NEVER EVER EVER EVER coming to get her out of the crate when she's acting out and throwing a tantrum. I can say with 100% certainty she has NEVER been rewarded for that. We don't even tell her to stop because we don't want her rewarded by a human voice!

Normally when we put her in there, it it's at night she's fine. If it's during the day she may bark for a few minutes, but then she gives up and accepts it. However, over the past few days, she has begun just barking non-stop when we put her in during the day. I should specify. If we're putting her in and leaving, she's fine (she'll stop barking about a minute after the car starts - I've stayed to listen!). It's when we put her in and go upstairs for some reason that she flips out. Like today, because my hubby and I were on crazy weird schedules this week at work, we went upstairs to take a 2 hour power-nap. (My mom says power naps are supposed to be short, but I don't believe her). Inara barked non-stop for literally AN HOUR, took a short break, and started right back in.

Any suggestions before I slaughter her? I mean, suggestions to stop the barking, not slaughtering techniques.

[Patch O' Pits]

Give her a knuckle bone in the crate or a stuffed Kong

Try putting her crate in front of the TV or put a radio by her

Do you feed her in the crate? If not you may want t o start doing that to see if it makes her more comfortable in it

Have you been ignoring the behavior when she does it? If not you reinforce her to do it more so be careful

I've never used squirt bottles , but I know some swear by them

Good luck

[SisMorphine]

Citronella bark collar. That's what we use for our chattier guests here at the kennel.


It won't work for some, though. Halo barks through his. Turdball . . .

[Malli]

step up your training, and...

exercise exercise exercise!!

A good dog is a tired dog. At least thats what I think

Malli

[pitbullmamaliz]

Thanks for the suggestions.
Patch, we totally ignore the behavior - like I said, no matter how tempting, we don't even tell her to stop. I'll try the kong idea. I don't really wanna feed her in her crate since we're doing raw - before that, she was getting fed in there.
Sis, those bark collars always seemed mean...I suppose it doesn't hurt them since it's not shocking them...that would definitely be a last resort!
Malli, exercise may be part of it. The weather has been really crappy (chilly and raining) and neither of us have been wanting to take nice long walks in it. I've been trying to play more fetch and tug games inside, but I know that's not the same. You think basic obedience training would help? We practice that maybe a total of 15-20 minutes a day, broken up throughout the day. Should I up that? It just gets kinda boring for both of us since it's not agility or anything, but the basics of sit, down, stay, take it, leave it, and drop it. Maybe I'll try teaching her a trick.

[SisMorphine]

The citronella collars just release a spray of citronella that goes in their face. It doesn't hurt or sting, just tastes and/or smells bad. So they're not mean. I would even put one on Wally if he needed one, and I baby him like it's nobody's business!!

Oh and if you get a Premier collar (you can get them through PetEdge) I believe you can return if they don't work for your dog.

[pitbullmamaliz]

Hmmmm...if this craziness continues, it may be in Inara's best interest for me to look into that, before I...

[SisMorphine]

Hmmmm...if this craziness continues, it may be in Inara's best interest for me to look into that, before I...

Halo gets that threat at least once a day for his barking. What I did to break him of it was to make sure the front window was open when I left. As soon as I leave the house he starts throwing a hissy fit so I would run to the window and squirt him with a squirt bottle. We've only done it a couple of times but his barking has already lessened when I leave.

As I stated in a different thread, I DESPISE a barking dog.

[msvette2u]

Lambie did it all night until we used the squirt bottle. You can't YELL at her to shut up, either So now she's quiet until around 6am which is when we let her out. If we happen to oversleep she wakes us up. I let her I figure it's time to be up anyway at that hour...

[Malli]

I think the amount of time for the obedience is good, and the sessions shorter the better. Do you have hand signals for all your commands? Does she hold all in a stay as well? What about doing all those commands at a distance?What about while you or she is in motion? And proofing with distractions? Have you started working on a heal with her? I thought maybe some of those ideas would help. Training works their brain, thats why I suggested it. I think you may have to walk her anyway, even if its yucky; when Oscar was younger he threw fits (not the same kind) and developed destructive behavior when I was slacking...

Malli

[mnp13]

ok... wait...

you answered your OWN question.

However, over the past few days, she has begun just barking non-stop when we put her in during the day. I should specify. If we're putting her in and leaving, she's fine (she'll stop barking about a minute after the car starts - I've stayed to listen!). It's when we put her in and go upstairs for some reason that she flips out. Like today, because my hubby and I were on crazy weird schedules this week at work, we went upstairs to take a 2 hour power-nap. (My mom says power naps are supposed to be short, but I don't believe her). Inara barked non-stop for literally AN HOUR, took a short break, and started right back in.

Your schedule has changed from 'normal' to 'crazy weird' and she is letting you know that she is not comfortable with that.

[pitbullmamaliz]

Oh. Damn, you're good. I didn't even think about that. We should both be back on normal schedules next week, so that'll hopefully help. And Malli, thanks for the suggestions on ways of making our training different - I'll try increasing distances and stuff like that.
Thanks all!

[rockermom]

Yes I have gone through the same thing. One point not sure why he was barking in the crate at bedtime. THen he went through a winey stage after spring break when the kids went back to school. Doing shaping exercises(mind games) really helps to tire Rocky out. He works so hard at it that it tires him more than tug or fetch. Like the box game which we have not played in a long time now we play hide and seek with toys. Maryellen gave links to websites explaining some of these games dont know where to find them though.

[dogcrazyjen]

Good stuff, changing schedules IS tough.

I am a bitch though. I throw water in their face, a half a cup full (or half empty if you are a pessimist!)

Now, if Tess starts, I just have to hold up a cup, any cup, can be empty, and eyeball her, and she cowers like I am going to beat her. Maybe she watched the Wizard of Oz?

It makes her think, and makes her control herself. It does not actually hurt her. And it has not had a negative effect on her trust for me. She just learned that barking or whining excessively in her crate will get her a splash in the face, so she rarely does it. I use the water at the front door too, if company comes when I am not expecting it, or when my hubby comes home and she is overwound.

I do make efforts to keep her exercised, and occupied. She has a kong in her crate, and bones. She is not left in there too long normally.

[katiek0417]

If I SLEEP past 6:30 in the morning (even if it's 6:31), I have whining dogs...not b/c they want to go out...they want breakfast...the days when we train are tough as I don't feed breakfast....

Water does nothing for Sacha (ummm...she's a lab)....I don't want to try it for the puppy as a correction because water is often used as a distraction in PSA. It's not uncommon for a dog to be hosed in the face while it's coming in for the bite...if I used water as a correction now, it might make her fear it later...

[dogcrazyjen]

houlaboula, something is wrong with your avatar, it is three times the size it should be and is making the whole page funny. Did you change it recently? I thought it was a pick of Rocky before, too, but the photo is messing up the page format on all threads it is in.

Not a big problem, just thought you might not have seen it yet.

Or is it just my computer?

[dogcrazyjen]

Tallulah is the wicked witch of the west when it comes to cups of water, she tucks tail and runs, but if you spray a hose outside she tries to attack it. She LOVES hose water, pond water, lake water, she just hates water coming out of a cup with a glare.

Tess is nervous around all water, she even hates rain. But she is learning to swim, so maybe that will help.

I can certainly understand you staying away from a correction which could be a distraction later, good thinking.

[katiek0417]

I can certainly understand you staying away from a correction which could be a distraction later, good thinking.

It's weird, Jen....I had never thought of these things before....but it makes sense.

Nisha pottied in her kennel last week, and I needed to clean her...I didn't want to take her upstairs (carpet, etc)...I wanted to hose her off, but she had never been hosed before...I fed her food, and sprayed the water at the rocks which bounced off of her (and sprayed her)....then I put her on a backtie, and teased her with the tug...when I let her have the bite, I sprayed (lightly at her paws)....

the things I had never thought of in the past are suddenly things I have to consider when it comes to her...things that most people would use as a correction (spray of water, pennies in cans, loud noises, etc) can/are/have been used as distractions in PSA...so, I have had to find alternate ways to correct her....