barking
by CMS
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
I am planning on moving to my parent's house at Christmas, I currently live in an apartment with my 2 y.o male malt (Bailee). The problem is while in my parent's backyard, Bailee barks non-stop at the deaf & blind dog in the yard next door, I think they are just talking to each other. It is not a huge problem at the moment but this will naturally alter once we are living there. I would like to start controlling the barking now, so by the time we move he will cured (I hope)! Before I call Bark Busters can anyone offer any advice. He does not bark in the front yard (only if a stranger comes in) and if I stay with him in the backyard he will not bark.
DISCUSSION:
Hi Christine, have you tried desensitising? Snowy used to bark at the kids next door and it is due to the noise and partly due to the kids teasing him. I tried not allowing him in the yard when the kids are in theirs (our yards are separated by a fence) but then I realised that I should actually exposed him under control condition .... control being my voice control (LOL)! So, when the kids are in their yard, I let him out and then everytime he barks at them, I ask him to be quiet (which he obeys but 'forgets' after a while and start barking again). If it gets out of hand I call him into the house making it appear like a 'punishment' for barking ... don't laugh I think he knows. Then we went through the phase of barking at the kids but everytime I pop my head to look out into the yard he keeps quiet! Now how am I to scold him for barking if he is sitting there quietly minding his own businessI?!? Well, that proves that he knows he is not supposed to bark. Well, it went on for about a month and now Snowy leaves the kids alone. There is still the occassional bark to tell the kids to quieten down but it is mostly 'cured'.
Sim & Snowy
Hi!I agree that it would be good to train Bailee not to bark, but I hope you are not planning to leave him outside by himself. Lisa lost her malt due to a hornet sting - which could happen anytime, anywhere. There were a few times, when Sugar would see a person in a neighbor's house when we were out for our last "walk" of the day (actually late at night) and I would scoop her up and rush inside... did not want her to get a bad name! I cannot help re training of outdoor, unsupervised barking. If you will be there, after a bark or two, you could teach him the "quiet" or "enough" command.... Good luck with your move. It is great you are addressing this issue now!
Linda R
I work constantly at keeping my Malts from barking and the most effective method I have found requires a squirt gun--one with the tank (called Super Soaker I think) works best. I put several tablespoons of vinegar in it and fill the rest with water. Shake to mix. When the Malts start barking, I grab the squirt gun and shoot a stream of water at the offender/offenders and shout "No bark." Any more, all I have to do is pick up the squirt gun and point it; everyone stops barking immediately. They are not frightened of me; it is the squirt gun that they associate with the "No bark" and the vinegar-water stream. Maybe a variation of this might work for you. It only took two days for them to learn the command. And of course, we do have a "refresher" course occasionally. 
Linda Lamoureux
Linda, what a great idea! I'm going to try it. Angel barks at the slightest noise outside...and aside from neighbors, entire cycling clubs, and animals (being by a wildlife refuge results in a great many "visitors"), sometimes I think he's in love with the sound of his own voice. Not too excessive but I've bought the Barker Breakers, tried the pennies in the can, no success. My only trepidation with your solution is my brother. He loves to get Angel all worked up and then when Angel barks at him, he says "no" very sternly. It's funny but I've pointed out it's not fair to get him that agitated and then tell him he can't speak his mind! All I need is my brother to use the water pistol. Another way to torture the dog! But thanks, I'm going to try it anyway.
siobhan
Siobhan, how about using the water pistol on your brother? How old is he, anyway? Even very young children can be taught how to behave with a dog.
bonnie
Thanks, Bonnie. Now I have to embarrassingly admit that my baby brother, who should know better, is turning 32 years old. Guess it's true that women mature faster than men! But I must admit that, after having Angel for almost two years, my brother is definitely getting markedly better at handling him. However, that doesn't preclude your brilliant idea of using the water pistol on him....!!
siobhan
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