Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Saskia Quinn — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:53:11 GMT

[quote user="Jenny T"]

Ooh nice idea. Arlo, what do you think........ (only joking).

[/quote]

I'm not!!!!! lololol

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Jenny T — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:40:51 GMT

Ooh nice idea. Arlo, what do you think........ (only joking).

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Saskia Quinn — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:36:56 GMT

Jenny T is an absolute

Jenny, Arlo should be paying you comission!!

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:35:59 GMT

Jenny, I think you get 100% vote of confidence on this forum... we are lucky that you dip in now and again, and I am sure that a lot of us on here have learned a massive amount fom you.

Enjoy your holibobs

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Jenny T — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:30:32 GMT

Oh poor dog.

Remember that to fix a problem you need to try and figure out the cause. Just attempting to stop the resultant behaviour is rarely effective.

Why could your dog have started this behaviour? Why is he continuing to do it despite all the negative consequences?

Some possibilities-

A fearful experience which is noise related.
hearing problems
Senility related problems
Anxiety for some reason

It is probably not helpful at this stage to be using the punishment techniques such as the aboistop etc until you have decided WHY he is doing this. If the behaviour is anxiety related then these techniques will most likely INCREASE it rather than decrease it.

I'd advise you start with a full vet check up including bloods and urine. Have his ears checked. Also have a think about when the behaviour started and if you can think of a reason for it starting. If so then this needs to be addressed.

It sounds to me like your dog may well be anxious rather than being naughty.

Just to let you know that I'm off on holiday now for a week so won't be able to reply to any messages.

PS Thanks Caro for the vote of confidence.

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Kay Eminson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:12:57 GMT

Dont forget to reward the good behaviour, if theres a noise and the dog does not make one, reward him. Click and treat if the dog is clicker trained.

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Caro Laithwaite VN — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:27:58 GMT

Give Jenny T a shout if you pm her send her all info about when he barks for how long if it differs from other barking he does.. pitch depth etc his general behaviour and anything else you can think of even if it seems stupid...it may not seem stupid to the dog.

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Vicky RVN — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:12:51 GMT

My dog has recently started barking at things that go past/come up to the house. It's not as persistent as your dog though! He's doing it because we've now had him for 9 months so he's feeling more confident in the house and starting to guard it. I phoned the behaviourist i use and she said if you can call him away so he'll come to you get him to do some work for you (sit, give paw, lay down) and reward him for it. She said if he won't listen when he's going off on one keep him on a house line and then quietly physically remove him from the room his barking in, then when he calms down get him to work for a treat. I haven't had to use a house line yet, have been able to call him away. It seems to be working, it distracts him and makes him forget what he was barking at! She said not to make a noise when he starts barking, to him you are joining in. She also said when going out (because Jacks trigger is things at the front of the house) when going out and leaving him alone to prevent him being able to get to the front. I suppose this is so that he doesn't continue to learn to do it while we're not in to stop him! Hope that all makes sense, good luck!

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Emma Purnell — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:34:49 GMT

Try DAP as Saskia said, that could help!

One other little thing to think about, what sometimes works for people I see is to try the ignoring technique, but the most important part of it is not the ignoring, it is the reenforcement. Ignore while barking, as soon as he is quiet for 30 seconds, we need to be really rewarding him.

It could be fear based I suppose, I am going to have a good think about this one! I do love behaviour

Re: Behavioural Advice Please...Barking

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:15:33 GMT

I am probably not much help Miss Vetnurse but I will try!!

I have a rescue small terrier crossbreed, although he was 12 weeks old roughly when we got him, he has always been a nervous dog when in strange surroundings. He is a lovely little chap really and absolutely adores my boys, especially little Matthew. Matthew could walk him on a lead for hours and he would walk for hours with him wagging his tail lol!!

However, no matter what happens at home, if I get up from chair suddenly, postman arrives, any strange person/vehicle arrives, he will bark continuous and not stop until that person or thing leaves. No matter what I do, he wont stop. I have sort of put it down to him being very poorly or not at all socialised when being a puppy.

However, your little dog is 7 years old. How long have you had him?

Have you ever thought of a DAP collar? I have one on my lurcher, Daisy, and I am sure she has changed personality overnight she used to be a highly strung and easily stressed dog. If any of the other dogs were sleeping where she wanted to in the garage at night, she would have barked and barked until the other dog eventually got fed up (or I got out of bed and gave off to her) and gave her the bed she wanted.

Basically, what I am trying to say is, definitely try the DAP collar. Daisy is definitely a new much more relaxed and calmer dog.

And Shiloh???? well, I have put him down to a lost cause lol!!

Sorry, I think I have rambled!! Must be in a chatty mood tonight