Barking like a looney tune when out

[Jo&Chris]

When ever I got out the house lately, Roxy is barking like a loon. It takes the slightest thing to start her off, and then she goes mad at everything. It usually takes a trigger, like a cat but then, she is like a coiled spring. Leaping about and barking at everything that moves. She isn’t nasty, just very excited.

She gets and hour and a half walking a day, admittedly not off lead but that is because her recall is intermittent and she is very keen.

I’ve tried bending down and saying a firm ‘no’ in her face when she is barking, she stops for a split second and starts again.

I’ve tried standing still and waiting for her to stop before we move, but she starts up again as soon as I take a step.

I can distract her with a treat, but as soon as she gets it, she starts the barking up again, and I’m worried that she will see the treat as a reward for barking, rather than stopping, if you see what I mean.

I’ve bought her a harness and she wears that now so there is no pressure on her neck because I was getting really concerned that she was going to do herself some real damage. The harness has helped, in that she now doesn’t choke herself, and seems to calm down quicker.

This morning a woman came out of her house in her dressing gown to complain about Roxy barking, which I felt was pretty unfair because we walk past her house on the way to the fields and are no more than a minute, but I’m concerned that one woman with too much time on her hands will cause problems. I really don’t want her complying about me to people and causing me grief, it’s a small village with small minded people.

Do you think Roxy would improve if I can get her off lead? I’m really worried about this though as there isn’t’ anywhere secure enough that I could trust her to have a run about,

I vary our walks every morning in the hope she doesn’t get excited because she knows we are going to the fields and is going to see lots of bunnies, but it doesn’t seem to make much difference.

As I say, I don’t really mind the barking, but with this woman complaining, I really need to get on top of it now. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Other than the barking she is really well behaved, walks nicely on the lead, is quiet at home and pretty chilled most of the time, But as soon as she sees something worth chasing the barking and pulling, jumping about starts up again.

Thanks in advance

Jo

[Deleted]

I have one like that, Ellie

She has got a lot, lot better now & will mainly only kick off at cats & then briefly, mostly she will mumble under breath & have a little dance around at things she disapproves of.

I stopped her by using a water pistol, she got squirted in the face everytime she kicked off with a firm no.
I know some people won't approve but I had tried everything else.
It didn't take many squirts before she got the idea & then she would look at me before kicking off & if I said no she heeded it.
If she looked & me & was quiet & walked on nicely she got treated.

This hasn't started since you've had Fanta has it, just wondering if she is feeling a bit protective of him?

[hippyhounds]

we have the same problem with daisy.she never barks until you start getting her ready to go out then she barks constantly all the way up the street till she goes offlead.road walking her is a nightmare as she barks constantly and if she sees another dog or anything she starts chewing at her lead and spinning round,i will be getting a water pistol tomorrow and trying that myself.

[francesd]

Chou used to be very reactive to everything, cars, bikes, birds...anything that moves. Over time she has stopped reacting to cars and bike, its mainly other just dogs and cats that set her off now. If definitely a movement thing and small dogs.

I use a sports bottle with water in to squirt at Chou when she reacts to seeing other dogs. She already wears a dogmatic head collar and muzzle as she is very strong when lunging towards other dogs and used to pull on the lead all the time. I also use a harness and have it attached to her collar on a double ended lead, so I have 2 leads in my hand, one attached to just the dogmatic and one to harness and neck collar. lShe now walks very well and unless we see another dog or cat she's wonderful. She even sits at kerbside waiting to cross ;D

If she see a dog she will pull, bark, shake her head and try to release herself. One squirt of the water soon stops that ..its the best thing we've done. She will now 'leave it' with quite a few dogs now and not react at all although small dogs she will always tend to react more to.

I had to stop treating Chou for calming downas she was learning that it she kicked off and then calmed down she got a treat, so she was kicking off and then stopping and looking at me and nudging me for her treat

I no longer take treats with me so there's no temptation to treat her and get the timing wrong so I don't give her mixed messages. If she doesn't react then she gets lots of verbal praise. This works well and at some point I may re introduce treats but not just yet.

All this was done with Jim Greenwoods advice though.

Hope this helps, let us know how you get on.

Fran
x

[Lisa]

The other thing you can try which is usually very succesful instead of shouting at them that often encourages them as they think you are joining in is very calmly place your hand around the dogs mouth gently cupping it closed and then quietly saying quiet. This way you are calmly interupting the behaviour as opposed to loudly joining in. Dont ever reward for barking only reward when she is quiet. This you can work mainly in the house to put the understanding of quiet into place.

Out and about you can then start by keeping moving when she starts barking and the minute she stops reward. The more understanding of quiet she makes over a period of time the easier it will be to use quiet out and about for her to associate and then reward her.

[Jo&Chris]

Thank you so much I really hope this will do the trick

Okay, so it looks like my way forward is to carry a squirty bottle and give her a quick squirty when she kicks off, do you back this up with a leave it or anything? I'm guessing you use warm water?

I had to stop treating Chou for calming downas she was learning that it she kicked off and then calmed down she got a treat, so she was kicking off and then stopping and looking at me and nudging me for her treat

This is exactly what Roxy does

[Jo&Chris]

Thanks Lisa, I'm going to ry that, sorry think we were posting at the same time

[Deleted]

May 12, 2008 8:00:13 GMT -5 Jo&Chris said:

Okay, so it looks like my way forward is to carry a squirty bottle and give her a quick squirty when she kicks off, do you back this up with a leave it or anything? I'm guessing you use warm water?

I use cold water, you are going for maximum shock value

I just use a 'no' command not sure if that that is correct but it works !

[francesd]

don't warm it up and make it nicer for her

I always say 'leave it' in a calm but firm voice when we see something that Chou may kick off at, then if she chooses to react then the result is a squirt with water.

I also make sure I don't tense the lead or pull her towards me to make nervous about what she sees. She has to know that it is her actions that results in the water being sprayed. It has to be on face too for maximum effect as this is where dogs generally don't like water bing on them.

Good luck

Fran
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[vickyb]

we have had great success with this;
www.companyofanimals.co.uk/pet-corrector.php
Been a godsend in stopping all sorts of unwanted behaviour, counter surfing, jumping up, barking in the car etc. We tried it when we got Gracie 8wks ago and it really has worked wonders. It's based on sound not the contents of the can, which is bright red and now just picking the can up tells them that whatever they're doing is not acceptable and (mostly!) they stop. Unlike water can be used inside and outside. Not so successful with our lurcher but then noise is about the only thing that he's not worried about but even so he understands what it means from the reaction of the other 2. Water failed on our little one, she just thought it was a game and barked even more £4.99 from P@H.
It really does take the wind out of their sales and calm them down without having to say a word. (no, I'm not on commission )

[Jo&Chris]

Quick update on Roxy barking - Well, its been an interesting couple of days, Monday night I found a new plant spray bottle in the cupboard so in lei of anything else, decided that would have to do as an interim measure. Chris spotted me filling it up and asked what was going on, so I explained and he volunteered to come out for a walk with us, All went well until Chris got hold of the spray and decided to drench me; honestly I looked like I had had a shower, so he is now not allowed to hold the spray as he can not be trusted. ;D

Yesterday morning was a great success, stopped barking at first squirt and walked on nicely every time, same yesterday evening. This morning was a bit different, Roxy saw a cat before Fanta or I did, and rather than give her normal barking then pulling, she just leapt up in the air and went to chase it, which was a bit when she realised she wasn't going anywhere she started to bark but because I had Fanta dancing about like a fart at a Fayre, poo bags, bottle and Roxy straining on the lead, I couldn't use the spray, but, she didn't bark much, so I guess that is progress too. And we met a couple of very excitable dogs on our way home and she only did a grumbly bark rather than her usual manic barking, and Fanta just jumped up and down doing his high step highland fling, so hopefully this is the way forward. All I need now is to grow another 2 arms and I'm sorted Honestly though, it is a vast improvement, even though I feel really mean.

[Deleted]

Sounds like one of my walks.

I used a small water pistol because I found it easier to carry in my pocket rather than a spray bottle and I got really quick on the draw just like in a Western

Sounds like she is getting the idea though. Do you walk her in a harness, I walk mine in harnesses so if they get a bit jiggy I can grab the harness & force them down from the rearing pony stance.

[Jo&Chris]

I'm going to the toy shop this afternoon to get a water pistol, maybe we would do a shooting range at the show

Yes we have the rough wear harnesses, thank goodness, they are fantastic. I love them becuse there is no pressure on her neck

[cadbury]

I have use an empty well rinsed jiff lemon in the past they fit in the old pocket nicley.

[Jo&Chris]

Genius ;D I was eying up the old washing up bottle this morning but that is a much better idea.