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  1. #1
    Puppy hallieworthington's Avatar
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    Need advice for barking

    My 5 year old lab, Lulu, has a small barking issue. She barks when I first leave the house and when I get back home (when she hears my key in the lock or my car pull up). It's not bad, but it's enough to sometimes be aggravating. Thankfully, the neighbors in our current home cant hear her...or if they do, they dont complain. However, we're moving at the end of the month to an apartment, which Lulu has never lived in before. We're only there until December, when I finish school, but there's a clause in my new lease about "barkers" and the possibility of getting fined 100$ if someone complains about her barking (I just signed the lease today, or else I would have tried to get a start on this a long time ago). I know in apartments that the walls are thinner, so her barking will be easier to hear, therefore I want to get it under control. Any advice on how to work with her to stop the barking? If I hear her barking now when I leave, I'll usually come in and scold her, but honestly that doesn't seem to work on her for anything.

    For example, if she won't come when she's repeatedly being told, I'll usually scold her and pop her, but it doesn't faze her. She acts regretful, but 5 minutes later she's back to being normal. I know labs are generally just happy dogs, but I don't think scolding her only will work. Someone suggested a bark collar, but I don't want to spend the money on that if there's a way I can correct the behavior. However, I've only got about 5 weeks before move-in and the behavior is usually when I'm not home, so I need to get a start on it.

    Just to add, I don't want to eliminate the barking entirely. I'd like to control the barking, so where she only does it when appropriate. I understand barking is how she communicates and I don't want to scare her into not barking if someone unwanted were coming into my home, etc. But I'm not sure how to go about doing this in the best way, since she is an older dog.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Halcyon's Avatar
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    How about teaching the "speak" and "quiet" commands?

    When she barks, say "speak," mark and treat until she associates "speak" with barking. Say "quiet" and when she stops, mark and treat until she associates "quiet" with no barking. Do you make a big deal out of leaving and coming home? If so, just ignore her. When you come inside, ignore the barking. No touch, no look, no eye contact until she quiets down and settles.

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    What are we talking here? Does she bark for five minutes when you leave, and five minutes when you come home? If that is the case, I feel like that is reasonable, and while a neighbor may not like it, if the complex is pet-friendly, they have to be tolerant of that. Dogs bark, so if they allow dogs, then should allow reasonable barking without it being an issue. Especially if the barking occurs outside of quiet hours, which is generally 10pm - 7am.

    Part of the issue is that you tolerated this behavior for five years. So, undoing it is going to take some time. More than anything, it's going to take consistency. When you leave, have you tried leaving her with a Kong or other food-filled toy to keep her occupied? A dog can't really bark while working on a big, frozen Kong. Coming back in and scolding her, as you have seen, does nothing except encourage her to bark so that you will come back. For some dogs, negative attention is just as good as positive attention. Also, is she well-exercised?

    As far as when you come home, do you think you have in any way encouraged her behavior? When you come home, I would not open the door until she stops barking. As soon as she stops, come inside but don't get her riled up. In fact, ignore her until she is calm. Calmly pet her or greet her only when she is settled. If she begins barking again once you are inside, leave, stand on the other side of the door and don't come in until she is quiet. It might take some time, especially the first time, but she will get it pretty quickly. You must be consistent or it is a total waste of time and obviously it won't work.

    Finally, regarding scolding and "popping" your dog when she doesn't come when called -- what do you think that accomplishes? It accomplishes your dog NOT coming when called. You might also consider a basic obedience class where the trainer can help with the recall.

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  6. #4
    Senior Dog Halcyon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    What are we talking here? Does she bark for five minutes when you leave, and five minutes when you come home? If that is the case, I feel like that is reasonable, and while a neighbor may not like it, if the complex is pet-friendly, they have to be tolerant of that. Dogs bark, so if they allow dogs, then should allow reasonable barking without it being an issue. Especially if the barking occurs outside of quiet hours, which is generally 10pm - 7am.

    Part of the issue is that you tolerated this behavior for five years. So, undoing it is going to take some time. More than anything, it's going to take consistency. When you leave, have you tried leaving her with a Kong or other food-filled toy to keep her occupied? A dog can't really bark while working on a big, frozen Kong. Coming back in and scolding her, as you have seen, does nothing except encourage her to bark so that you will come back. For some dogs, negative attention is just as good as positive attention. Also, is she well-exercised?

    As far as when you come home, do you think you have in any way encouraged her behavior? When you come home, I would not open the door until she stops barking. As soon as she stops, come inside but don't get her riled up. In fact, ignore her until she is calm. Calmly pet her or greet her only when she is settled. If she begins barking again once you are inside, leave, stand on the other side of the door and don't come in until she is quiet. It might take some time, especially the first time, but she will get it pretty quickly. You must be consistent or it is a total waste of time and obviously it won't work.

    Finally, regarding scolding and "popping" your dog when she doesn't come when called -- what do you think that accomplishes? It accomplishes your dog NOT coming when called. You might also consider a basic obedience class where the trainer can help with the recall.
    Great advice. Thumbs up.

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  8. #5
    Puppy hallieworthington's Avatar
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    I appreciate all the advice! Lots of things to try I've never thought of. She's not a fan of the Kong, she has one, but won't touch it even with treats inside. Also, I've never thought about the negative attention. Lulu's much different personality wise from the other dogs I've owned, so she's been teaching me a lot since I got her a year ago. She is exercised during the day. Usually a 1-2 mile walk in the afternoon, depending on weather/time, as well as lots of time romping around and running in the backyard with another large dog. Once I leave and she quits barking, she has no bad behaviors. No scratching, chewing, destructive behavior, so that's a plus.

    The behavior originally wasn't an issue until my roommate's dog moved in. She's a barker, which encouraged Lulu to bark. Before, it would be one or two short barks at being left behind and then she'd settle. Now she wont stop unless my roommate's dog stop. Thankfully, that dog had already moved out, but Lulu's learned the behavior.

    I know she barks out of excitement when I get home, so I've never thought about not coming in/ignoring her until she calms down. I'll definitely have to start trying that. We've been working on it some this afternoon (if I walk outside the door and she barks, my roommate will close her mouth. The times she hasn't barked when I've gone outside the door, she gets lots of praise and cheerios-her favorite food). I read that technique online and I think I'll try actively working with her doing that, as well as passively working with her during my normal leaving/arriving hours. She's picked up on new tricks and behaviors fairly quickly in the past and seems to be following suit with this, so hopefully consistently trying all these will help!

    Also, how do you guys feel about clicker training? We tried it with my chihuahua with no success, even after help from a trainer, but my old golden retriever caught on very quickly. Lulu has never been trained with a clicker since she originally lived with my brother, but I'm open to trying to use that method. Since we've had zero success with one dog (that behaved more like a cat) and complete success with another dog (that LOVED learning new tricks because she loved to please), I'm curious as to what the success rate is.

  9. #6
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Regarding the Kong, try feeding her all of her food in the Kong. Get the biggest Kong and put her entire breakfast in there, stuff the hole with wet food, and freeze overnight. If that is how she gets her breakfast, I have a feeling she will change her mind about the Kong. And, I don't know many healthy dogs that will turn their nose up at wet food.

    As far as closing her mouth when she barks, is your roommate moving to the apartment with you? If no one is there to close her mouth, that's probably not a training method that will work in this case. I think the not opening the door and leaving again method is your best bet with this dog.

    Labs usually do well with clicker training.

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  11. #7
    Senior Dog Halcyon's Avatar
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    Clicker training works well for us. Have you also thought about putting her meals into a Kong Wobbler or a Tug-a-Jug to stimulate her mentally?

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  13. #8
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    others covered the barking as well as i could

    but please never "pop" your dog for not coming when called. if she isnt obeying the command the problem is lack of training. and punishing her when she does come
    (or you go to get here) teaches her that your presense is bad and will make future recalls worse.
    recall training must be positive and teach the dog that being mear you is the best most amazing place.

 



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