Barking control

[Timber]

Timber barks A LOT. All day, he just sits on top of the couch, looking out the window, waiting for something to bark at. He also barks at the telephone when it rings, doorbells, and pretty much anything else you can think of! Are there any simple ways you can get him to stop barking all the time?

[onebigmickeyfan]

and get a small squirt gun. When he barks give him a quick squirt and say no at the same time. The water does not hurt him and he will get to know if you pick the squirt gun up to stop. Has been a big help with my sisters schnauzers (major barkers).

[Timber]

Huh. Why didn't I think of that? Timber hates water!

Thanks! :)

[Katy]

The squirt bottle works on my girls for any behavior they need to control. With Maddy all we have to do now is pick it up, but Molly hasn't figured wher it comes from out yet. I hope the water bottle will help you save your ear drums.

Katy

[dutchman]

The two most common ways to try and correct a barking problem are the water bottle (or squirt gun) and teh citronilla ant-bark collars. The Water bottle is by far cheaper and works for most dogs. You want to aim the spray at their face at the same time you give the comman quiet. Remember NO is a word reserved for agression so you should use a command like quiet instead of no bark. The Citronilla collars are about $100. They work well for many dogs but a few seem imune to them. Dexter and Tanner are very good about not barking if they have that collar on but they are also smart enough to know when it's off so they return to their barking ways. Frank on the other had who rarely barks at any thing other than the TV is imune to the citronilla collar. I once refilled it's resivor three times while I left breed all about it on for a half haour. The other boys were looking for gas mask:)

Good luck,

Tom and the boys (Frank, Tanner and Dexter)

[Juneysmom]

The way that I trained Juney is that I "yelled" quiet and with my hand out of sight, rattled a soda can that I had put pennies in. When she grew a little, she started ignoring that, so with my hand out of sight, I hit the wall, post, whatever with the soda can and it startled her. I then called her to me and gave her something else to keep her attention on. She used to be a nuisance barker, but now, she isn't anymore. She still barks, but for no more than one to three minutes at a time.

Also, maybe Timber needs another brother or sister to play with and keep his attention. It sounds like he is bored.

When they bark at the door, that is not only an alert message coming from them to you, but it might be a safety issue in case someone undesirable is on the other side.

I know that some people have trained their dogs to stop barking on command after the person finds out who is at the door, but I haven't figured it out.

[Timber]

The squirt bottle has been working really well so far! He stops barking right when it's pointed to him. Glad he's learning fast.

[wriggin]

My dog will bark like crazy when put in his crate whenever I leave. My neighbors are starting to *joke* about it but I'm afraid that they will soon complain. I have tried the yelling no bark and I have tried the water gun. He hates the water gun and will turn his head and stop barking for a second and then will start back up when I walk out of the room. Is there anything else short of a anti-bark collar?

[Meemoo]

do you leave the radio or tv on? How about giving a frozen kong when you leave to keep him busy?

[wriggin]

I do leave the TV on while I am gone. I haven't tried a frozen kong, I will stop and get one today. The problem I have with that is that he only likes one kind of treat that I can find and they are small and I havne't found a kong that holds one that small. (I know, a dachsie that is a picky eater, who knew??)

[wriggin]

I have even tried to feed him in it and leave him to see if that occupies him, but he won't eat a bite of it while he is in the crate, but will to eat it as soon as I take him out.

[Meemoo]

their are small kongs...put some peanut butter on the small end and the treats on the other and freeze it over night. I'm sure their are other treats your pupper must LOVE. Have you ever given him LIVER or FISH treats? If you find something that will make him WANT to go there to get his special treat..he won't mind it....

[wriggin]

We have a treat that he loves, he barely even takes it from us. We do give it to him when he goes in his crate. As for peanut butter, he won't touch the stuff!

[Meemoo]

treats then. You need something to clog up the hole on one side of the kong. CHeese whiz is another option. If your pupper just BARELY takes the treat from you, then you haven't found one that he goes BONKERS for yet. Keep testing...

[wriggin]

well, he loves the treats any other time and goes "bonkers" over it them. But nothign excites him when he gets in his crate. I have tried at least 6 different treats from liver to peanut butter (the one he loves is liver) it just seems like hes so sad. I may try the cheese whiz and see how he likes that though, he does seem to like cheese. But believe me, he loves his treats, its just something about the crate. He may be trying to make me feel sorry for him and I do, but I still leave him in his crate.

[Meemoo]

in the crate when you leave? Maybe you could give him the treat outside of the crate as well. When you do put him in the crate with the treat maybe a few times you could stay home, go do errands or whatever....when he is quiet and good, praise him, give another treat.... If he is only going in the crate when you leave, he is associated it with something bad.....

[wriggin]

Well, we keep him in the crate at nights usually too, in my room, beside my bed and he is fine. I do give him treats at other times as well, that's how I know he loves them. I will try to find something to put in a kong because that seems to be the only other option besides getting a anti-bark collar which I don't really want to have to do. Thank you for all of your advice :) I hope I don't sound like I am knocking all of your ideas!! I really appreciate having this board for all my silly questions!:D

[Meemoo]

it's what we're here for! Let us know how it goes.

Leave the radio on..his favorite toy and blankies there...and a nice frozen kong to work on..and maybe he'll be fine.

One other type toy that might be good is called a "buster Cube"..it's a square cube that you put kibble in and the dog has to roll it with his nose or paws to get the treats out. May keep him busy. Another suggestion.

[KathyK]

Originally posted by wriggin
I do leave the TV on while I am gone.

Maybe its the channel you have left on the TV? ;)

As for the barking in the crate when you are gone, Dora did this when I left her in the crate and left the house...although she was fine when she was in the crate next to my bed at night.

Then someone suggested covering the crate with a towel/blanket. Their idea was that she was upset that she couldn't protect the household from that box.

I covered up the crate and left her....it worked. She was safe in her den without outside distraction of her "job".

Now, even at night, I cover her crate with a lightweight cover to block out the early light of my husband getting up.

And for our new puppy, I cover the crate when I put her into the crate during the day when I leave to run an errand. She seems comforted by the covered crate too.

I'm not sure why this worked for us, but maybe you could try it?

(and maybe try another channel on the tv? Mine likes the news channels. ;) )

[Patt]

So sorry to hear of your problem. Hopefully one of the ideas that has been presented will work for you. If not, possibly the Sonic Anti Bark Collar would work. I have also heard lots of good things about the Citronella collar. I definitely would not use the electronic collar!

When all else fails you might consider talking to a behaviorist they may get to the real reason (besides being a Dachshund) for all the barking and have a solution you can work with.

Good Luck

[Rusty's mom]

When you use a water bottle you shouldn't let the dog see you spray them. If they do, then they associate the spray with you rather than with their barking. I used to hide the bottle and then when the boys barked I would spray them really quick before they could see me and that way they associated:
barking = spray = not a good thing instead of
barking = me = spray = not a good thing and
if I'm not there then the association is barking = no consequences

I hope this makes sense - anyway, that's what our trainer told us to do and it works quite well.

Kathy - mom to Rusty, Duffer, Hobbs

[wriggin]

I will have to try that. Never thought of it that way. The only problem is that he barks mostly just in his crate and when I go in there he stops! Don't know how to spray him without him seeing me. but I will try!

[KathyK]

Have you tried covering his crate?

Worked for my barking crate dwellers. ;)

[wriggin]

i tried it for the first time this morning actually. I think it may help with the barking throughout the day but not with the barking when i leave. I normally woulndt be concerned with that barking if I didnt have neighbors! I just wish there was a way to reduce the loud barking when I first leave him.