# My rescue GS doesn't bark???



## silvergts1998

I've had my GS rescue dog for about 6 months now. I don't know why, but she doesn't bark at all. I mean nothing. She's about 1.5-2 years old. I think she was abused and she very timid, but then also very obedient. She always does what I ask of her to a t. What's weird is she does not bark at all. I wish she would be more vocal, but she's not. If this dog was beaten which I am sure she was, would this prevent her from barking? She has no aggression in her whatsoever. My cats who are very moody and don't like small kids actually get along with her.


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## dianefbarfield

She is beautiful....have you had her checked by a vet to find out if there is some kind of damage? sometimes rescues have been tied or chained and vocal cords can be damaged.


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## APBTLove

I want to say, I've NEVER heard of vocal cords being damaged from chaining. The dog would have to be extremely dull to pull on it's chain hard and long enough to truly damage it's vocal cords... Believe me, I've met a bulldog who lived his whole ten years on a short chain, and he could bark very well... 

Some dogs simply are quiet, though GSDs are usually very talkative... Even if the dog DID have messed up vocal cords, they still bark and make noise, it's just a strangled noise, not normal bark.


Is there anything she REALLY likes? High prey drive? Toys? Food?

Teasing a dog is a good way to get them frustrated and make them bark, if you want to test it out. All I have to do is have someone hold my boy and drag his flirt pole past him, he gets mad and barks at it... 

How does she react to strangers knocking on the door?


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## silvergts1998

dianefbarfield said:


> She is beautiful....have you had her checked by a vet to find out if there is some kind of damage? sometimes rescues have been tied or chained and vocal cords can be damaged.


Thank you..You know I never thought of that! I did hear her bark one time out of fear from another dog, but that's it. Nothing since that. I guess I will bring her in to have her checked out. I wasn't sure if she was hit for barking and that is why she didn't. Thank you!


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## GSD MOM

^^I agree with this. But also as a side note... we got Ace at 5 months and it took awhile for him to bark too. And to this day he is still not as vocal as our female Nellie.


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## Lilie

I had an aussie once who rarely barked. I suppose he just didn't have much to say.


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## silvergts1998

APBTLove said:


> I want to say, I've NEVER heard of vocal cords being damaged from chaining. The dog would have to be extremely dull to pull on it's chain hard and long enough to truly damage it's vocal cords... Believe me, I've met a bulldog who lived his whole ten years on a short chain, and he could bark very well...
> 
> Some dogs simply are quiet, though GSDs are usually very talkative... Even if the dog DID have messed up vocal cords, they still bark and make noise, it's just a strangled noise, not normal bark.
> 
> 
> Is there anything she REALLY likes? High prey drive? Toys? Food?
> 
> Teasing a dog is a good way to get them frustrated and make them bark, if you want to test it out. All I have to do is have someone hold my boy and drag his flirt pole past him, he gets mad and barks at it...
> 
> How does she react to strangers knocking on the door?



She never barks when someone comes to the door. She knows they are there but just stares at them from her cage where she hangs out at times. I think I have missed many UPS packages because she didn't bark. LOL!

I can't get her to bark for nothing. I will play a little rough in a nice way where she starts to prance around from being excited...but that is it. She does some times take after deer or rabbits. She leaves cats alone.


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## Greydusk

My rescue also doesn't bark much, the only time he ever barks is if there is a dog or cat outside our fence. Even then it's only a single bark.


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## HMV

a little off topic: There is an old saying in germany that goes: Hunde die bellen, beißen nicht which translated means "Dogs that Bark don't bite" It's an old wives tale thats not true at all, but I have seen an amusing warning sign on someones garden gate that says Hunde die bellen, beißen nicht...ich belle nicht ! (Dogs that bark, don't bite .... I don't bark).


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## silvergts1998

I have these two twins that live next door to me and they love to hang on her. At first I was worried that she would snap from being abused and had this thought in the back of my mind that she might be like one of those quiet drunks in a bar you don't mess with. They will snap but so far my GS has been great. She's very predictable which I like. She has no aggression whatsoever. A chopstick in a bowl of rice has more aggression than she does. Hopefully she doesn't think I am going to eat her since I am Korean-American. LOL! blah! Too much fur..I will just stick with my turkey and deer hunting. She loves venison.


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## Samba

My rescue didn't really bark much for a year. She was young when I got her. It sometimes take a bit of time before they feel comfortable and "own" the place. It can also be a function of maturity. Then there is the temperament of the dog. Some just aren't big barkers.


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## JKlatsky

Most of mine are not big barkers. I have whiners  But only my girl regularly barks at the door. Ike barks when the other dogs are out and he wants out too. But Generally they're pretty quiet. Every now and then I might hear a woof. They don't really bark when they play either. Don't know why...but I don't mind! Rather have a non barker than a constant barker.


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## Anja1Blue

Our little Anja started barking about 6 months after we adopted her. (Then we couldn't shut her up LOL  ) I agree, it varies from dog to dog and depends on how long it takes them to feel that this is REALLY home and not just a way station. I had almost given up on Anja when one day, out of the blue, she socked it to the mailman. And the rest, as they say, is history........both my dogs are on the noisy side, and we work on that. You might want to enjoy the quiet while it lasts!
______________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## Karin

Our rescue dog (Heidi) didn't bark at all the first six months we got her--even when the doorbell rang. She was also timid and acted as though she had been abused (cowering and whipping her head around when we went to pet her, etc.) Little by little, as she started feeling more at home, she started barking more often. And now she barks a little too much (when the doorbell rings, when certain people come into the yard, when she gets excited or impatient, etc., etc.) So, give her time and she'll probably be barking with the best of them!! She's very pretty and sweet looking, by the way.


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## Jax08

Maybe she just doesn't have anything important to say? 

Is it possible that she used to get in trouble for barking so she doesn't bark? Jax doesn't really bark much and I've had her since she was a baby. Usually it's an important announcement that there is a bird in the yard.


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## silvergts1998

Well I am at the 6 month point so maybe she will start to communicate with us. She soooo loyal though so if she doesn't then I am just happy she listens to me all the time!


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## doggiedad

that's a nice pic of your dog laying
down with her paw raised.

my dog isn't much of a barker.

what kind of car is that red car?



silvergts1998 said:


> Well I am at the 6 month point so maybe she will start to communicate with us. She soooo loyal though so if she doesn't then I am just happy she listens to me all the time!


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## Dainerra

Freya didn't bark for several months when we first got her. She was very timid as well. She still barks only rarely


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## Myamom

My foster Cheyenne didn't bark for a long time either....took me by surprise when I finally heard a bark....quiet as it was....lol. She still rarely barks....and when she does...it's usually a single quiet "woof"


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## silvergts1998

doggiedad said:


> that's a nice pic of your dog laying
> down with her paw raised.
> 
> my dog isn't much of a barker.
> 
> what kind of car is that red car?


The red cars are two Ferrari 512TRs. My girl Annie is much prettier!


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## KITTIEG

What a great looking dog.. 
I've had my girl for 3 months. We've gotten about 10 barks from her. Most of them when she outside. 
Today I got about 4, she barked at the horses behind us. They weren't interested in her ball.


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## silvergts1998

here's a video of her when I first got her. She's seems to like playing and she's soo smart. I never had any dog training experience but she does everything I want her to do. She even gives me hugs now where she gets up on her hind legs and wraps her arms around me without putting her paws on me. 

Annie in training on Vimeo



Can you believe she was schedule to be put to sleep by the city! Can't even imagine that!


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## SylvieUS

Could someone maybe have used a shock type 'anti-bark' collar on her? And/or maybe she was punished every time she barked, and is just conditioned against it? She may still come around when she figures out nothing is ever going to hurt her again....

Best of luck to you


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## HMV

If it wasn't for the SchH training I would dream about owning a dog that doesn't bark.


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## Caledon

Dakota very rarely barks. She will be two in July.

She will bark in play so I know she can bark and she barked at me the other day when I didn't answer the doorbell because I didn't hear it, lol.


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## AliciaMaria

silvergts1998 said:


> Well I am at the 6 month point so maybe she will start to communicate with us. She soooo loyal though so if she doesn't then I am just happy she listens to me all the time!


OMG she is AMAZING!



silvergts1998 said:


> here's a video of her when I first got her. She's seems to like playing and she's soo smart. I never had any dog training experience but she does everything I want her to do. She even gives me hugs now where she gets up on her hind legs and wraps her arms around me without putting her paws on me.
> 
> Annie in training on Vimeo
> 
> 
> 
> Can you believe she was schedule to be put to sleep by the city! Can't even imagine that!


What a great video!! I only WISH Sammi was half as 'not-stubborn' as Annie! She's absolutely beautiful, what a lover! What was her history, do you know? Cant believe they were going to put her down.. She (and YOU) are very lucky!  

As for the barking, I have no idea.. has she been put into a position where she needs to 'defend' you? I know our Sammi (2 1/2 year old female, btw) is fine out in public, but in territorial places, such as the truck, our home or office, she is REALLY protective of us and VERY vocal.. 

Nice car too, btw. Sorry, dont mean to layer on the compliments, but.. man, that video gives me some hope for Sammi. hahaha and we've had her for almost 2 years now AND put her through some really great training.. she's obedient, but she protests.. sigh.


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## silvergts1998

AliciaMaria said:


> OMG she is AMAZING!
> 
> 
> 
> What a great video!! I only WISH Sammi was half as 'not-stubborn' as Annie! She's absolutely beautiful, what a lover! What was her history, do you know? Cant believe they were going to put her down.. She (and YOU) are very lucky!
> 
> As for the barking, I have no idea.. has she been put into a position where she needs to 'defend' you? I know our Sammi (2 1/2 year old female, btw) is fine out in public, but in territorial places, such as the truck, our home or office, she is REALLY protective of us and VERY vocal..
> 
> Nice car too, btw. Sorry, dont mean to layer on the compliments, but.. man, that video gives me some hope for Sammi. hahaha and we've had her for almost 2 years now AND put her through some really great training.. sigh.


Thanks for the compliments! very nice of you.


You should see her with the twins that live next door to me. It's a short video and she's towards the end.

Ella and Mya day with Adam on Vimeo


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## silvergts1998

Oh by the way Annie "woof" today at one of my cats. I think the cat was eating her dog food. The cat continued to eat and she just watched. My wife told me she did this. So I am hoping to hear her soon.


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## Flossey

I have a Rescued GS approx 9 years old it was serval moths before she barked, now this only happens if somebody comes to the door and rings the bell. my main concern is she doesn't know how to play.


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## middleofnowhere

Count your good luck! I have two outside barking their heads off at their horse who has dared to come up to get a drink - or not. They could just be calling him.

Time for me to get off the internet and restore some symbolance of calm to the neighborhood.


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## Stonevintage

Sounds like she is happy and at peace with her surroundings. It is sad if she was abused. My last GSD barked at everything. My new girl, little tiny woofs if she hears something at night. Purrrfect for my needs. 

Let your cats be your guide. They get along with her and that's a sign that she is in good spirits, non threatening and is not merely "restraining" the need to bark. 

There is one fun thing you can do. Play one of the many "wolf howl" videos available on the internet. Turn the volume up and you howl with the wolves. See what kind of reaction that brings from her. For a lot of dogs, it's very primal and brings out howls or a bunch of barks and lots of tail wags. It's like a doggie blues jam session. lol


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## Jax08

Super OLD thread!


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## Stonevintage

Ha! That's the 2nd time that's happened to me! I click on "active topics" and there they are. What's going on? My computer's spazzing out. 

Oh well, maybe someone else is wondering the same thing and finds some help here on this moldy oldie. Aren't too many questions new that haven't already been answered. Wonder if she still has those hot cars. lol


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## Nathalie Houle

God I'm very very late to reply! But our gs Yuki is only 8 months ?. Anyway I wanted to say something about the absence of barking. Our dog was born in house ( I took care of his mommy during pregnancy, delivery and until the puppies left. We kept one of the boys). He is the most spoiled dog, has never been abused. He is spoiled but also quite well behaved. I make sure to discipline him, kindly, if necessary. He is a lovely dog really. It's our first dog so we feel quite lucky with our choice. He is usually quite laid back, but loves playing when we have the time. What I'm trying to say is he is a normal happy dog. And he DOESN'T BARK... We have heard his voice maybe twice? This boy is very silent. He rarely whines. We wish he barked a little at least, maybe when someone is at the door but no. He reacts to the door bell, a knock, the phone ringing, but always in silence. Only time will tell what will happen. But we love him so much and I think he knows it


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