# Dog doesnt bark enough or hardly



## mike992 (Oct 5, 2011)

My German Sheperd isn't a barker.Shes 2years old and was adopted 2 months ago.Shes great on leash and no aggresion at all.But I would like her to bark when strangers come to the door.Any suggestions.The only time shes barked was first 2 nights in new home in crate and once at my son when he entered room and we corrected her for it.She hasnt barked in a month.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Count your blessings.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

I for one, am slightly jealous. Our puppy isn't a barker.....but our 9 yr old has days I swear he barks if the wind changes direction:crazy:


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

Enjoy the silence while you can. I suspect that there will be barking in the future. Raina just got the point I can tell her to be quiet and she listens to me.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Try agitating her with a toy or treat (depending on what she is motivated by). Hold it and get her excited, when she makes the slightest noise/bark, give it to her. Keep doing that and you might develop a bark. You can attach a command to it like "speak" or "Gib laut". In my experience, if she isn't a barker, she won't bark like a true barker. 

A barker can be a double-edged sword... I can't watch The Animal Channel or any show with a dog because Whiskey will go insane and bark like mad. Certain whisper sounds or thumping noises will set him off also which can suck when you're watching TV late at night and he wakes up the entire household.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

My girl only barks when she perceives a threat or to alert me to someone who does not belong near the house. She won't bark when I tease her for a toy. She will bark at a helper who has the sleeve on, however when he is teasing her to get her going, the bark becomes a howl. 

My boy learned to bark, Gib Laut, and Revier and one barker is all I need


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

You'll save money on Excederin.  I'll bet she finds her voice.


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## Greydusk (Mar 26, 2010)

When I adopted Blitz he wasn't a barker either, still isn't. Though now he will bark once when there's someone at the door but that's it. 

Give her some time, she may start barking more, she may not.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

She may be taking a bit long to get completely relaxed in the household. Enjoy the silence. Mine talks a good bit with the groans, grumbles, sighs etc, but only barks at some thing..... which sometimes I believe he just dreams up :crazy:

If you really really wanna hear her, find the squirrels and chipmunks or in the case of mine, even planes...


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

If you've only had her for 2 months i'd give her more time to "show her colors".
Some dogs bark and some do not, not much you can do about it. :/


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

jocoyn said:


> *Count your blessings*.


This.

Quiet dogs are good dogs!


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

I don't understand this. Do some of you NOT want your dogs to bark at strangers etc?




kiya said:


> This.
> 
> Quiet dogs are good dogs!


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

No I don't want my dog/dogs to bark at strangers.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

You've only had her two months; give her time. Sasha didn't make a sound, not a whimper, a whine, a talk, a bark, nothing for quite a while. Now she's exceedingly chatty and still not much of a barker but will let me know if someone's at the door.


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

So, if someone was breaking into your house you wouldn't want your dogs to bark to alert?? You would want them to invite them in..



kiya said:


> No I don't want my dog/dogs to bark at strangers.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

If there was an actual reason to bark because of some sort of danger or threat of course I'd want my dog to bark. Since the chances of that happening are pretty slim, I much prefer my dog to not bark at everything and anything he/she *thought* was a threat.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Snarly said:


> I don't understand this. Do some of you NOT want your dogs to bark at strangers etc?


Some people do not. I personally *LIKE* that my dogs alert me to things going on outside our house.

My problem is getting them to shut up once we let the person in the house.  We don't get alot of visitors so it's REALLY exciting for them. 

The problem I have is *UNNECESSARY* barking. Like my 13 yr old Cocker who barks at ... umm ... EVERYTHING! And since he's going deaf he can't hear me correcting him - I have to physically get his attention to stop him.


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

I personally love that Nova will bark at things that are suspicious, like a stranger, or an animal in the yard etc.

I can understand not wanting a dog that barks at everything and anything for no reason, that would be annoying. 



Lauri & The Gang said:


> Some people do not. I personally *LIKE* that my dogs alert me to things going on outside our house.
> 
> My problem is getting them to shut up once we let the person in the house.  We don't get alot of visitors so it's REALLY exciting for them.
> 
> The problem I have is *UNNECESSARY* barking. Like my 13 yr old Cocker who barks at ... umm ... EVERYTHING! And since he's going deaf he can't hear me correcting him - I have to physically get his attention to stop him.


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## Gracie's My Girl (May 27, 2011)

Personally, I would not encourage a dog to bark. If they bark, that's great. If they don't, that's just the dog they are.

My GSD will not keep her voice to herself sometimes. It is the worst when she jumps up from her sleep in the middle of the night and runs to the door barking. We are not sure if she is waking up from a dream...or if she really can sense the cat roaming across the street.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Santa came by our house tonight in a fire engine.
All three of them HOWLING in concert with the siren for 15 minutes. 

Cyra is my problem barker-she will bark at absolutely nothing
Grim only barks at strange people and stops 
Beau has found his voice but has not abused it yet.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

NewbieShepherdGirl said:


> You've only had her two months; give her time. Sasha didn't make a sound, not a whimper, a whine, a talk, a bark, nothing for quite a while. Now she's exceedingly chatty and still not much of a barker but will let me know if someone's at the door.


Agree with this. When we brought Anja into our home at age 5 she was really quiet, not a single bark, not even at the mailman LOL. Now there are times when I have to work to shut her up (and she is LOUD - sounds more like a male.) It took about 3 months for her to kick in.......... basically your dog needs what she did - time to understand that your home is a permanent one, not just a stop along the way. When she feels secure, that this is her territory, she will probably start to bark. I personally don't think you should try and force it in any way - have patience! You may well get what you are wishing for. And then some......
____________________________________________
Susan

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


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