# Stop barking at passing dogs.



## wrenny (Sep 20, 2007)

I work swing shift and wife works normal 9-5 type hours.

We have a pretty busy dog walking neighborhood. 90% of the dogs that walk by he doesn't bark. But two dogs, an akita and a pug(separate walkers) he goes nuts until they are out of sight.

It's my fault for letting this go on for a few years because they walk on a normal schedule and that usually when I'm sleeping so I wake up but never get up to correct him.

How do I correct this? Before I worked these hours I would make him sit as he watched them walk by and when he was quiet for 5 seconds straight I would give him a treat.

Should I contue this type for a few weeks everytime they go past?


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Pretty hard to correct this if you are sleeping - this would call more for management. Can you close the curtains or blinds so that he does not see the dogs walking by? Or keep him in a room with a baby gate, for example, where he does not see out to the front? 

Another option would be a bark collar. I've never used one, but I know people who had some over-the-top barkers, and it worked wonderfully. Just calmed the dog down in general. It was like he was thinking: Why even bother to get myself all riled up if I can't bark anyways? 

I think if 90% of the time Lex ignores the walkers, and only has it in for these two dogs, then that is pretty good overall. I know with my two, if I stop them before they start, they are good about it, and will often stay quiet and not bark at noises that they might have barked at otherwise. But that means me watching them and picking up on their body language and facial expressions telling me that they sense/hear something that is about to set them off. Would be hard to do when you are sleeping, and you need your sleep if you are working shifts - so I think that managing the situation is your best bet.


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## wrenny (Sep 20, 2007)

I can't count on one hand how many times we've replaced the blinds due to him pushing them out of the way when they are closed, LOL.

I can manage my schedule because I know when they walk and that can be during a break of my sleep..

If I'm awake and with him when it happens, he won't bark at them nearly as bad but he whines(like more GSDs) and runs around in circles. It's more of "omg daddy let me out to play with them" than an agression bark/play.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

They sure know who is walking by even though they can't see them! So I think keeping him in another room probably won't work either. I don't know if anyone else has suggestions for you and Lex - you could try the bark collar. If you would like to go that route, get a good one, like a Dogtra, stay away from electric collars sold at pet shops, they are highly unreliable. 

The collars that use other deterents like a citronnella spray (the dogs are supposed to not like the smell), or an ultra-sonic tone are not that effective.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

My weapon of choice is the bark collar. I'm a big fan of ecollars in general but the bark collar provides more consistency than a normal remote trainer would.
I got the bark collar yesterday because Jax barked at my friend's 4 year old yesterday and that was the final straw. It's been like night and day just since yesterday. He learned instantly what it was for and can now walk by his mortal enemies without a peep. This helps his general attitude because he wasn't barking at other dogs in an aggressive way, but the other dog's reactions just escalated it and THEN it became something else when both barkers feed off each other. Now he walks by without a peep and we have no problems. 
I have to blame myself because I thought it was cute and funny when he was little that he was just "talking" but it's now becoming an issue.


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## wrenny (Sep 20, 2007)

Castlemaid said:


> They sure know who is walking by even though they can't see them! So I think keeping him in another room probably won't work either. I don't know if anyone else has suggestions for you and Lex - you could try the bark collar. If you would like to go that route, get a good one, like a Dogtra, stay away from electric collars sold at pet shops, they are highly unreliable.
> 
> The collars that use other deterents like a citronnella spray (the dogs are supposed to not like the smell), or an ultra-sonic tone are not that effective.


But doesn't this make him just stop barking in general?


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

wrenny said:


> But doesn't this make him just stop barking in general?


Yes it will as long as they have the collar on. Most dogs quickly know when the collar is on and when it is not. If you want him to alert bark at other times, take the collar off during those times.


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