# How to teach my dog to bark?



## yyhlhh (Mar 11, 2010)

Hi all

Ocean is about 7 months now.

As the title said , how to teach him to bark when someone is coming by or there is someone at the door?

he WILL bark when there is dog walks by, but not to strangers.

TIA

Michael


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

With Lucy it just came naturally over time. I don't remember when it happened, but 7 months is still kind of young. It kind of just happened over night. One day, she heard someone walk by or a car pull up to the drive way, she just started to give a warning growl and bark. Now she always does it.

I say, just let it happen by itself because it most likely eventually will. For now, just let the puppy be a puppy.

Oh and welcome to the boards.


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## yyhlhh (Mar 11, 2010)

Lucy Dog said:


> With Lucy it just came naturally over time. I don't remember when it happened, but 7 months is still kind of young. It kind of just happened over night. One day, she heard someone walk by or a car pull up to the drive way, she just started to give a warning growl and bark. Now she always does it.
> 
> I say, just let it happen by itself because it most likely eventually will. For now, just let the puppy be a puppy.
> 
> Oh and welcome to the boards.


thanks for the reply

Ocean seems like very friendly toward anyone...

He only barks to dogs. My only concern is that if a strangers shows up , I want to know is he willing to be in the "guard" mood.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I mean he is only 7 months old... he's still a baby. That's like asking a 8 year old kid to protect you. It's just not going to happen. 

In time, he'll get bigger and his mind will mature into an adult. The site of a full grown male GSD is usually more than enough intimidation. I mean, if you saw a 80 pound shepherd standing in a doorway, would you just walk in? Barking or not, most likely you're not going to just walk in.


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## Hunther's Dad (Mar 13, 2010)

If you play tug or war or use a ball as a reward, play with your dog for a short tim, then stop and do nothing. He might get frustrated at the sudden lack of activity and whine or give a short bark. When he does, resume the game or throw the ball.

Since we have more than one dog, we try to keep them quiet so as not to annoy the neighbors. One day I was talking to one of them, and asked her if the dogs barking bothered her. She said, "I don't hear the dogs barking, but I hear you yelling 'SHUT UP!' all the time." :rofl:


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

he might be a little young for barking
at strangers. who knows, he might not bark
at strangers.

when strangers show up you be in
"guard" mood and protect yourself
and your dog.

let your dogs guarding happen naturally
(if it does) or find a professional
trainer and have him trained for 
protection. 


yyhlhh said:


> thanks for the reply
> 
> Ocean seems like very friendly toward anyone...
> 
> He only barks to dogs. My only concern is that if a strangers shows up , I want to know is he willing to be in the "guard" mood.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

speak kindly to your dogs. how about saying "no barking"
or "quiet". i can put my finger over my mouth and say "shoosh" and my dog stops barking.

maybe your nieghbor didn't think it was so funny
hearing you yelling "shut up".



Hunther's Dad said:


> One day I was talking to one of them, and asked her if the dogs barking bothered her. She said, "I don't hear the dogs barking, but I hear you yelling 'SHUT UP!' all the time." :rofl:


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## Hunther's Dad (Mar 13, 2010)

We both had a good laugh about it. She's a great neighbor, so I try not to let the dogs do anything to irritate her. Plus, she had a problem with a stalker at work, and one of my dogs scared him out of her back yard.

And I do speak kindly to my dogs...except when I get in a bad habit like that, and somebody helps me break it. Believe me, they're spoiled rotten, and I'm happy to do it.

I've also trained them not to howl at fire truck sirens. A moment of silence, then a treat. Now they look at the refrigerator when they hear the siren.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Shepherds mature somewhere between 18-24 months old - sometimes later. You shouldn't expect them to be "on guard" or protective before that age. My 15 month old is just now starting to bark at noises and other dogs passing in the street, and only because he is copying my older dog's behaviour. 

Let your puppy be a puppy, let him feel safe, let him know that he has nothing to be "on guard" against, because Mom is there to keep him safe. He will need a LOT of positive exposure to the world and strangers and noises and people so that he can descriminate, as he grows older, between harmless noises and things and people, and those noises and things and people that he needs to warn you about.


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