# Omg please stop barking!!!!!!



## JenTheGSMama (Nov 14, 2016)

Oh my goodness, Bella is 4 months old. I taught her to "speak" at 8 weeks old for a treat. It was part of our repertoire of commands she learned as a small pup. Sit, down, shake, high-five, speak, kiss, come, etc. Now she barks excessively at EVERYTHING, EVERYONE, EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY. The other dogs are going crazy. If she wants to play and the other dogs are sleeping she will stand over them barking NONSTOP for long periods of time until she gets in trouble. If she wants anything, she barks, barks, barks, barks. I cannot make it stop. I have tried everything "no speak", "quiet", "no" while placing my hand on her snout and even using hand signals with my finger to my lips while saying all of the above words. How do I stop this? She has no shame either, 3am and everyone is asleep, no problem bark bark bark bark bark bark bark bark bark. My ears are still ringing. How do I teach her to be quiet on command? I don't want to stop her barking all together because there are appropriate times to bark, but this is insanity. This photo just about sums it up!


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

LOL.! Try teaching her quiet. It should go about the same as speak. Just opposite. When she's barking tell her quiet, when she stops say good girl and treat, click, whatever your method. Eventually she will get it. Also probably don't wanna give in to her barking. Matter of fact when she starts in crate her. She'll start to associate barking with not getting what she wants. 
If all else fails but a bark collar. 
You probably had no idea how well you could teach her to speak.


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## Suki's Mom (Nov 24, 2008)

I'm sorry, but that picture is hilarious! 


Suki barks at animal sounds she hears, so when we sleep with the window open she will wake us up. At about 4 a.m. this morning we had coyotes barking in the field behind the house, and Suki would not stop barking, along with her grumble of discontent.


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## KinsleyBlue (Aug 5, 2016)

This picture is the best!!! You have some gorgeous pups there!!! I need to teach my 4 1/2 to be quiet too!!!


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Yikes! The picture is funny but the barking isn't. Hate to see you put a bark collar on such a young pup.

What is her daily schedule like? Is she crate trained?

I used a bark collar to shut up our nuisace barking Pomeranian but she was like 7 years old....

My pup went through a phase where he was trying to be super watch dog and barking every time he heard a bug land on a window screen. I would give him one warning then he went in his crate until he settled and then got back out. He got the message. Now he only barks if there is really something to bark at. It sucks having to drop whatever you are doing and go put the dog away because they are being silly but I nipped it in the bud and I am totally happy with his barking now. He always lets me know when someone is in the driveway, stops when I ask, ect.


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## JenTheGSMama (Nov 14, 2016)

Suki's Mom said:


> I'm sorry, but that picture is hilarious!
> 
> 
> Suki barks at animal sounds she hears, so when we sleep with the window open she will wake us up. At about 4 a.m. this morning we had coyotes barking in the field behind the house, and Suki would not stop barking, along with her grumble of discontent.


That is an appropriate time to bark! Coytotes in the yard, yes bark! Any animals in the yard, yes bark. A house full of sleeping dogs and humans and the sound of air whizzing by, not a good time to bark!! LOL These dogs!


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

Sorry, I am no help, but that picture is so cute! Pretty pups!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Ugh ... this sounds like a mayor "PIA!!!" I have been on here for only a few years and on the "Boxerforum" for the same time and I have not seen this before??? Most likely the basis's for it is "self rewarding behavior??" You did something that makes this particular puppy think that constant barking ... is a great idea! 

The first and obvious answer is a proper "Bark Collar" but ... I don't like that as a solution as it's kinda overkill! So eliminating that as a solution ... that leaves "correcting the dog for inappropriate barking. That would mean your going to have to "Correct the puppy" for inappropriate "barking!" 

So ... "Flank the dog" address the issue "indirectly." Round one "Crate train the puppy" if she barks in the Crate ... "Correct her hard!" Tie a freaking rope around the Crate and if she continues to bark in the "Crate." say "NO" or "Quite!" if she continues "yank the rope!" And repeat as necessary! She will quickly figure it out! Clearly tie a "Consequence" to her behavior and the "barking!"

Keep a drag leash on her in the house. If she barks grab the drag leash and correct her. Carrying the "dog on a leash concept" further ... keep a leash on her and train "The Place Command and Do Sit on the Dog/Puppy" if she barks ... correct her! 

For "Place and Sit on the Dog" see here.:
Fearful, Anxious or Flat Crazy "The Place CommanD - Boxer Forum : Boxer Breed Dog Forums

I will say that typically with "Sit on the Dog" you don't really want to have too say or do anything with the dog/puppy. They kinda "figure it out." With "Place" leash corrections ... slight tug sideways ... would be acceptable to "quell barking in Place." If you Crate train and teach her to be calm in the "Crate" first then "No or Quite" will mean something. 

Is she "leash" trained?? Does this "crap" happen on walks???


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Gonna add aside from the "Crate" tugs/yanks, its a puppy so don't go crazy on leash pops as it were! Slight sideways just enough to notice.


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## JenTheGSMama (Nov 14, 2016)

Chip18 said:


> Ugh ... this sounds like a mayor "PIA!!!" I have been on here for only a few years and on the "Boxerforum" for the same time and I have not seen this before??? Most likely the basis's for it is "self rewarding behavior??" You did something that makes this particular puppy think that constant barking ... is a great idea!
> 
> The first and obvious answer is a proper "Bark Collar" but ... I don't like that as a solution as it's kinda overkill! So eliminating that as a solution ... that leaves "correcting the dog for inappropriate barking. That would mean your going to have to "Correct the puppy" for inappropriate "barking!"
> 
> ...


I refuse to use the bark collars or any other kind of device like it. I just don't believe in that. She doesn't use the crate either, there's just no need in our home. I introduced it to her when she was 8, 9 and 10 weeks old but she absolutely hated it. My other dogs have used it during puppyhood when I was at work but I am a "Stay at home dog mom" now so she's with me all day/night. In fact, she's very attached to me and when I leave the room she must follow me immediately. As of lately, she's become a little more independent. I have 2 other dogs in the house, a 14 year old Vizsla named Angel and a 5 year old Husky named Koda. When I brought her home, Angel is too old to play so she just ran around barking at her, sort of setting her boundaries and putting some fear in her to stop this nippy and crazy puppy from chewing all over her. Angel doesn't mess around. She'll bite ya! She's old and cranky and doesn't put up with anything. Koda will let her bite all over him and plays hard with her. She gets most "Barky" as we call it, when she wants Koda to get up to play with her and he's just laying there. She will literally stand over him and bark for an hour. When she was little, Angel would bark at her to scare her off and she would run in fear. Now that she's grown up a bit, she's testing the waters more with her and barking excessively back at her. Kind of like nanny-nanny-boo-boo while running like a maniac through the house. Honestly, I think Angel may have starting this barking thing with her now that I think about it. I wonder if she's trying to be dominant over the other dogs by barking. To make it worse, the Husky doesn't bark - HE HOWLS AND SCREAMS so when they all get going it sounds like someone is getting murdered in my house. 

Since I brought her home I have been like a helicopter mom, following her around EVERYWHERE she went - correcting her and teaching her the ways of the world. What is acceptable and unacceptable. A little pinch on the scruff behind the back of the ear, like her real mother would do, has been our official "no" cue. She will stop barking when I come up to her and physically give her a correction. But the second I walk away, she's back at it. If I return to her she will immediately stop with the pinch, so I think she's understanding what I want her to do. At first, she would bark for a few seconds before I made the correction and I could tell she was confused - she didn't know if I wanted her to stop trying to play with Koda or stop barking. I think she understands, I think she is just being defiant. 

Now I am trying to get her to learn to stop barking by verbal command only. When I give the pinch on the scruff, I say the word "Quiet" and I try to redirect her to something she is allowed to do. I have always used the "correct and redirect" method. When punishment comes into play, I admit I am a bit of a softy, but with my German Shepherds the mere fact that they didn't make me happy has been punishment enough. All of my dogs have had a conscious so that's good. I heard someone say that once they don't listen after the pinch and the verbal command, to try putting her outside. The separation from me and the situation might help? But will that get the point across? I don't want to associate outside with bad behavior since we just finished housebreaking and she's praised for going outside. Should I put her in a bedroom by herself? What other options do we have for "time out"?


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

I use the word, 'Enough!' and a squirt bottle full of water. Now, I only have to show them the squirt bottle and they stop.

I think you made a mistake in not using the crate. My dogs are always quiet in the crate. There is no barking at 3AM - ever. They are also quiet until I get up to let them out, whatever time that may be.


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## Sirine (May 20, 2014)

That picture is hilarious and so cute! Just like what others have said, reward when the pup stops barking and associate it with "quiet" or whatever word you like. If she is able to do all the other commands, with patience I'm sure she'll understand the quiet command as well.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

You said you have no need for the crate, I disagree:smile2:

No barking at 3am here either...unless they are letting us know something is up which is rare. If my dogs bark my husband goes out with the gun VERY rare. Happened last year when some guys were running **** dogs up in our woods without permission. My dogs heard the hounds baying and woke us up. I want them to let me know something is actually happening. 

When my pup was the age of yours, he slept in a crate. If he woke me up I would take him potty on a leash to prevent him from having ANY fun. I would not look at him or speak to him or touch him during these over night potties because I did not want to reinforce him waking me up. The message was, if you really have to go, no problem and I will let you go potty, but since there was nothing else rewarding about it he learned it was pointless to wake me up for any other reason because he couldn-t get anything else out of me at 2 am. So as soon as his little bladder and bowels were big enough to make it all night not another peep out of him. It was a very natural progression. He would go potty at 3 am, then 4am, then 5am for a few weeks then one night he made it till 6 and didn't need overnight potties anymore.

If you lock a 4 month old in a room alone to have a tantrum you might not like what you find when you come back....


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

I'm just curious how close are your neighbors.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I'd still like to know the pup's exercise and life schedule. I wonder if this pup is never resting and therefore strung out or never getting adequate exercise and therefore strung out?


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Aww gezz ... the "Bark Collar" was just an "obvious suggestion" but for this "situation" the barking is to consistent and random to be effective ... it still needed to be mentioned however. 

Nothing wrong with the "pinch thing" and then a verbal (marker word) the "issue" is, that it's just not "effective" the puppy does not belive you. Hence the continual problems. 

But you know ... "No one" can pound a solution into anyone ... so I won't try. 

I'll just lay out things I see. As I see it ...yor falling into "traps" pretty much one after another. When I had issues with dog H/A I looked for solutions and I looked for "What do the Pro's do??" I most likely put a "spin" on a relatively simple solution and solved my H/A issue and I found it to be ... not that big a deal.  

That is the successful part and that happened when I stopped "doing" and started "thinking!" Prior to that ... it do not go so well with my OS WL GSD. Five fights with my American Band Dawg and my OS WL GSD ... and my GSD "always started them!! Much like you ... I overlooked the "obvious" solution! Crate your dog, I'd "never" used a "Crate" in the pass becasue "my other dogs ... did not need one?? 

You are falling into trap after trap here. The first thing you are failing to understand is that two dogs are a "pair" and three dogs are a "Pack!" That ...means something.:

Leerburg | Introducing a New Dog into a Home with Other Dogs

Trap number two ... at this rate yo are most likely 6 to 7 months away from?? If you "thing" you have problems now ... give it time! As the saying goes ... you ain't seen nothing yet! It would be in your best interest to get out out of the "my other dogs think." 

If you don't want to use a "Crate" fine, then don't. But understand ... that if you sent your puppy to a two week board and train ... when she came back ... she "Would not be doing this crap!" And she would be "Crate Trained" and she would be "Quite in the Crate" are there would be consequences!! Most likely they would use an E-Collar to correct the dog in the Crate for "Barking!" I gave you a relatively simple cost free option ... tie a rope around the crate and yank it if the dog barks!! Micheal Ellis most likely in an off moment had a dog in a Crate that would not "Shut the Heck Up??" And he flipped the freaking Crate over yeah most like a bit of over kill but the Dog ...no longer barked in the "Crate" ie ... message received!! 

If as you say you are constantly "hovering over your dog/puppy??" That is pretty much a "Perfect Storm" for "Separation Anxiety" and "Aggressive Possessiveness!" Again ... seven months or so from "now" will show whether or not that is the case?? It's a real thing but hey ... your not along ... my wife ...had to convince me to "not" do that with or "Boxer" my baby girl "Struddell." And you best belive it was "extremely hard" for me to give her "time away" from me! But ... I did becasue I felt that ... sigh ...most likely my better half was correct?? So ... I would separate myself from "Struddell" for periods of time. And yes ... my ultimately it turns outed that my none dog training wife was indeed correct! And I/WE ... had "zero" issues with Struddell and "Separation Anxiety" issues.  

On your present course of action ... I doubt you will be that lucky??? So ...on your present course of action ... your "puppy" has already clearly shown ... she does not give a crap about what you have to say?? It's cute now but it won't be so cute when she's 65 to 75 lbs?? You are raising a "dog!" And if you get things "wrong now" there ... will be repercussions! 

And ... I'm fairly unique ... when I showed up on this board ... I was "offering advise" not looking for solutions! If your "good enough" yes ... you can do that to! But ... for that kind of "arrogance" there is a price to be paid!! For me ... it was five pack fights, a houseful of tension, (my wife was terrified) becasue all the males in the house were uh ... insane! And my first trip to the ER for stitches (breaking up a pack fight) and a permanently bent little finger! 

All of that happened "becasue" I did not come here and ask questions! Most likely if I had ... someone would have said ... "perhaps ... you consider ... "Crating Training" your dog?? Ah well ... live and learn. 

I still have ... yet another alternative for a correction besides the "water bottle approach." But ... I will note also that a lot of newbies that show up ask for advise and then "quickly" change to "defending" what they are already doing ... when they don't like the answers they are seeing?? 

Not really my thing if you are willing to figure it out yourself that is one thing. On the other hand ... I'd also look at the preponderance of advice and "here" the scales seem to tip heavily towards ..."Crate Train" your dog! 

Going backwards ... for me "if" I had bothered to ask for advise first?? And I'd have seen "Crate" your dog ... me and my OS WL GSD's story would have been quite different??? I never used a "Crate" with "my other dogs" why start now???

I can offer advise advise on that and alternatives for "corrections" but you know ... not sure if it's worth the effort, if your already convinced that you have a viable solution??


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## Kane's World (Mar 24, 2015)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> My pup went through a phase where he was trying to be super watch dog and barking every time he heard a bug land on a window screen. QUOTE]
> 
> I remember that stage; Kane would literally bark at the sun if he looked out the window.
> 
> ...


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## JenTheGSMama (Nov 14, 2016)

Chip18 said:


> Aww gezz ... the "Bark Collar" was just an "obvious suggestion" but for this "situation" the barking is to consistent and random to be effective ... it still needed to be mentioned however.
> 
> Nothing wrong with the "pinch thing" and then a verbal (marker word) the "issue" is, that it's just not "effective" the puppy does not belive you. Hence the continual problems.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice. I do have a medium size crate and it is in the living room. Do you suggest that when she barks when she is playing with the other dogs to take her and put her in the crate? Do I lock it? Set up the scenario for me how would you go about this?

Here's the situation:

I'm cooking dinner, hands busy and I can't stop what I'm doing. Older dog is passing through to the back door to go outside, Koda is laying down on the floor just chilling, watching me cook. The pup excessively barking at him because she wants him to get up and play. Or Koda is chewing on his toy and pup wants the toy so she begins with the blood curling bark bark bark bark bark bark. Do I put her in the kennel? Lock it?


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## JenTheGSMama (Nov 14, 2016)

Cool calm leadership is definitely what she needs. Eye contact and touch. She also does really good with hand signals. I've taught this dog so much. By helicoper mom, I meant that for the first month that she was with me, I taught her how to do everything that she needs to do to get by, especially with the other dogs. Now that she is four months old and almost as big as them, she wants to PLAY!!! She's testing her limits with Angel, but she's definitely establishing her role in the pack. It's really cute, actually. 

She is sleeping through the night. When I spoke of barking at 3am, I wasn't specific. We were up in the living room watching movies all night so she was sleeping for the most part, but also up because I was up. Normally, our sleeping situation is the long, lanky husky Koda in my bed, Angel under the bed and the pup lays in the hallway. The rest of the house is closed off so she can only access the bedroom or hallway. She prefers the hallway, as all of my shepherds have. They like to sleep between me and the first point of entry. My guard dogs! She is an awesome puppy! She is learning so much and she is very trainable. I think she is just being defiant. Honestly. Because when I have to come over to her to tell her quiet, she runs off, ears pinned back and wagging her tail. 

I guess I just have to be patient. She is settling down when I sit in between her and whatever she is barking at, correcting her and praising her. Redirection has been working so far, I guess it just takes time. I want to be able to say a command and it happens. LOL

As far as her exercise, she has one more shot to go before I can take her out of the backyard. So this is our day: 
We play ball in the yard for about 30 minutes in the morning. 
We rough-house train in the house with the tug-a-war toy for about an hour during the day.
Regular training for about 15 minutes. 
Running around the yard with the other dogs throughout the day. She has to go up and down the stairs to get to the yard, so that is an extra workout.
Lots of naps and food in between all of this play.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

1. You must be prepared to stop what you are doing no matter how inconvenient if the puppy needs discipline/timeout

2. She is not getting walked? ? Sounds kind of like a lot of adrenaline play, free for all, I would add leash walking and problem solving training to teach her a way of existing where she is calm, quiet, and looking to you for direction

3. I would not let her terrorize older dogs, NOT cute. Absolutely put her away. I usually give ine warning which I expect will be ignored but in the future it will start to have meaning. You might want to move her crate somewhere more remote in the house. She is going to scream bloody murder, maybe for a very long time. You must be prepared not to cave. You must wait for a break in the noise.

When you do let her out, she will likely go right back to barking at everyone. Going to take repititons to get the message across.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

Sounds like barking is just a side-effect of a bigger issue which is the pup having no boundaries. Maybe being airplane mom and you teaching her how to act with the other dogs. The other dogs are much more capable of correcting her for over stepping her boundaries in relation to dog pack structure. But now you have an issue and it needs to be corrected. Teach the dog to act civil and calm in the house and the barkimg like crazy should subside also. 
Chip and Cowboys girl outlined what appears to be a pretty successful plan. I would give it a try.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Hmm OK ... I'm surprised??? Honestly ... I figured I was pretty much done here??? You have posted a "first" with the Bark,Bark,Bark
thing ... I'm on two boards and I've not seen this?? But ...yeah I did "expect" a lot of "defensiveness??" And ... not seeing that?? That being the case ... let's see if we can as I want to say "out think our dog/puppy. 

Step one, if she starts up with the "Bark,Bark,Bark" no don't just cramp her into the "Crate!" As I've said ... I did not use a "Crate" but in my "understanding" a "Crate" is not used as "Punishment!" It should be a "safe place for the dog" and the dog/puppy needs to be "taught" to be "Calm" in the crate. 

So the "process" here needs to be to "out think your puppy!" If I were to venture a guess ... I'd say that most likely one of your other dogs is responsible for this?? I don't know and it's water under dam as it were. But it is what it is and what to do "now" is where you are at. 

To be fair ... "apparently" I'm not to conventional ... I don't care about focus, and I don't do the distractions and treats thing. I train deals to "freaking deal with it!" All I care about is that my dogs and dogs I work with are "calm!" I don't care what they look at as long as they are not acting like fools ... I'm good ... that ... works out fine for me.

So ... if you are actually willing to revisit the "Crate Training" thing and if you are willing to "Correct the Puppy" hard in the "Crate??"
And show her ... that if you are in the "Crate" you will be quite ... or there will be consequences!! That is a bit different then just cramping her in a Crate! Then if she starts the "Bark Bark Bark" crap ... and you put her in the "Crate!" She will "understand" ... that if she is in the "Crate" it is in here "best interest" to "shut up!" 

But for that to work ... you need to "Crate Train" her and she needs to be taught ... that acting like a fool in the "Crate" is not acceptable! If ...that is done first ... that is not the same as just cramping the dog/puppy in a "Crate" because she is acting like a fool! Which would be the time out if you will ... I'm not a fan of that. 

You have ... apparently three dogs?? And I'm guessing that most likely the older dog ... is "responsible" for this particular puppies craziness?? At this point that is neither here nor there but worth mentioning. The exercise thing yes exercise ... is important but I don't care. I let people do what they do and I "focus" on the issues. Most likely ... a flaw on part but you know ... whatever.

You did not say ... or I missed it but if you are going to fix this ... you need to be able to "walk this puppy" on a structured walk on a loose leash! Dogs don't need "you" to exercise but they do you need to "walk!" On a walk on a leash if the "Bark,Bark,Bark" crap starts ... you can correct her! 

As regards "corrections???" Clearly the "pinch thing" is not working?? A squirt bottle may work but I tend to thing of that as more of a "Cat" thing myself?? I don't know as I have never had to do that with a cat or dog. But .. I would suggest that you consider a "Pet Convincer" for the "Barking." :Pet Convincer.com

She has already demonstrated that she does not care about the pinch and verbal thing ... so take her at her word and do something different ... "out thing your dog." 

And ... "my" pretty much standard and always mentioned go to "techniques" for uh ... pretty much "every dog" is "The Place Command and Sit on the Dog" ... they train "Calmness into a dog." :

Fearful, Anxious or Flat Crazy "The Place CommanD - Boxer Forum : Boxer Breed Dog Forums

And ... if you do want to revisit the "Crate" thing and "if" you want to get a better grip on this puppy ... then for this "puppy" you may want to consider a "total indoor" lock down for this "puppy" ie ... no "free roaming" in the house policy. That would be found here.:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/8006017-post7.html

A lot of links there ... so yeah ...ask questions.


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