# Need suggestions about barking



## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

So my next door neighbors (we live in a townhouse) have gotten a dog. This is all well and good except he is driving Dharma crazy. Suddenly over the weekend (when I had the windows open) she started running to my dining room window that looks out into my backyard and barking like mad. It wasn't until Monday that I realized they had gotten a dog. I guess she could smell him or hear him moving around the yard. 

The dog doesn't bark much but sometimes give a "woof" or 2. This set Dharma off and she races to the window and barks like her life depends on it. On Tuesday morning she woke me up from a sound sleep at 7am going crazy because this dog was in the yard (my bedroom window was open). When I let her out, if the dog is out there then she runs up and down the fence (a 6 foot privacy fence so she can't really see him), barks her head off and refuses to go potty. She is driving me crazy and I am afraid that she will disturb the neighbors and they will complain. 

How on earth do I stop this behavior. I have tried doing "no bark" and treating when she stops. She takes the treat and runs back to the window/fence and resumes barking. I have tried redirecting her, even grabbing her collar and leading her away from the window or fence. This works for a minute. As soon as I turn her loose she runs right back over there and resumes barking. 

Any ideas on how to stop this would be greatly appreciated. It is to the point I am considering getting an ecollar but I really don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

have they met before? Maybe letting the two dogs meet will help curb her barking.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

I thought about that but the problem with that is I have never even met my neighbors. I'm just not sure I would be comfortable with ringing their doorbell and asking to let our dogs have a meet and greet.

I guess if there are no more options I may have to do that but for right now I would like to have opinions on other options.


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## kimi (Jul 29, 2010)

I am curious to the answers-we have same exact problem with a barker...


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

The thing is she has never been a barker in the past. With the exception of strangers entering the back yard, the landsacpers or garbage men, she has never barked. Even when the dog behind us would bark or howl she would just ignore them.

I had the same problem with her about 6 months ago though. The same neighbors had one of those small, yappy dogs for about a week. I don't know if they were dogsitting or fostering, the dog disappeared after a week but that dog barked all the freakin time. Dharma would go crazy then as well. She even woke me up a 2am one night because the dog (who lived outside) was barking. The dog disappeared though, and since then she has been quiet as a church mouse. 

I don't know how long they will have this dog but I am going to assume the worst and would like to get my dog to quit going off every time the dog is outside. She is driving me crazy with it and I am afraid to take her outside to potty late at night because I don't want her disturbing the other neighbors. I don't care so much about these particular neighbors since it is their dog setting mine off but I do care immensely about the other neighbors. I don't want her reported to the police or the neighborhood association.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

hum what about teaching a 'enough' and 'watch me' command? and use a really high value treat


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Tag will get going sometimes when the other dogs are out and doing things. He gets in a high state of excitement, and his brain shuts off. He's no longer thinking just this higher pitched excited barking like some kind of fool. I've generally only found that aversives work. Bark collars, or I will use a collar and leash because I have to break that state of mind so that he can even think about what I want. Then I reward once he's quiet.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> hum what about teaching a 'enough' and 'watch me' command? and use a really high value treat


I haven't tried teaching "watch me" She pretty much knows "stop it" That is how I get her to stop digging when she starts or anything else I catch her doing that she isn't supposed to. She just gets to excited and doesn't listen.



JKlatsky said:


> Tag will get going sometimes when the other dogs are out and doing things. He gets in a high state of excitement, and his brain shuts off. He's no longer thinking just this higher pitched excited barking like some kind of fool. I've generally only found that aversives work. Bark collars, or I will use a collar and leash because I have to break that state of mind so that he can even think about what I want. Then I reward once he's quiet.



I'm afraid that may be what I will have to do. I hate the idea of doing it. I have never used negative reinforcement. The only time I have ever raised my hand to her at all was once when I caught her chewing on my love seat. I yelled stop it and reached for her collar. She turned her head and bared her teeth and growled at me. I admit that she did get her butt beat then. I didn't hurt her but I made it clear that that behavior would NOT be tolerated. She walked off and sulked for several hours. And she has never bared her teeth at me since. Well except when I put eye drops in her eyes or am trying to clip her nails but saying loudly "no" or stop is usually enough to put an end to it.


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## ShenzisMom (Apr 27, 2010)

I would suggest either obtaining a long-line(30 ft) training lead, or an ecollar. When working with an ecollar please read leerburgs website, and watch as many videos as possible. Ecollars are great tools, in the right hands. You don't even have to make the stimulus high at all. Level 1 or 2, just enough so she feels it. Of coarse, if she ignores it then up the stimulus. But use the least force necessary to get a reaction.
I have tried a high quality ecollar on myself. And the 'tap' while it made my muscles twitch, were nothing. It would definantly get your attention, but does not hurt. The constant stimulation even on low levels is something that I would avoid, not at all cost, but avoid. On constant the stimulation itself was somehow very much greater than the same level on tap.
Don't knock it till you've tried it.


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## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

I have this same issue with one of my dogs, I have 4, and she gets in such a frenzy, barking at the new dog next door that she turns around and attacks my other dogs who aren't even barking!
Now 2 of the dogs run inside when she starts barking. Luckily that next door dog isn't outside often nor are my dogs but it is still stressful. She has even bitten my leg when I tried to get her away from the fence. we have now put an ugly wire fence 6 ft from the wooden fence and this has helped a little since she can't bite at the fence closest to the neighbor dog. I bought the e-collar but have been worried to use it when the other dogs are around. I was told with her she might attack more viciously.


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## ShenzisMom (Apr 27, 2010)

Krystyne, your dog who gets into a frenzy is fixating. She is no longer'there' you can see it in her eyes by the 'glazed' look-yes?
She is attacking your other dogs because she needs an outlet, she is not able to get to the dog on the other side of the fence so she has the next thing-you, the dogs, etc.
My suggestion to you is to strap the ecollar on your dog...
And go for a walk with her. Everytime you go for a walk she has the ecollar on. And walk her without the other dogs so you can focus on just her. I know it seems mean, you probably always walk them 2 x 2 but you need to focus on her.
Leerburg | Question & Answers on Electric Collars
LOU CASTLE - FITTING THE ECOLLAR
Set your collar to the lowest setting and get to work. You want the collar at the highest point on the neck and the connectors touching the bottom of their neck. I tried to find a picture but failed, but heres some links. I have found these websites VERY informative.
Do alot of reading before using the collar and if you need help getting it contact your local shutzhund club. Ask for a lesson on the use of the collar, someone will help you get it 
After she knows where the stimilation is coming from, I think you will be able to use it with the other dogs around without an issue.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I had to use an e-collar on Max. Read all you can, I had a trainer help me so I was comfortable using it. If you want you can pm me and I can tell you exactly how I did it. It really does do wonders but be careful the dog does not get collar smart.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

I guess I will have to get one. From the suggestions that may be the best answer. I will have to wait until the end of the month before I get one, though.

Vat, I will most likely pm you when I get it. Thanks for your help and thanks to everyone for the suggestions.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

Glad to be of help, my biggest pet peeve (no pun intended) is barking.


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## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

Deathmetal said:


> Krystyne, your dog who gets into a frenzy is fixating. She is no longer'there' you can see it in her eyes by the 'glazed' look-yes?
> She is attacking your other dogs because she needs an outlet, she is not able to get to the dog on the other side of the fence so she has the next thing-you, the dogs, etc.
> My suggestion to you is to strap the ecollar on your dog...
> And go for a walk with her. Everytime you go for a walk she has the ecollar on. And walk her without the other dogs so you can focus on just her. I know it seems mean, you probably always walk them 2 x 2 but you need to focus on her.
> ...


Thanks, actually I walk each one separately on rotated days because the 2 GS require longer walks than my other 2 dogs. Sasha, the crazy one , I have to drive to the college and walk her because she attacked me on a walk near home after these kids accidentally let their dog loose, I wouldn't release the lead so Sasha bit me pretty bad. So I go where I have the least chance of running into another dog during our walk. Ugh
I live in a dumb country town and the nearest trainer in in OKC (1.5hrs from me), she wanted $500 to teach me how to work with the e-collar. I have been youtubing demos but I haven't gotten the courage to put it on her especially since Sasha just had a seizure 2wks ago while chasing the neighbors dog back n forth at the fence! The cause of the seizure still unknown from labs at Vet. 
But as soon as she seems better or is back to her crazy behavior (she is pretty calm right now) I am going to try it out.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

So, Dharma had gotten a bit better about the barking. She still does but not as often or for as long. But those next door neighbors are buttheads. Those dogs have been outside all day today and is still outside (apparently there are actually 2). And one of them has been barking regularly. One plaintive "woof" that obviously is a request to come in. That is just pitiful. There is no kennel with shelter out there. They just leave the dogs out there and expect them to get under there giant trampoline for shelter.

Meanies.


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