Barking Blues

[Sheryl]

My niece's little Pomeranian lived peacefully for her for over a year in a Universioty condo with a no pets policy. They knew he was there as she regularly brought him downstairs to play on the lawn. In fact the management, guards et al were quite fond of him. His sheer adorableness plus lack of barking made it no problem.

UNTIL..a long semester break resulted in him spending 3 weeks in the non-stop company of my Chihuahua. Now Pomeranian is just a year old, was taken from his Momma way too young and has had limited contact with other dogs since. Chihuahua is 5 years old and Pomeranina imediately latched onto him as his Leader, Mentor, etc, becoming quiote the loyal disciple. Everything the Chihuahua did, his loyal disciple did too. This included barking, and it turns out the Pom has an incredibly loud bark when he chooses to deploy it.

Althou he learned to bark from his mentor he failed to pick up the subtle rules of barking. Chihuahua is a great guard dog but he barks only when someone is coming onto his turf or looks likely too. Pom missed this part altogther and seems to have concluded that the doggly thing to do is to bark as loudly as possible at everything within ear shot.

SHe proceeded to put this new found skill in practice upon return to the condo at the start of the next school term, barking loudly enough to wake the dead everythime anyone passed by i n the hall outsiode the apartment, at the people in the adjacent apartments, etc. Naturally complaints followed and the unenforced no pets policy has now been enforced.

So we're looking for anothetr place fopr her to stay in that allows pets. That is problematic enough but my concern is that even a pet friendly place will quickly change its policy if little King-King puts on the same clamorous perfromance that6 got him evicted from hsi last abode.

I know barking is normal dog behavior, but is there any way to teach him when to bark and when not to? Or to understand the boundaries of his turf, if that's the problem?

[hanibal7]

this is a very difficult one.my understanding of dogs doesnt go as far as a professional but i have had big dogs all my life so here goes.

the first problem was not to try and shut the little dog up or attempt too.i think the big dog followed as any child would copy something.when the big dog started to copy he should have been trained then not to follow the barking.also maybe the big dog should have been moved away.at 1 year old i find it hard to believe he wants the small dog as a leader.as mi said i am not a professional but i trained my dobbies and alsations not to bark unless on command but it does take time and patience.

[Sheryl]

I'm having a bit of trouble following you. They are both small dogs. The older one was/is the leader, the younger one, the follower.

Anyhow, you mentioned having trained dogs about barking. How exactly did you do this?

Haven't made any attempt to shut the dog up. thus far, just lived with the clamor ...and been thrown out of the residence.

[bina]

sheryl, ignore the above:

first, u can teach dogs to bark on command, and then u teach them to be quiet until told to bark... and u reinforce quiet and not barking...u teach them--SPEAK

also, the one dog is now alone in an apartment so the barking is also separation anxiety... u can control the barking when u are in the aprtment but when u are gone it will be difficult so u may need to find a dog sitter...also, white noise like a tv on may rduce the amount of outside noises that he hears but doesnt see, which he barks at...

bina

[bob4you]

I have a 3 br. townhouse central Pattaya that I just moved out of with my 5 small dogs. No regulations regarding pets, my neighbors have not complained but all of my dogs are "watch dogs" meaning they watch and bark but don't bite. It will be available to rent furnished about the 15th of June (after I do some patching and painting). The house is large with over 210 sq. mtrs inside and many patios and decks. Includes wireless internet, 4 A/C units 6 ceiling fans etc. Rent is B25,000 for 6-12 months or B22,000 12 mos or more, utilities are whatever the bill says no up charges.

[mailman]

I have a 3 br. townhouse central Pattaya that I just moved out of with my 5 small dogs. No regulations regarding pets, my neighbors have not complained but all of my dogs are "watch dogs" meaning they watch and bark but don't bite. It will be available to rent furnished about the 15th of June (after I do some patching and painting). The house is large with over 210 sq. mtrs inside and many patios and decks. Includes wireless internet, 4 A/C units 6 ceiling fans etc. Rent is B25,000 for 6-12 months or B22,000 12 mos or more, utilities are whatever the bill says no up charges.

that's nice. Just how would that help control barking?

[sbk]

Indeed, there is an accomodation finding forum that bob4you would be better off posting in, this discussion is on how to control barking dogs.