My Barking Dogs

[lanny]

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

[Pitbullman1]

Being a retired Police Dog handler/trainer, I was taught a lesson on how to stop small dogs annoyingly barking. The reasons why the dogs bark is because they are protective of their territory. Small dogs are the worst for barking as they have not other means of threats to keep the visitors at bay.

What you must do and always do and don't ever stop for a moment, and that is to fully concentrate on the dogs. When you believe that there is someone approaching or entering your premises be at the ready! Once the dogs immediately begin to bark then you must make a very loud and quick Schh! noise to them and at the same time slap them hard with a rolled up newspaper, (this will shock them) the next thing to do is to claim their space and move them well away from the spot where they are barking at, even forcing them to go into their beds. You can rehearse this by asking friends to walk past or call at your home at certain and different times of the day and night. Don't relax for one moment believing that you have conquered your conquest as they will go back into their protective mode again. You are simply training your dogs that you will not accept their behaviour.

This isn't a joke and does work with practice and time. You will eventually have calm submissive dogs.

[thequaife]

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

it is the character of maltese and yorkshire. nothing you can do about it.

[Nienke]

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

First of all I would suggest you try to understand what is the underlying cause or emotional state that drives this undesired behavior. Is it possible that the underlying cause is actually fear? Fear for the unknown outside, fear for the strangers that come in? How has their socialization been with environments other than their home, with people other than their own (owners, maid, family and friends that visit on a regular basis regularly)? What do the visitors do when they enter the house?

Secondly I suggest in stead of focusing on stopping the outward signs, that is the barking, you can also focus on desired behavior, that is the moments they are quiet: the moment just before the barking start, the moment they need to breath in between the barks, the moment they sniff the ground quietly, etc.

In fact you already say that focusing on the undesired behavior, the barking, doesn't really work. If the cause of the behavior is not addressed but only the outcome, the barking, especially with punishment (such as slapping or spraying water) then you very well may end up with dogs yapping when you are not in sight (meaning from the dogs' point of view it's safe when you are not around) and dogs that become scared of you (meaning it is dangerous when you are around as you never know when you hurt them again. It also can mean it will become hard to pick up a newspaper to read at any time of the day or night without your dogs running away in fear). I assume this is not what you would like to happen, especially not the latter.

As I assume the underlying cause is fear, where the dogs have learned that with a lots of noise and blah-blah they can kind off control the situation, there are several things you can do:

1. Take the dogs out of the apartment more often. Make that fun for them; such as 'out' means nice walks with lots of sniffing and playing and delicious treats (when they do not bark, lunch, try to chase other dogs, or sit quietly and relaxed on your arm, there where you can't have the dogs walk normally due to the many street dogs).

2. Just think it over for a moment: each time a visitor comes in you punish the dogs, how do you think the dogs will feel when yet again another visitor arrives? Don't you think that after a while the dogs prefer to have no visitor come to house at all, as 'visitor' has become the equivalent of 'punishment'? Now imagine that each time a visitor comes the dogs receive a delicious treat, how do you think the dogs will receive new visitors after a while? What would you choose if you were the dog?

3. How do visitors behave towards the dogs? Do they immediately try to make contact? Towering over them, trying to touch them, making eye contact (staring at them)? If this is the case, ask the visitors to completely ignore the dogs, even no eye contact. They can and should, however, toss delicious treats on the ground next to the dogs or next to the visitor him/herself, depending on the emotional state of the dogs.

4. Reward for being quiet.

Just an example: currently I have a gorgeous 5 months old golden retriever in boarding and training. The owners bought her directly from the breeder at about 4 months of age. This pup has only been in the breeders environment and with the other goldens there, meaning she lacks proper socialization.

Yesterday I introduced her to the pack that lives in and around my house; auntie and uncle German shepherds, 2 aunties pugs, a 7 months old boxer and a 1 year old golden. She has been playing with them several hours.

While lying at my feet and looking outside she suddenly saw the golden in the distance. "Yikes,WHAT'S THAT?" her barking and body language said. I looked at what she was barking at and told her that "Hey that's Buddy, nuthead, you know him already". That didn't convince her in a bit. Should I have said SHHH and hit her at that moment, or should I have tried to understand WHY she barked. I chose for the latter and stood up walked outside called her and called Buddy towards me. As soon as he came close she recognized him, waggled her submissive tail and did some mouth licking (choob, choob). I petted both her and Buddy and told them they were good dogs, then went back into my office and continued typing this reply. She followed me, laid down again and fell asleep, which she still doing now with her tongue out of her mouth.

If she would have been properly socialized with many other dogs, different environments etc, she would have felt more balanced and relaxed and not so insecure.

Btw, it's researched that animals learn quicker and remember better through reward than by punishment. I've tried to find the link to this article, but can't find it anymore.

Edited September 11, 2009 by Nienke

[lanny]

I think my dogs are well socialized - they are not afraid of visitors. In fact, I think it is just the opposite. I have many visitors and the dogs are always excited to greet them and be petted. Not all visitors are enthusiastic about the dogs but none have been mean or have in any way discouraged the dogs.

They also get along with other dogs at the previous owner had 13 dogs.

I have a rolled up newspaper in the house and shake it at the dogs but I never hit them. I don't want my dogs to be afraid of me.

[doggie888888]

I think my dogs are well socialized - they are not afraid of visitors. In fact, I think it is just the opposite. I have many visitors and the dogs are always excited to greet them and be petted. Not all visitors are enthusiastic about the dogs but none have been mean or have in any way discouraged the dogs.

They also get along with other dogs at the previous owner had 13 dogs.

I have a rolled up newspaper in the house and shake it at the dogs but I never hit them. I don't want my dogs to be afraid of me.

Heard of Cesar Millan? I use his method on my dog and it worked for me. He has his critics, but I am merely sharing that his methods worked on my lab.

[Cuban]

As for the distractor that you use to draw their attention, yes a rolled newspaper is a problem as it is an item that you do not wish for them to link with punishment correction. Try an empty plastic soda bottle, coke etc. with a handful of gravel or small stones inside. Shaken they will focus on that rather than the echoy sound of footsteps outside. (I suggest that it is not allowed to be used as a toy - defeat the purpose.)

I would guess that if they expect a vistor will be fun, they will be barking with excitement. If the noise comes and goes often, without the reward of a vistor to play with could you open the door to allow them to see what has caused the noise. In another situation I might suggest leaving the door open with a gate across the gap - but I doubt that is practical in the situation.

As for the treats, mine know that they only get treats when they are quiet and sitting down paying attention. It was my first lesson for them as I needed to know that when non-dog people are around they (the people) are reassured that my dogs are under control and not a threat.

If mine are playing up (after a strange dog incursion into the area of our houses for example) and they are too excited to sit, I will switch to 'paws+legs+tails' roll them over judo style onto their back and inspect paws and legs and tails, I've done this so many times since they were yooung pups that they do swich to a submit mode and (my objective) forget what they were doing before the inspection.

[patklang]

I think my dogs are well socialized - they are not afraid of visitors. In fact, I think it is just the opposite. I have many visitors and the dogs are always excited to greet them and be petted. Not all visitors are enthusiastic about the dogs but none have been mean or have in any way discouraged the dogs.

They also get along with other dogs at the previous owner had 13 dogs.

I have a rolled up newspaper in the house and shake it at the dogs but I never hit them. I don't want my dogs to be afraid of me.

I dont mean to be disrespectful but it seems like the dogs are the boss.The noise from the newspaper will be enough to teach them not to bark.Also maybe put a choke chain on pull back and click it when they are naughty.If the chain is put on correctly there is no pain.I would guess you havent got any choke chains as this is the first step to obedience.I have neighbors,farang man married to thai lady,they have 6 of these screatching demented animals and let them off to piss and shiit everywhere but their own property and they bark like mad.There is no control over the dogs other than training them to shit away from their property and one day i will lose it completely and chop their heads off.

[zepplin]

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

i used small firecrackers on my neighbours dogs ,now they never bark,they know who is boss,thats the key,you are not the alpha male

[bina]

nienke's methods are best for small toy dogs. the problem (well, one of many) is that most people are used to regular sized dogs , including me (boxers, staffie); toys are very small, and for the most part, a non functional dog i.e. genetically they have been bred to be beautiful, cute but the 'want to please the owner' and the 'working dog' functions were taken away , so working with them u have to find what makes them tick.

also in general, people forget that toys and minis are indeed dogs with teeth, and not dolls, and allow them to get away with 'shit' (a dog bite from a small toy dog is less problematic than from a large dog, even if in general it seems that toys are more often biters), they are allowed on all the furniture (small so can be removed / sat next to), get fondled and cuddled even if misbehaving, get carried around rather then walk--

i admit. i make the same mistakes, and have several holes in peoples feet due to lhasa teeth ...in the past. improvement is here.

also, choke chains etc can do real physical damage to a toy/mini as they are small adn we are big. physical punishment and 'dominating' on a small dog is more problematic as we are already towering over them, probably stepping on them, and they cant always read our faces but our legs.

the barkign at the door and noises thing though is the same for all dogs: teaching them to speak on command, rewarding them for silence, and at night, if they bark, i do go to the door, check (sometimes i open the door, sometimes i dont, i look out the window, and i tell the dogs, good dogs, they get petted and told, good night, beds. thats it. no fuss no muss. i dont yell at them cause all they hear is barking . and basically, all they are doing is warning me everytime they hear a sound that doesnt belong to us, and cause they are small, they cant see out the door window. adn we have a lot of disturbances at night from jackals and foxes to fire arms being fired to teenagers outside and babies crying next door and shift workers walking past... if i am really lazy all i have to do is tell them the 'good dog, good nite, bed' and they go right back to sleep. but i do go check the door many times to reinforce the pattern.

i've finally managed to get all three (now have a jack rat type) to sit on chairs or go to their beds when visitors come, especially foofoo the biter, depending if the people in question can deal with dogs or not. for the few that foofoo has a real problem with (all tall white males as opposed to children, most females and dark skinned males like my husband) they are given chopped hotdog before they enter the house, or they come equipt with some chopped hotdog, which get given to the foofoo when he approaches. he gets an other small amount from the person's hand when the person is sitting down and calls him over. no one pets him as he doesnt like that by strangers, but at least he doesnt try to maul them . (if he were a large dog we know where this thread would be going ) and yes, the other two get a small treat also. and when i say small for all them, i mean, minute small small cubes of hot dog.

oops i digressed a bit.. off to bed , but cuban and nienke are the way to go in this case. (the distraction toy thing is a good way to break the chain of constant barking but then u have to do follow up.)

bina

israel

[LaoPo]

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

I didn't read the whole thread but maybe have a look at this ?

http://pet-supplies.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_...;_osacat=116381

LaoPo

[Daewoo]

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

I didn't read the whole thread but maybe have a look at this ?

http://pet-supplies.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_...;_osacat=116381

LaoPo

Most of those collars give a small electric shock, which, if the OP isn't willing to disciplin his dogs with a smack isn't likely to want.

We had a collar that sprayed a mist of Citronela oil under the dogs nose. The strong smell is quite overpowering for the dog. It worked on our dog, but she was definately not 'toy' sized (Cross Rhodesian Ridgeback, Bull Mastif and German Shepard)...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[FM505]

Zepplin nailed it