whitestavern Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 We adopted a dog a few years ago and he's just a big fluffy ball of love. However, our neighbors across the street recently got a horse and now all my dog does it sit on our lawn and bark at the horse. He has always been a barker if a jogger or biker goes by, but that is not super often he he always stopped once they were out of view. But with the horse he barks even if the horse is not in view (we are not close to the neighbors - this is in the distance). I am about to lose my mind! And I'm sure the rest of the houses in our area have had it with his barking as well. He literally barks the minute he goes out until I can wrangle him in (he will not come when called while he's barking, which is new). Now that it's winter I do not feel like constantly going out and getting him (we have a large yard) Please provide any tips!! I was thinking about a barking collar, but we have an invisible fence and I'm not sure those two things work together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 I have experienced the effect that putting 'speak' on cue slows down a dog's barking. I also have experience rewarding a dog for looking toward a perceived threat but maintaining quiet, then gradually moving closer. Although I can train those things, I do not know how to help someone else learn to do it -- I hope others chime in. What I will recommend is the book, Click to Calm by Emma Parsons. Although the book subtitle reads, "Healing the Aggressive Dog", the suggestions will help any dog with all sorts of annoying issues. The book has great step-by-step directions for the problem you mentioned. As with most dog-training, working hard on this for a few weeks before slowing down gradually into maintenance mode will pay long-term dividends. Oh, that book isn't cheap, check if your local library has a copy. Best wishes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 It sounds to me as if the problem is significantly larger than barking at a horse. He's also blowing off your command. How many commands does he really know? I mean rock solid, not kinda-maybe-sorta-if-he-feels-like-it? I think I'd take a multi-pronged approach. I'd start implementing Nothing In Life Is Free (Googling that term will provide you with lots of explanations). Everybody in the home needs to be on board with that. Doggy wouldn't go outside by himself. The quicker you nip the barking in the bud the quicker/easier it will likely be to stop. Although I don't think it's going to be easy--sounds like it's already an entrenched habit. But you want it to stop now. I'd be taking him out on a leash and bringing him right back in once he's done his business. Praising/rewarding for taking care of business promptly. If the barking is bad enough you might have to start working with him on not barking when he steps out the door even on leash/with you there with him. Lots of tiny treats if he's food motivated. Those will teach him to focus on you. And at the same time I'd be working on putting "speak" on command, followed by "quiet" on command. Don't rule out the possibility that it's at least partially boredom barking. How long is he typically out by himself? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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