# Barking at us



## okilayla (May 25, 2010)

I would love to hear some advice on this as well. Ryker barks at me to play and when he thinks it should be dinner time. He has me trained!


----------



## skinnydoggz (Jan 9, 2011)

I don't know the exact method, but I know that to teach them to stop barking, you're supposed to first teach them to bark on command then teach them a signal to stop barking (like putting your hands out in front of your belly, side by side, palms down, then moving each hand, still palm down, out toward its respective side). That way you have a 'be quiet' command. It's how to teach the 'be quiet' part I'm not sure about though. There may be a video on youtube about it. If I find one, I'll post it. Victoria Still well has done it but, as my mother says, I have a mind like a sieve.


----------



## Feralpudel (Jun 28, 2010)

Dexter went through an adolescent phase where he would get silly and bark at me. We used down stays. It is possible to be on a down stay and bark, but it isn't nearly as fun, apparently. I am a big fan of down stays because they teach the dog self control and help him relax. And they fit with one of my favorite dog training maxims from Volhard: if you don't like what the dog is doing, give the dog something else to do. Notice that there is no mention of dominance (canine or human) in there, or divining of the dog's secret motives or intentions? It's just about behaviors (desired and undesired) and training.


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I taught mine that barking for attention gets them nothing but a "settle down" cue - the good stuff comes to dogs that sit or lie down quietly (a bit of excited wiggling or muttering is accepted as part of being quiet!). They will occasionally bark from sheer excited frustration, but I try never to let it build up to that. A Victoria Stillwell episode showing her method is available on 4OD It's Me or the Dog - Channel 4 , but I'm not sure if you can access it from the States.

It's a puppy phase, but one that can easily develop into a bad habit if it is inadvertently rewarded. Which means everyone being consistent in ignoring him when he barks, and rewarding him as soon as he is quiet (and not winding him up to barking, if it can be avoided!)


----------



## Karma'sACat (Jun 1, 2010)

skinnydoggz said:


> I don't know the exact method, but I know that to teach them to stop barking, you're supposed to first teach them to bark on command then teach them a signal to stop barking (like putting your hands out in front of your belly, side by side, palms down, then moving each hand, still palm down, out toward its respective side). That way you have a 'be quiet' command. It's how to teach the 'be quiet' part I'm not sure about though. There may be a video on youtube about it. If I find one, I'll post it. Victoria Still well has done it but, as my mother says, I have a mind like a sieve.


This is how we dot it, although I follow Karen Pryor's method (which she talks about in her book Reaching the Animal Mind). You click for the dog barking then treat. In that second of silence when he is chewing, click again. You continue to do this until the dog figures out what you want and then add cues to it. Our bark cue is the typical folding your hand in half and moving your four fingers together like a mouth modified to my school's wolf symbol with forefinger and pinkie in the air (yes, I am a fanatic NCSU fan). our quiet signal is a flat hand moved horizontally.
I highly recommend Reaching the Animal Mind for all dog owners, even experienced clicker trainers. It is extremely well written and even helped me with my technique, gave me some new ideas for training games and some new tricks to teach the cats.


----------



## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

Karma'sACat said:


> This is how we dot it, although I follow Karen Pryor's method (which she talks about in her book Reaching the Animal Mind). You click for the dog barking then treat. In that second of silence when he is chewing, click again. You continue to do this until the dog figures out what you want and then add cues to it. Our bark cue is the typical folding your hand in half and moving your four fingers together like a mouth modified to my school's wolf symbol with forefinger and pinkie in the air (yes, I am a fanatic NCSU fan). our quiet signal is a flat hand moved horizontally.
> I highly recommend Reaching the Animal Mind for all dog owners, even experienced clicker trainers. It is extremely well written and even helped me with my technique, gave me some new ideas for training games and some new tricks to teach the cats.


Thanks for this, I ordered it from the library


----------



## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

I second the Karen Pryor book ... SO useful!

Also fjm's advice ... no rewards for barking, no attention, not even shushing. Turn and leave the room if necessary. Then AS SOON as the dog is quiet, good things happen. Attention, treats, dinner, a game, etc. Poodles learn VERY quickly what behaviour pays off in Good Things For Poodles, so you can use his natural self-interest.

Apparently, poodles can teach this too ... a neighbor has a boisterous Boxer 6 month puppy, who now runs to me in the park and plunks her little butt down in a lightning sit, having copied Vasco when he comes in for a treat. Cracks me up.


----------



## skinnydoggz (Jan 9, 2011)

JE-UK said:


> Apparently, poodles can teach this too ... a neighbor has a boisterous Boxer 6 month puppy, who now runs to me in the park and plunks her little butt down in a lightning sit, having copied Vasco when he comes in for a treat. Cracks me up.


Very cute story. Training should always be this easy! I forgot about that book release. Guess I'm due for a new dog book.


----------



## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

Squirt bottle works too.


----------



## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

cbrand said:


> Squirt bottle works too.


Worked wonders for me on several behavioral issues.


----------



## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

cbrand said:


> Squirt bottle works too.


Thanks for reminding me! Armed my hubby with it!


----------



## poodleholic (Jan 6, 2010)

Skye said:


> Auggie has started this lovely habit of barking at us. I get that I need to change the chain of command, so I have him "do" something for us; sit, down, etc. But, in essence, he is still getting what he wants (attention) by barking at us. Should I do a down/stay? Any thoughts? Bossy little man; I don't want him to turn into a barking poodle monster!


The first question I would ask is *why* is my dog barking at me, before I'd resort to giving a correction. I don't correct barking because it's how they communicate. However, from the get-go I've taught them to limit the number of barks (e.g. alert barking to 2 barks, and then come and get me). Beau has a soft woof sounding bark to let me know his water bowl is half full (the stinker likes it filled to the top!), a slightly louder bark to let me know he urgently needs to empty his bladder! Maddy has a wroo wroo sounding bark to let me know that YES! she does want to go (for a walk, a ride, to the park), and Lucia has her own various barks to communicate. I don't have to be in the same room with them - I know who it is, and what the bark is about. None of them bark and bark and bark for no reason.

Dogs do what works, so . . .does Auggie want attention? Is he bored? Is he getting enough mental stimulation and/or exercise? If he is, indeed, just being "bossy," then make him work for whatever he wants by implementing NILIF into your daily routine. 

My daughter's dog is obnoxious with pushy, demanding behavior, including barking. I completely ignore her, and/or give her the look that tells her to _*get lost*_. I learned it from Maddy! Give brief direct eye contact, then turn my head to the side, look up and hold = you have been dismissed. Amazing how well that works!


----------



## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

poodleholic said:


> I completely ignore her, and/or give her the look that tells her to _*get lost*_. I learned it from Maddy! Give brief direct eye contact, then turn my head to the side, look up and hold = you have been dismissed. Amazing how well that works!


Interesting .... according to a couple of behaviourists ( Turid Rugaas, Patricia McConnell), a hard direct look accompanied by a momentary freeze of position is a universal warning off in dog body language. Probably works very well because you are unconsciously speaking in 'dog' to her :smile:.


----------



## skinnydoggz (Jan 9, 2011)

I think Poodleholic was consciously speaking 'dog'. 8^D

I've been observing my dogs' body language which is directed at my new poodle puppy. When the Afghan hound and whippet are laying down and the puppy, Pie, starts to walk/climb on them, they give her the hard stare/freeze of position. This stops her in her tracks. It's interesting to watch them.


----------



## poodleholic (Jan 6, 2010)

skinnydoggz said:


> I think Poodleholic was consciously speaking 'dog'. 8^D
> 
> I've been observing my dogs' body language which is directed at my new poodle puppy. When the Afghan hound and whippet are laying down and the puppy, Pie, starts to walk/climb on them, they give her the hard stare/freeze of position. This stops her in her tracks. It's interesting to watch them.



Yes, I most certainly was consciously speaking 'dog!' I learned it from Maddy (my Standard Poodle), who has taught me a lot. I also learn a great deal from observing my own dogs, and those of others. I trust what they show/teach me over what many professional (and not-so-professional) trainers say/teach/preach!


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I used "The Look" the first time mine thought about begging at the table. It worked like a charm. I now need to work on my human to human Look, to stop friends and family undermining the dogs' good manners by feeding them at the table ...


----------



## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Sorry, poodleholic, didn't mean to disparage. It is amazing how effective a look can be!


----------

