# Advice on Barking



## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Well I kind of live in a weird neighborhood, so I let my 2 toys bark as much as they want. They are my alarm system! Lol. Hopefully someone will have some answers for you.


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I would stop punishing her for barking, and try rewarding her for being quiet - turning away and ignoring the barking, and then providing attention, lavish praise and food for quiet behaviour. The tricky part is controlling our own tendency to join in but even louder, yelling "Shut up!" ever louder and more frequently! It sounds like frustration barking, given the context, so lots of frustration control games may help - search for Crate Games and It's Yer Choice for some ideas.


----------



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

fjm said:


> I would stop punishing her for barking, and try rewarding her for being quiet - turning away and ignoring the barking, and then providing attention, lavish praise and food for quiet behaviour. The tricky part is controlling our own tendency to join in but even louder, yelling "Shut up!" ever louder and more frequently! It sounds like frustration barking, given the context, so lots of frustration control games may help - search for Crate Games and It's Yer Choice for some ideas.


Ah well there is the rub, she is quiet in the crate she is crated every night actually she is quiet for the most part the rest of the time. I live in a condo so excessive barking isn't tolerated and frankly I don't like it much myself, a couple of barks is okay but I want to curb this before it becomes to ingrained.

I also don't yell or prattle on, or use more than one method at a time but what seems to work as of last night with her barking whilst trying to play with my older girls is to loudly clap my hands and I tell her in a firm voice "Quiet". 

What is more trying is that she barks/ whines when I put her into the bathroom to be fed and only when I walk well away. I guess my problem is I need her to understand what quiet is and she's not there yet.

The perils of puppyhood


----------



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I've always taught my dogs to "speak" on command, and then the next step is correcting, "ah-ah, no speak" when they bark too much... or when I don't ask them to speak. This has worked great for me when introduced to young dogs and pups; not so well to older dogs with established barking problems. Your pup is plenty young to learn. Sounds like you might also try teaching some alternative behaviors for her to do when she is excited... tricks that you ask for, like jumping back and forth over your foot, or doing rapid sits/downs. My daughter used to "shoot" her Jack Russell and he would fall over "dead" with such enthusiasm that the floor shook. You just need some way for the dog to burn off energy, other than barking. Hope you find some quiet solutions soon.


----------



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Finally progress, last night when I went to feed her I banged the door with my hand( Beatrice is left in the bathroom when not supervised) and gave her a firm "QUIET" and holy cow she got it. It clicked in her little bean what I wanted. Now just saying "Quiet" gets her attention and she stops.


----------

