# Barking?



## meljen (Sep 10, 2018)

I get that dogs bark. And I do want Leeroy to bark if there is someone near our house, in our yard, at our door, etc. But because we're sitting at an intersection with the front of our house, and Leeroy is new at seeing things moving in a neighborhood (he was in a closed off forest area before) be barks when he sees anything move, even if it's a tiny person a block away. He enjoys looking out the window throughout the day, so this happens a good several times. 

He doesn't bark continually, but it's a sudden burst of maybe 3 barks and they're LOUD. For a 20 month old dog, he has a very deep voice. It scares the crap out of me when he does it. 

I've been trying to go over and look at what he sees and tell him a word for it. I'll let him know if it's the landlord or the mailman, school bus or garbage man. Those he's getting better at. But general people or dogs walking down the street, not sure how to handle that. 

He does get more aggressive if someone is really close to our house. Only when he's indoors though. Not when he's outdoors in our yard, unless the person directly approaches our yard or driveway, and even then that's rare. The only thing he really barked at in that situation was when I was flirt pole training him and a moose was across the street. (I live in Alaska, for those who don't know)

He also gets worse when it's dark. So maybe curtains?

We haven't had Leeroy for long, maybe just 5 months. And he was a submissive, nervous wreck at first. So I get that this might just be part of what he's working through. 

Anyway, this isn't a super huge issue. Was just wondering if anyone had tips aside from a bark collar. 

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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I found Turid Rugaas' little book "Barking - the sound of a language" very helpful. I think you are on the right track checking things out when he barks. Calmly get up, check it out standing between him and whatever it is, and tell him it is not dangerous - a simple "People, nothing to worry about" may be enough, but reckon on having to repeat it many, many times. He has decided he is now responsible for warning his family about possible dangers, but does not yet know what is, and is not, dangerous - he needs your help to learn to distinguish. And I would definitely get curtains, and even close them during the day if you need some peace. I certainly would not recommend a bark collar - likely to severely impact on his new found confidence, and, living where you do, I suspect the day may come when you may be very grateful for that alert barking!


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## meljen (Sep 10, 2018)

Thank you so much. Okay, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing then! 

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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Totally agree with what fjm said. It sounds like he is feeling much more comfortable compared to when you first got him and his normal poodle protectiveness is coming out. Thank God for curtains/blinds


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I have a barker here too (Beckie) and thank god there is no window for her to see through.

If you can’t manage the barking, get some plastic transparent blocking material especially made for windows. It will let the light come through but your dog won’t clearly see through it. I think you simply peel it and stick it on the window and it’s probably not too expensive.


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## meljen (Sep 10, 2018)

Dechi said:


> I have a barker here too (Beckie) and thank god there is no window for her to see through.
> 
> 
> 
> If you can’t manage the barking, get some plastic transparent blocking material especially made for windows. It will let the light come through but your dog won’t clearly see through it. I think you simply peel it and stick it on the window and it’s probably not too expensive.


That's a good idea too thanks!

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## mary2e (Jan 29, 2018)

I was about to ask about the barking issue 

Gilligan is now 15 months and his territoriality is definitely coming out  He barks at anything unusual in the street in front of our house - a school bus passing, my neighbors parked car, anything that isn't normally visible to him.

Most windows that face the front of the house are inaccessible to him, so I started allowing him on the back of the couch in the living room and I open the drapes so he can see out.

I put up with him barking at the wind for 2 days and went over to him to say "it's OK" and comfort him. There is now an electric company truck in front of the house replacing a street lamp bulb, he jumped on the couch, and not a peep out of him.

Is there anything else I can do to stop him from barking when I don't want him to?


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

There are a few good methods for training a dog to stop when you aks without coercion or intimidation . This is one: I want to be able to see out my windows. Damn dog isn't going to rule my life. :act-up:

ClickerSolutions Training Treasures -- Retraining Manic Alert Barking


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## mary2e (Jan 29, 2018)

Excellent blog post. I haven't been rewarding him when I say "it's OK" but will start.


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## rkj__ (Dec 24, 2017)

My poodle loves to bark at anything and everything he sees or hears through the window as well. To try and deter him from continuing on, I typically thank him for bringing his observation to my attention. Acknowledging that I am now aware of the situation helps a little bit.

We do use a static correction collar on him. It gives a warning beep, not a shock after the first loud bark. He knows what the beep means (correction will follow if the barking continues), so it is pretty effective, without actually causing the dog discomfort.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I'd choose a word that you don't use for other general things. Be sure to read through that article again to get all the details about getting your dog all primed up with this special "cue" you're going to use for the purpose of getting his attention on you for a reward. If you use "it's okay" a lot for many things...even in normal conversation and you don't follow up with a reward, the word...(or in this case the "cue" is _really_ doubling as a conditioned reinforcer) will lose it's meaning. The dog will lose interest in this word. So read all the little nuances she talks about once again, like adding distractions gradually, setting up scenarios, _only increasing the stimuli or difficulty as the dog is successful with the practice thus far._ (she doesn't go into all that but I thought I'd throw that in)

Good luck. Keep us posted as you go through your training steps.


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## JenandSage (Mar 9, 2018)

Thanks for posting this Meljen. I was going to ask about barking today too. My dogs can’t see out the front and side of townhouse because there is just a frosted window by the door and side blinds are always shut so people don’t look in. The trail to the woods is right there. But there are people and cars and birds and so much passing my place all the time both poodles bark at the noises.
They can also see squirrels and things out the back window which I do keep open because I need the light! It views through trees and onto the dike where people are constantly walking dog.
I will look at what poodlebeguilded posted but do you all have any other suggestions too? Sage is 4 and I haven’t been able to train it out of him. It was never terrible, just alarm barking, but more than 3 barks and maybe about 30 seconds of it. Sometimes gets worse. I’ve tried a vibrate only bark collar with some minor improvement.
Now that I have Saffron, Sage has gotten more “touchy” and barking at everything. I have always tried the reassuring him and claiming the space (didn’t seem to work that well for me) but it seems to be worse now that the puppy is here, and she is starting to find her voice too
I’m asking for help too because I don’t have much chance to introduce distractions slowly as the noises are all the time, off and on. 
Thanks. Hope it helps others too.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

There's a great method in Jean Donaldson's book, Culture Clash, which I recommend _highly._ I used that method on my Chihuahuas...works well.


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