# Barking at me



## Kellykath (Mar 28, 2012)

My 4 month old puppy Cooper has started barking at me when I am relaxing on the sofa. I take him out often and have taken him out to see if he needs to go potty, but he doesn't. I know this is not a good behavior and I don't know how to teach him not to do this. At this point, I have tried putting him in his crate or the mudroom when he barks, and I also tried spraying water in his face with a water bottle and saying "No bark". What should I be doing to train him not to do this? Thanks!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Barking has proved a good way of getting your attention, even if it is you saying No! I would try completely ignoring him, then praising and rewarding him the moment he is quiet. If he barks, stay absolutely still, and look away from him. If necessary, turn your back. He will bark harder for a short while (it's always worked before, after all!), then will pause and think about trying something else. That is the moment when you become fun again, with praise, treats, and games. And I would set aside plenty of time to play with him, inside and out - tired puppies settle down more easily! - but don't reward him with play for barking: wait until he is quiet. It may take a while, but if you are absolutely consistent he will quickly learn that there are quicker ways to get what he wants - he may even teach himself a cute way of saying "Please!"

As long as he is getting enough physical and mental exercise, I would also teach him a Settle cue - watch him, and reward him when you see him lying down quiet and relaxed. When he stays lying down when you reward, add the cue word. Soon you will find that you can ask him to Settle Down and he will flop down for a snooze. But he is still a puppy - he has a lot of energy and curiosity to satisfy, and needs plenty of exercise to help him do so.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Totally agree. Dogs do what works. If barking gets him nothing, he'll stop. And if not-barking DOES get him something, he'll use that.

Mine knows a "please down", which is very useful. I make sure to reward it.

We are still working on the "my ball is stuck under the sofa" barking :smile:. He knows that works and I have trouble ignoring it. Sometimes mine will get me up to retrieve the lost ball, then sneak over and shove it under the sofa again. Sometimes that means the ball gets put away, and other times I acknowledge he needs some attention and we play a game that doesn't involve the ball under the sofa. It's hard to argue with, really, as he is usually interrupting me being a vegetable on the sofa in front of the tv. Playing with the dog is definitely more worthy than that!

Try waiting for the barking to stop, even briefly, then reward with a game. The dog wants your attention, and that's not a bad thing. Certainly no one else in my life is clamouring for my attention as much as my dog!


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