Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone have any humane suggestions on how to stop my two puppies from barking >at each other?  The 8 month lab usually starts it, and continues it, and the >5 >month chow/lab will often join in and it becomes a bark fest. >Here’s what I’ve tried so far:  in the beginning, I yelled "NO!" and the chow >would stop (she’s sensitive, and doesn’t like to be yelled at).  The lab >would >then turn to me and start barking at me.  This made me mad.  I would then >chase >her down (as soon as I got up, she’d run) to hold her muzzle closed and say, >"No bark" again.   >Eventually, I realized this wasn’t working at all and in fact, it was harmful >to my relationship with the lab to have her running away every time I stood >up. > So, I started saying, "NO" when they barked at each other, then telling the >lab to "come" and giving her a treat.  Now, every time I tell her to stop >barking, she comes to me.  One big improvement.  But five minutes later, >they’re at it again. >I wouldn’t really worry except that I have upstairs neighbors who have made >comments about the barking and I don’t want to get evicted.   >I will not use a muzzle, because she gets frantic when I have tried to put >one >on.  I will not use an electronic shock collar for obvious reasons. >Sometimes, the only thing I can do is keep her on leash with her training >collar on next to me the entire time I’m home and every time she barks, give >her a correction.  This gives no freedom to me or her. >Any suggestions?  

Try a squirt gun. When the dogs begin barking, squirt them while commanding "NO BARK" or "QUIET". Then praise when they hush. Teaching the dog to come for a treat after commanding "NO" only teaches the dog that when it barks, it gets rewarded with a treat. This is why this is ineffective. Also, using the word "NO" as the only correction verbage is mostly ineffective. The dog has nothing to relate "no" to unless you add a word, such as "no bark". Or, you can try completely different words to different corrections, such as "quiet" for no bark. Remember, every correction is followed with praise. Just be careful that you are not rewarding the wrong behavior. P.D. Jackson – Canine Behaviorist <a href="http://members.aol.com/K9Behavior/index.html/">Canine Behavioral Services</a> Publisher of "Dog Bytes" – a canine training/behavior/dog tips newsletter

Response:

Anyone have any humane suggestions on how to stop my two puppies from barking at each other?  The 8 month lab usually starts it, and continues it, and the 5 month chow/lab will often join in and it becomes a bark fest. Here’s what I’ve tried so far:  in the beginning, I yelled "NO!" and the chow would stop (she’s sensitive, and doesn’t like to be yelled at).  The lab would then turn to me and start barking at me.  This made me mad.  I would then chase her down (as soon as I got up, she’d run) to hold her muzzle closed and say, "No bark" again.   Eventually, I realized this wasn’t working at all and in fact, it was harmful to my relationship with the lab to have her running away every time I stood up.  So, I started saying, "NO" when they barked at each other, then telling the lab to "come" and giving her a treat.  Now, every time I tell her to stop barking, she comes to me.  One big improvement.  But five minutes later, they’re at it again. I wouldn’t really worry except that I have upstairs neighbors who have made comments about the barking and I don’t want to get evicted.   I will not use a muzzle, because she gets frantic when I have tried to put one on.  I will not use an electronic shock collar for obvious reasons. Sometimes, the only thing I can do is keep her on leash with her training collar on next to me the entire time I’m home and every time she barks, give her a correction.  This gives no freedom to me or her. Any suggestions?   BTW, I’ve asked my trainer and she hasn’t offered anything that works.  I don’t think she understands the problem with the neighbors so she just looks at it as natural dog behavior. Thanks in advance. Julie Canines, Lucy and Dakota

Response: