I was about to say "I said exactly the same thing!". Then I realised you'd copied what I said. I'm being slow this morning
I like the walk pass stooges' idea to encourage him from barking at everything but at the same time you don't want to stop him from barking
My two can be a bit barky when outside on our terrace. Luckily, we don't have passers-by, but we do have people going onto balconies above. That may be a bit easier because they don't get the reward of the person disappearing, and I have longer to work on desensitisation as they sit there. They also often bark if they hear someone in the hallways outside. I work on this by using "thank you!" and giving them a treat. Over time, they've started to look to me for the treat as soon as they've given their alert bark. It's still very much a work in progress, though as, to be honest, I've not put any concerted time into addressing it. Calling the dogs to me works just as well to stop them barking.
@snowbunny thanks for the link, I wonder if covering the iron gates in the yard would help as it's another 25 meters to the front gates so a good distance for stooges?, should I use my family as stooges as I don't think I could ask anyone to walk past they already think I have lost the plot? I close off all access to the front door and our windows are high Georgian ones so he can't look out and I keep the doors shut just incase @Boogie I have tried that which works OK ish with the doorbell but not the yard gates as he can see passersby. @MaccieD I don't think there's any chance I could stop Charlie barking permanently Thanks x
Only if they are at the front or door, not so much when he can see them coming in the main front gates that's an excited bark, bum/tail wagging. At least that's somewhere to start
I've enjoyed reading this thread even though thankfully it is not something we have to deal with. But I do know two dogs from the dog park that had the operation to quieten their barking and now they sound just AWFUL!!! I feel so sorry for them. It reminds me of someone who has lost their voice and desperately trying to speak with a hoarse voice. These two dogs continue to bark, only it now sounds worse in my opinion.
I don't think any of us would ever come close to considering it. Actually feel sorry for any so called professional who suggested it to us as he may be missing a few body items by the time we'd finished with him
Boris only barks when he wants to play or after a walk and he is getting impatient and wants feeding. I have found this thread informative and pass on the unusual tip passed on by a retired dog trainer.(fortunately). He told me that he stopped his jack Russells from barking by putting elastic bands around their mouths. The other words of wisdom were you train dogs by restraint and reward . I didn't enquire what he meant by restraint, I assumed elastic bands are restraints.
Absolutely SHOCKING that anyone would give that advice and carry it out on their dogs. It never ceases to amaze me just how cruel people can be.
I was given this advice as an option after my puppy's first and last time at daycare. He was not even 4 months old, he had barked as one of his strategies to entice other dogs to play. I was told to get a behaviourist in, try an electric collar or as a last resort, get his vocal cords removed. I was horrified and very upset, needless to say promptly cancelled the rest of my bookings. When I told the vets they assured me it is illegal to have this surgery in the UK and no vet would perform it unless for other medical reasons. I was amazed and extremely annoyed that this was suggested to me for a young puppy who is still learning how to cope in our world, surely as a trainer I'd have thought training advice would have been helpful not cruelty.
@Newbie Lab Owner the only way to know where a trainer stands on training methods is by asking lots of questions, reading their websites, researching the code of ethics of organisations they are members of. The dog training world in the UK is unregulated. Anyone can advertise themselves as a trainer and set up classes, doggy day care etc. I saw a short clip the other day of Nando Brown having a 'rant' in which he said words to the effect that people spend hours and days researching their next mobile phone and the plan to use it on but spend very little time deciding what sort of dog to get, how it will fit with their life, how they will train it etc. etc. Unfortunately I think that is all to often sad but true
@Newbie Lab Owner So difficult when, as a new owner, we get given advice that is irreversible and possibly not right for our dog. When Snowie was about a year, I called a behaviourist and asked her if she could help with Snowie's barking. He wasn't a problem barker in the general sense, only barked if we took him to a café and he didn't want to lie quietly at our feet -- this was a problem for us (and other café patrons!) since we liked taking him everywhere. Her first response -- WITHOUT EVEN MEETING SNOWIE -- was: you must neuter him, it will solve this problem. I am so thankful I did not pursue working with her. It took me some time to understand I had a young "toddler" who needed to learn how to cope in the world (as you so rightly say). Some years later I met this behaviourist in our local park. She was there working with a client (dog was aggressive to other dogs). She made a comment: What a lovely, friendly dog. And then I saw how she craned her neck to see that he was not neutered. I didn't let on that I'd called her once.
Ha ha, love that you got that opportunity, even though you didn't remind her After our experience, if Dexter barked to intimidate play and it was inappropriate, I just calmly clipped his lead on, walked him away to do some sits or easy stuff he knew before returning and unclipping him to rejoin the fun. It worked well
