A bit of background; Godzilla, our basset, has this thing about barking at EVERYONE when he sees them unexpectedly. When we get home, when we get visitors, family, people he knows, everyone. It isn't aggressive barking, he's wagging wildly and will bark all the way over to lick at your face. We've been working on this bad behaviour of his by either ignoring it, distracting him with treats and 'sit', or shutting him in another room until he calms down. This isn't always an option, unfortunately. We take care to take the dogs for walks when it is most unlikely to meet others on the road. Godzilla might not hurt anyone, but he has a deep voice that can scare the crap out of people, so we try to avoid a situation where he'll bark. Tonight we were a bit late with the evening walk. About half-way along our route, we saw the neighbours, their pram, and their springer spaniel. As soon as we saw their heads crest the hill we were walking towards, we turned around. We made it part of the way home before Godzilla realized that there were people (and another dog!) on the road and started barking his head off, wagging and twisting like an electrified worm. We ended up having to drag him part of the ways along, then managed to bribe him up our driveway, letting the neighbours pass and 'disappear' behind the other neighbours hedge. At this point, Jackie had become quite riled by Godzilla's barking and had started to also bark at the neighbours. Clearly something needs to be done. My mom suggested that we should have stood off to the side of the road and let them pass that way, but I don't think that would have been safe (or polite, really). I just don't know what to do about this.
Hi, have you tried clicking and treating him as soon as someone appears and before he has a chance to bark. You could set up scenarios with family and friends so that you'll have a head start on knowing who will be where. Godzilla (great name) may have been unintentially rewarded in the past for his barking for example, getting to still greet people when he's barking. Break it all down into stages, get someone to come to your house, if he barks, they imediately leave, keep repeating.
That...will require some planning as we live practically in the middle of a field-on-a-hill and he barks long before they actually get within shouting range. I guess I could get them on the phone, I don't know. Here, I'll show you what I mean: No cars, except GLS and the garbage truck, are visible before the 'barking' line. We've had snowbanks on the drive literally taller than me. Sometimes he sleeps through arrivals and will suddenly startle awake and bark when they reach the 'barking' line. Sometimes he completely sleeps through people coming and going. If we see him tensing, we try to distract him or get him away from the window so he won't get excited, but we don't always catch it. They are big bay windows in the den, with a Godzilla-sized low windowsill that he will stand against when barking. Will this work if we don't catch it each time? I'm not sure how quickly he will calm down if we have someone drive back up the drive when he starts barking, or if he WILL calm down if he can still hear the car?
Mind you, living that far off the beaten track, I'd quite like my dog to bark and let me know someone is coming. I don't mind Dexter barking if someone knocks or comes near the house. I think what you're wanting (I might be wrong) is getting him to stop barking once he's made the announcement and you know all is ok and as it should be ie visitors not intruders. How lovely to live with so much space around your property, I'd love it.
Actually, it is more the barking at everyone we meet on walks that I'd really like stopped, but the scaring the postman isn't good either.
Right, I've got it now but unfortunately have no experience of mine barking on walks or at the postman so I'm not much help to you. Dexter has barked when out and still does at times but it's when I stop and talk and he either wants to play with the other dog or he wants me to let him know what to do if it's just a person. In both cases I either ask for him to sit or walk him away a little, turn back and get him to sit and wait/stay, click and treat. Could you try, if you haven't already, doing a quick about turn, click and treat as you turn if he's quiet, then turn back clicking and treating. If not clicking use a verbal 'good' or whatever word you choose as a marker. I hope someone with more experience than me comes along soon who can give you some advice.
Hi, I'm reading 'The Culture Clash' and late last night got to a bit about barking etc when seeing other dogs, people etc. It said to get treating and treating, no matter what the behaviour at the time, you can build on the criteria by moving the goal posts once the dog gets the idea that when another dog/person comes into view lovely yummy treats appear. I'm reading the book on kindle and didn't bookmark the page, when I find it again I'll let you know but thought of you as I read it. @MaccieD, can you help me locate the chapter I need to be looking in please, if you still have the book?
Not sure what chapter it is but the relevant section starts on page 124 and runs to around 4 pages. Wouldn't part with the book. So much good, practical, info First question with the barking really is what sort of barking but would hazard a guess at watchdog rather than request, spooky or boredom barking.
