I just had to share what has been a really joyful day today because we feel our fab boy Wilson (10 months old next week) has made a giant leap forward and we're SO proud of him! We sat and had lunch in the outdoors part of a café and were able to eat in peace while he simply lay quietly on the ground. It was amazing! I posted a short while ago about how we were having trouble with Wilson barking a lot - to the point where a neighbour complained - and we have been working really hard to improve it. He barked at us when we were having our meals, after he had had his own meals, generally when he wanted us to do something, for seemingly no reason in the garden and also in short bursts if he was outside and someone walked, cycled or rode a horse past our house on the quiet lane we live on. We had some great advice from lovely people on this forum and we've been doing lots of 'nice and calm' work with him: drip feeding his kibble while lying quietly inside and outside, with random gaps between food; working on a settle on the mat; giving him food in puzzle toys outside to desensitise him to passing noises; distracting him when he barks and then rewarding quiet with treats ... and it really seems to be paying off. We have only ever tried eating out with him twice, both at a beach café with picnic benches and both times he barked so much we had to take it in turns to walk him away while the other ate. Both times we had fed him his lunch at the same time but seconds after finishing it he would start barking. Today we took his lunch again and expected to have to walk him away again at some point. But he settled straightaway into a sit. When our food came he sniffed the edge of the table a couple of times and then lay down - and stayed there without a sound the whole time we ate! And he hadn't even had his own lunch. We couldn't believe it and my goodness it was a wonderful experience. He sat up when we'd finished so we gave him lots of praise and his own lunch, so we even got to reinforce that good things come when he lies quietly. Perhaps the best thing was that three separate lots of people came over as they were leaving to ask if they could pet him and they all said how well behaved he had been. They also couldn't believe he was only 10 months old when we told him. I know this may well have been a one-off and we still have a long way to go but it shows there is always hope and the opportunity to improve, and we're absolutely chuffed to bits - on a real high! Also, a couple of neighbours have remarked that he is quieter in the garden (unfortunately not the one who complained but I am going to ask him whether he has noticed an improvement). Thanks everyone for all your support on this amazing forum. It's so much appreciated.
Congratulations, this is so lovely and encouraging to hear so thanks for sharing. We need to work on similar settles when we're at the pub; sadly this means lots of practice!
Thanks very much. The transformation in Wilson being able to settle is just brilliant and we both enjoy the calmness training sessions
Thank you! The advice is brilliant on here and it's so encouraging/reassuring to read that other people have been through the same thing or similar and come out the other side.
This is wonderful! Well done to you and Wilson. We are working on the same thing so this is very encouraging.
Thank you! It really was amazing - even now we keep looking at each other saying 'I can't believe he was so good'. The lying down quietly with food randomly given to him has really helped. He starts off focused on when the next food (kibble) will come but you can literally see him start to relax and even look calmly around between food drops. Is there anything in particular working for you?
We are doing the same thing re giving him his meals while we cook or eat to reward a quiet lie down. The funny thing is, when we take him to our parents places he is a complete angel at meal times (still being rewarded for good behaviour)! At home he is very focused on the next kibble. I think hiding the treat pouch may help. We are also getting him used to waiting for a piece of kibble in our hand using a "leave it" cue so that he learns that if he waits (ie doesn't get what he wants right away) he gets something good eventually. He is only 3.5 months old so we are just starting out.
Well done to you and Wilson! I know how difficult that is as we are working towards the same thing with our chocolate lab Isla,she barks all the time for all the same things as Wilson, really encouraging,although we may have a way to go as she's only 4months. I am going to try out your ideas on her and hopefully will see some progress, thaks
Sounds like you're doing really well. We were fortunate that when he was smaller Wilson used to just take himself off to his crate, then later his bed, when we were eating but that all changed when he got tall enough to see what was on the table and what he'd been missing! Until a month or so ago he could still usually be persuaded to go outside while we ate but the barking started in earnest around that time. We now give him a (supposedly) long-lasting chew which he has outside while we eat and then we take it off him after we've finished so he knows it's a treat. If he happens to finish it or come back in he is usually happy to sit or lie down and watch us finish now. We still have barking issues outside - barking at nothing (that we can see) sometimes, and at passers-by but it's getting better. I like your 'leave it' exercise. We're still working on that one! Good luck with Chewie. He looks adorable!
What great feedback from the other patrons and from your neighbours! You have every right to feel proud
Thanks for commenting and I'm so glad the post was helpful. It's the first time I've been able to post something positive - and hopefully useful. Usually I'm asking for help! One of our main successes was supervising Wilson more in the garden (as recommended by someone when I first posted about it). Our garden is secure so we had been guilty of leaving the back door open and pretty much letting him do what he wanted. Once we started being with him more in the garden he quietened down quite a bit. The distraction concept has worked fairly well although we used a lot of treats/kibble and I noticed he would sometimes go out the back door, bark once and then look expectantly back at me for a treat! So if he seems to be barking at nothing at all we let it go to three or four barks before intervening and now he usually stops after a couple of barks if we don't react. We always intervene if he's barking at someone going past - calling for his attention (usually 'Wilson, look at this') and scattering a bit of kibble on the lawn works really well. If we see or hear someone before he does we can distract him before he even starts barking and he has allowed a few things to go past, including some noisy children, without reacting. Good luck with your Isla. When I first posted about it someone advised me Wilson had probably got into the habit of barking and it was important to break it, so it's great if you're starting so young. Wilson didn't really start barking until about six weeks ago so it was a bit of a shock!
Aw thank you so much! - it was a pretty wonderful feeling. I think he's feeling pretty pleased with himself too. This morning we managed breakfast without any barking and without giving him anything to chew on either, so another little step forward. Having said that, he has taken to 'nicking' things and tearing them apart or chewing them. I've just caught him with a birthday card taken from the hall table. Thank goodness the gift of a cheque inside had been removed!
