Has anyone got any suggestions or thoughts on this little issue Since we got Charlie he has been a garden lunatic barking and yapping up into the trees, running back and forth and running the perimiter, only stopping occassionally for a play with Hattie. We have a yard with a gate stopping the dogs having free access to our garden and only let them out when we want to, but is the the correct way or should they have unlimited access and maybe this behaviour would deminish. At times he can be difficult to recall to come inside and other times first time. We have had varying opinions on this in the past so just wondered what your thoughts are. His yapping which is not at all Lab like and as I don't know what a Pointer sounds like, is driving me mad let along my neighbours, but thankfully they all have dogs. Thanks Helen xx
Re: Garden Lunatic My take is that because free reign is a treat and not the norm, he is just wildly excited when he is allowed access , so I would allow him access at all times and see how he goes Helen xx
Re: Garden Lunatic Thanks Kate, left the gate open today and he has driven me crazy with his barking up at the trees. I think birds drive him insane and everyone else too He has spent on and off about 2 hours yapping and when he comes in he is ringing the bell to go straight back out. I don't really know what to do about this. A trainer told me not to allow him free access and he also admitted he didn't really know why Charlie behaves like this, so if he didn't ..... Anyone else have any ideas? Thanks Helen x
Re: Garden Lunatic Boredom, frustration, over-excitement could all be reasons for his barking. Three of my dogs are perfectly happy to mooch around the garden and amuse themselves or just laze about, but one would rip out every last bit of grass if left to his own devices. Guess who?? Why exactly does he do it, I have got no idea but I don't leave him unsupervised in the garden. He will relax in the house or the kennel but he can't just chill or play with the other dogs in the garden. Murffi and Charlie have a lot in common. ;D
Re: Garden Lunatic I dont think I'd leave him out unsupervised, if he is doing things you dont want him to. If he were digging up your lawn or pulling out your flowers or tearing down the fence, you wouldnt leave him out there. If you dont make it clear to him that you dont like him barking at the trees, he probably thinks it's ok... I do realize life is not easy with Charlie, and you are probably really glad to be able to let him out in the garden, barking or not. But I have neighbours with a couple of very difficult dogs - a weimaraner and a wire haired pointer. The pointer is quite dangerous, vicious to other dogs, and has killed two deer. The owners therefore now dont walk them as much as the dogs need, and up until recently just let them out in the garden unsupervised. The dogs constantly went ballistic at the fence, which was deeply unpleasant and quite scary. Many many complaints later, and at long last they are now taking more care, only letting the dogs out when the owners are also in the garden. Things have calmed down a lot, I am happy to say. But I really think those dogs thought it was OK to charge up and down along the fence line, flinging themselves at the gate and snarling and barking at dogs and passersby - because the owners never made it clear to them that that behaviour is not acceptable. Sorry Helen, I know you have a lot on your plate anyway, and you have done wonders with Charlie, really you have.
Re: Garden Lunatic Thanks, even when I am in the garden with him he is intent on this behaviour. At the weekends when children and David are out there he is fine. I can't be out there all the time, so should I close the connecting gate and only let him in the yard? Some days he is an angel and no issue at all, I wonder if there is a nest in this particular tree that he seems drawn to in the last few days. I hope it's not boredom etc. as the amount of training I am doing with him physically and mentally is a lot Heidrun Murffi and Charlie certainly do have a lot in common, but luckily for Murffi he has you as his owner Thanks again. Helen x
Re: Garden Lunatic I have a feeling we had this discussion before. He might not be able to cope with the freedom of the garden, and all the sounds and smells and sights it might contain. Murffi is perfectly alright whilst his mind is focused on a task I have given him, like sit/stays or down/stays or retrieving but he gets stressed without that structure. In his case the stress is relieved by a frenzied attack on my lawn. So maybe it might be better to keep Charlie in the yard and keep him occupied with something, maybe a bone?
Re: Garden Lunatic Karen, having read your response to my post I realise that you may think Charlie is behaving very badly, he is not. The part of the garden the dogs are allowed is large and walled in with 3 cottages that run down the left hand side (they all have dogs). The wall is tree lined and this is where Charlie is up on his back legs yapping up into the trees, he runs from end to end looking for birds I think, he then occasionally runs around the whole garden which is normal behaviour. At the bottom of our garden is the paddock we use. He has no interest in the dogs or people in the cottages. Thinking about it I feel he has a look of excitement when he knows he is going out there. When I accompany him with balls, toys etc. it is very difficult to engage him but not always. I was just concerned that not letting him have free access was increasing this behaviour and I also wanted him to have the extra exercise. I don't want you to think I just let him do as he wants, quite the opposite, I am still learning and obviously still making lots of mistakes but getting there slowly. Heidrun, He always has something to keep him busy in the yard, bones, toys etc. and of course Hattie Sorry if I didn't word my post correctly in the first place. Thank you all as always Helen x
Re: Garden Lunatic Sorry Helen, I am sure you are really onto things with Charlie! And I do understand the feeling that he needs to get as much safe exercise as possible. But if you don't want him barking up into the trees, but let him out there on his own, when he then does just that... hmmm, I don't really see any way to stop him other than you actually standing out there with him, saying 'no' or whatever when he does it. Perhaps if he is not annoying anyone else, you can just learn to live with it??? I'm really not meaning to be negative about this Helen. Perhaps, all things considered, this is one of the things you need to mentally put into the 'not so important' box???
Re: Garden Lunatic No apologies needed Karen, as always I value your advice, help and support. No more unsupervised visits fo the garden for Charlie boy!! Rome wasn't built in a day and I can't tackle every issue all at once, tree barking will just have to wait Many thanks again. Helen xx
