Barking

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by Jackie Smart, Feb 3, 2017.

  1. Jackie Smart

    Jackie Smart Registered Users

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    How do I stop my 8 month old labrador from barking at every silly little sound he hears, before I loose it completely. I have tried the shush, click treat endlessly. No effect this morning he was awful. barks everytime I let him out into the garden. Never barks when shut in his crate. HELP
     
  2. UncleBob

    UncleBob Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Hi Jackie

    Something that is often recommended in cases like this is to put barking 'on cue'. Somewhat counter-intuitively this involves encouraging the dog to bark while you match it with a cue and actually reward the behaviour. The theory is that the dog is then more likely to only bark if given the cue. You can also combine it with teaching a 'quiet' cue.

    I have to admit that this is all theoretical for me - I haven't yet got around to trying it with Harvey.

    Have a look for barking videos by Kikopup or Zak George.

    Let us know how you get on.
     
  3. Jackie Smart

    Jackie Smart Registered Users

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  4. Jackie Smart

    Jackie Smart Registered Users

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    Thank you for your suggestions. I will have a look at web sites. The barking on cue sounds really counter intuitive, I will give it a try. I will also let you know how we get on.
    Jackie
     
  5. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    The idea is that you reinforce him barking when you ask for it and ignore it when you don't ask for it. Eventually, they'll stop doing it when they're not asked for it, because it's not rewarding.
    Here's a video :
     
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  6. Oberon

    Oberon Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Here's an article to read: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-barking/
    :)

    My dog is very vocal so I feel your pain. We have helped him to become much quieter though, following the kinds of steps in the video and article above.

    Let us know how you get on.
     
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  7. MF

    MF Registered Users

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    I tried the bark on cue. Impossible for us! But might've been cos Snowie only barked at places you just absolutely didn't want him to bark - like at a cafe. There was never a "comfortable" place I could train it. At home he hardly barked so I felt I never had the opportunity to train it.

    I wish I had persevered however cos he has the loudest bark in the world and he still barks for attention at a cafe or on a walk when I stop to chat to someone and he wants to carry on. Just 2 or 3 barks, but enough to deafen anyone. The only thing I found I could do was to give treats for lying quietly at a cafe (but if the treats stop, the barks come!), or on a walk I find him a big stick on the ground and he self-pacifies by chewing it and biding the time till we move on. I've noticed that, now, when I stop to chat, he goes off by himself to find a stick to chew on.

    Best of luck!
     
  8. Joy

    Joy Registered Users

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    There's a good very-short book by Rugaas Turid, called 'Barking: the sound of a language' which might help. Molly is a barker and I've been working on some of the things Turid suggests. One of things I've been doing is putting myself between Molly and the thing she's barking at (facing the thing) and in those situations she stops barking. Also in the garden now she'll bark briefly but run indoors to tell me about it. (I still haven't cracked barking when we arrive somewhere in the car because I haven't followed the advice in the book!)
    It is worth reading, as she suggests that dogs bark for different reasons and that first you have to work out why they're barking.
     
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