My partner works lates so it is often dark and we are settling down by the time he comes home. About a month ago thor started letting out a single bark when he heard the porch door open (earning him the short term nickname of one bark). Over the last week this has turned into a proper howl, a really quick succession of barks and he'll either run to the door or stand by the sofa im on. As soon as I reassure him he starts tail wagging and getting excited. But is this protectiveness of me, or of the house? Or is it just something labs can tend to do as they mature? It doesn't bother us but I don't like feeling like he is scared at all.
Hmmm I wonder about this too. Corona fear barks. Like when she hears a noise she isn't familiar with, or when the door opens suddenly, or when she sees something (a scooter) or someone she isn't familiar with (kids screaming while playing). If she gets a glance of people going by outside, she will bark then too. I've never had a barking dog before and I don't want one now. With the nicer weather, she is bring exposed to all kinds of things we didn't see or hear in the winter months. Looks like we will be doing a second round of socializing and exposing her to all kinds of things. We have been trying to train the command quiet but it's very slow progress. I do know though, that I don't "reassure" per say, because I don't want her to think there is anything to be concerned about. I try to go about things as normally as possible. I wait for a break in the barking, say "quiet" then treat. She knows she gets a treat for "quiet" but I'm not 100% convinced she actually knows what quiet means. I know what you mean, I hate thinking she is scared but these are some options our trainer gave us. Hoping others may have experience with this.
Harley will bark when she hears someone coming to our front door. She isually barks once or twice then I check and say 'thank you' and she doesn't bark again. I don't mind her doing it as we are often home alone if my OH is working away. It makes me feel safer.
Hi there, My dog barks if the door bell goes ,it's loud and he means it but his tail is wagging and he's not frightened,he's excited that something is happening.If he is startled by someone coming into the garden unexpectedly ,his barking is different ,its loud short bursts of 'alert' barking ,his body is stiff and his tail wags stiffly.... 2 totally different reactions so it's hard to say without seeing it how Thor is feeling when your partner returns.It could easily just be excitement,especially if your partner arrives home at the same time,they are clever and can anticipate this.If your partner can drop you a message to say he's just about to come in,you could create a 'welcome ' routine .Be there with Thor as the door opens and feed him some tasty treats as your partner comes in. Jeanine,I do the same if Dex is alerting me to something unusual....I stay upbeat and thank him and call him away for a biscuit or a toy and he forgets very quickly.To train his quiet cue I had a collection of helpers and we just practised over and over ringing the door bell and clicking for quiet...I also trained him to go to his room using the doorbell as the cue,so if I'm on my own and getting the door ,he's in the back of the kitchen if he decides to have a shout:rolls eyes:
Id say its more protective than excitable, once i assure him he definately becomes more relaxed and starts the tail wagging, but not before. Shall i stop reassuring him and just praise him for quiet then?
I'd definitely stop reassuring him. In my experience with my last 2 labs, reassuring them confirmed they had something to be worried about. Treat for quiet. If your partner could give you a heads up before entering the house, you could also get your pup to focus on some training or play so he always associates postive things with him coming home.
