Hello, I have only just joined the forum this week so I apologise if this type of problem has been addressed previously. I have looked through previous topics on this forum and on the main website but could not see anything similar. I would be interested in advice on how to teach my puppy (9 months old) not to bark during play with other dogs. My two year old does not bark but the behaviour is self rewarding for the pup as the older dog responds to her barking and plays with her, as do some other dogs we meet out and about. I would like to teach her to play quietly; I am sure my neighbours would be glad of this when she is let out in the garden early in the morning! I am able to distract her from play easily enough and calm her down but she resumes pouncing around barking soon after she is released. I can also call my older dog to me and get him to sit calmly next to me while she ponces around us barking. We both ignore her and after a short while the pup ceases to bark. However when I release the older dog she resumes her giddy antics. At present, to try and break the cycle, I only allow one at a time in the garden unless I am out there with them Any advice on how I can prevent the barking yet allow the play? She is a very responsive dog and very quick to learn and will do anything for food.
Re: Prevent barking during play I had this problem with my little rescue terrier and still have it from time to time . He does just the same when I play with him and Lab Sam and other dogs too, I think its attention seeking and so send him to the naughty corner , which for him is give him time out by putting him on his lead so that he is excluded . When he calms down , I let him off again but if he starts again, back onto the lead . It sometimes takes several times of putting his lead on but he does get the message that barking means an end to his fun, hope this helps .
Re: Prevent barking during play Thanks Kate, I will give that a try in the garden at home and she how we get on. I am a little reluctant when we are out as l am worried I may affect her recall training if she feels coming to me will put an end to her fun. Has this been an issue for you? I appreciate that I must not use her recall signal in this situation until we reach that phase in her training. I will need to create a more exciting distraction to get her attention and get her to me so I can slip her lead on but worry that she will work out that coming to me ends her fun. My initial thoughts are that once I have her attention do something fun with her, but maybe then she will not get the message. I would use the training line but their play is very boisterous and then tend to box so I feel a line would be dangerous. I have Pippa's new book and have started working on it today; very pleased so far with what I have read and encouraged that many things that we have been doing are right in terms of engaging with our dogs, it is the proofing we need to really focus on. Nevertheless I am going back to basics as a good refresher to ensure a good foundation.
Re: Prevent barking during play I have the same problem with my 8 month old pup so was hoping someone would come up with a magic answer! The old GSP (12 years) gets a toy and thrusts it at the pup then whips it away saying "you can't have it" which causes him to bark in frustration, he also barks when playing with the 6 year old Lab, it drives my husband crazy! I do stop the play but it does seem a shame. Stacia
Re: Prevent barking during play This might not be possible but have you tried playing with the noisy dog its own away from the others? If you have does it still bark? In which case it might not be purely attention seeking, just being a bit of a bouncy crackpot younster. I always find it easier to train (and cure my training mistakes) by working one on one with each dog. Get each one steady in its behaviour before trying to work / play all together again. One that's I've found invaluable is the stop. All my dogs have a general 'stop' command, both a whistle and a harshly bellowed STOP, it's one of only two commands that don't need to be preceded by a name, the other being leave. Stop means whatever it is you're doing stop it and look at me, that includes barking, sniffing, wandering off - the one and only exception is mid-puddle. We've found this a vital addition to the dictionary when you're trying to have breakfast and the two year old wolfhound is careering around the dining table at top speed whilst the four year old labrador is darting out from under the table to grab his feet as they go flying past! ;D But it works well whatever they're doing. Fundamentally it's an extension of a stop whistle and includes some of the look at me order. I don't know if Pippa's got a section on stop commands or whistles, I'm sure she has! Anyway once you've got them to stop, then you can get the recall, two separate commands for two separate behaviours. Kerryn
