i have Mia a 4 yr old chocolate lab that barks- at car doors anywhere in the neighborhood, anyone talking or walking past, and especially at the door. The first few years we had her I had severe chronic migraines which she is very in tune with (I think she decided she was protecting me). She has been difficult since day one with crying and barking in the crate all night for weeks and in an outdoor kennel. (We gave up on the outdoor kennel so neighbors wouldn't complain). She has been through obedience classes and excelled and has her canine good citizen (she never barks when on the leash). We have tried capturing speak when someone is approaching our door but she totally ignores clicker and treats to bark with hackles up. She weighs as much or more than me so I can't hold her back from rushing the door. She has started to continue to bark even after she sees a family member come in the door. We are at a loss as what to do to stop the barking. She also ignores recall when off leash if someone walks past. We just got a new lab pup and I don't want him learning this behavior. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
What worked for me when all three houses beside us changed owners and new people moved in was to laugh at Oban. "Ho, ho, ho, you big silly. They live there now, they are nothing to laugh at." It's hard to really laugh but a fake one seems to work. I think it mildly chastises him and reassures him at the same time. After all, would Mum be laughing if there was something to worry about? Nope. Now, I did speak to each set of new neighbours, introduce the dog and warn them I use laughing. I don't think it would look very good to laugh if I didn't. We also have a church, a park, a playground and a trail access right beside us. I cant' introduce him to all the people who come and go and I can't have him barking (though it doesn't seem to bother one set of neighbours, grrrrrr) but laughing works on them too. I didn't know about Control Unleashed and LAT when I started this but it helps with people coming to our door.
I've tried calmly telling her "I've got this" but no change. I can try laughing and see what happens. I haven't heard of LAT or control unleashed.
https://clickerleash.wordpress.com/...itive-approach-to-dealing-with-reactive-dogs/ A brief review of Look At That from Leslie McDevitt's book, "Control Unleashed." Works on or off leash.
I think you probably need to teach her an alternative behaviour for when people visit - which is probably to go and lie in her bed and wait until she's released. While you're training her you need to minimise her opportunity to react to noises - it depends a bit on the layout of your house. We live in an apartment, and my boy will bark at people in the corridor during the night if he wakes up - so he now sleeps in a part of the apartment where he can't hear the noises - nighttime barking solved! A friend of mine hung a really thick curtain in front of the door to reduce noises, and her dog stopped barking. So, first think if you can keep her somewhere in the house/apartment where she's less disturbed by the noise, or if the noise comes through the door, you could try hanging a curtain. To train her, you could use a treat dispenser - they are quite expensive though. Here's Sophia Yin's explanation of how to do this with a treat dispenser: https://drsophiayin.com/videos/entry/treat_train_overview/ You don't have to use a treat dispenser. I would start when you have no visitors at all and when it's quiet outside the house, ask her to go to her bed/mat, go open the door, then go back to her and give her a treat. Do a few sessions of this until she really likes going to her mat while you open the door. Then, have a friend come and just stand outside your house, practice teaching her to go to her mat when she knows someone is outside, without the person coming inside. You could even have them open and close their car door a few times! Then build up very slowly to someone ringing the doorbell or knocking and then coming in the door. I would recommend having a stuffed kong or a chew ready so once she's had a chance to say hello, she can go to her bed with a chew and relax. Victoria Stillwell has an explanation of this here: For recall - I'd recommend Pippa's book Total Recall, which explains how to proof her recall for different situations.
I go to the window to 'investigate' with her then call her back to sit with me. It usually works but if it's a cat - no chance!
