Gypsy used to bark/whine for attention. I caused this as every time she whined I took her out for a wee - she soon learned the whining got me out of my chair! I cured it by doing 'two strikes and you are out' i.e. two visits to the loo then all whines are ignored. It worked really well. But, she's now taken to 'alert' barking every time there is a noise outside, especially car doors. Once she's heard and barked at one she's then on the listen for the slightest noise to woof at. Any suggestions?
Re: Noisy dog! I honestly think that Charlie does not do this because we live in a noisy place - there is a lot of noise outside the house, and he has just learned that it is nothing to do with him. If we go to Cornwall, where it is quiet, and someone walks up the steps outside the house, he dashes to the window, because he knows that there might be a visitor and it might be to do with him (he doesn't bark, but that's just because he doesn't bark - if he did bark, I'm sure he would). So this makes me wonder - can you desensitise her to noises outside the house? In the same way as you can teach a ringing doorbell means nothing. It would involve someone slamming cardoors outside though! And might be an awful faff...
Re: Noisy dog! We live in a quiet spot - so car doors often do mean visitors, but by no means always! How would I do the desensitising? Click and treat for quiet while the noises are going on? (PS, she was totally fine with fireworks and is bomb proof round big trucks etc. It's not fear, it's hope!)
Re: Noisy dog! Oh yes, I know it's hope/excitement - that's behind all of Charlie's reactions to things too. But they still are reactions. So, for example, I had to desensitise Charlie to the burrrrrup! sound that people make when they throw a dummy. It got to the point that everytime he heard it, he was jumping up and down in excitement looking for the dummy. I did this exactly as you suggest, rewarded no reaction to burrrrrup! I also needed someone walking round shouting burrrup! of course. He has now heard burrrup! and no dummy many more times than he has heard burrup! and a dummy. Plus, it's never used when he is actually going to fetch the dummy.
