Barking !!

Hulse

Well-Known Member
Hello I currently have a 1 yr black lab that is lovely and kind natured, however when on walks if she sees someone she does not know she goes crazy and barks at them. Any ideas the best way to stop her.

Thanks John
 
she is nervous so reacts with aggresion,as soon as you see anybody call her in and put her on lead.walk her up to people and let her meet them.id take her out into a place where she will see loads of people,maybe town center get her used to seeing lots of people
 
she is nervous so reacts with aggresion,as soon as you see anybody call her in and put her on lead.walk her up to people and let her meet them.id take her out into a place where she will see loads of people,maybe town center get her used to seeing lots of people
Hi John, this could take quite a while to sort out because you don't know the precise reason she is doing this. It may well be a fear reaction to another person or dog but it might be some other trigger. It might even be you reacting in anticipation! HOwever, in your favour she is young and capable of learning. First step would be to get her to a vet that has someone (usually a nurse) who understands behavioural problems. It might even be worth a referral. The Adaptil collars are an excellent aid. By recreating the scent of the dam it can create a very reassuring environment, even on a walk. The real difficulty is to not imprint your reaction in case she reacts that then becomes her trigger to react!!

Good luck
 
Hi John, this could take quite a while to sort out because you don't know the precise reason she is doing this. It may well be a fear reaction to another person or dog but it might be some other trigger. It might even be you reacting in anticipation! HOwever, in your favour she is young and capable of learning. First step would be to get her to a vet that has someone (usually a nurse) who understands behavioural problems. It might even be worth a referral. The Adaptil collars are an excellent aid. By recreating the scent of the dam it can create a very reassuring environment, even on a walk. The real difficulty is to not imprint your reaction in case she reacts that then becomes her trigger to react!! Good luck

Here we go again collars .

Get the dog out for a good long walk first ,then take him into the town where there are plenty of people ,let him sit and watch, walk him about ,in crowed areas reassuring him all the time .

Ive done this a spaniel bitch how was the same a few times about people humanising her she stopped the barking and settled down ,to a point she didn't bother at all with people just got on with her job .
 
Long time back I read a book in which the author suggested that dogs learn barking traits from their mother. Over the years I am fairly convinced that is some truth in this statement. I have a 14 year old spaniel which I bred. His mother came from a good trialling background where barking was a no no. I can honestly say that the mother did not bark at anything and I have never in 14 years heard this spaniel bark. On the other hand (and I know that BMHs are a more vocal breed) my BMH had a tendancy to bark at the slightest thing but so did his mother. Dogs do learn from their surroundings and if this dogs mother was a nervous barker your pup may well be carrying on this inbuilt trait but not know exactly why he is doing it. If their is substance to this theory, your reaction to him barking may only be reinforcing what he already thinks i.e. Strange person, strange dog I have to bark because there is something to be wary off . He may believe from your reaction that you are concerned about what he is barking at which will only increase his want to bark and continue to do so when you meet the next similar situation.
IMO dog owners are always very keen to start to train their young pup in the more formal matters. Sit, stay retrieving etc but can miss out on the most important aspect that can be started as soon as you get your pup. Socialisation. Meeting as many people, situations and other dogs as possible so that the pup learns that most people are friendly, stairs, busy places etc can be coped with and how to react with other dogs. I have always taken young spaniels to shoot days just to get them accustomed to the biz of the days where they will be spending their adult lives. Your reaction must show him that there is nothing to be afraid of and therefore nothing to be nervous/aggressive about. My suggestion would be to walk him on a leash in various places where he will meet other people. If he starts to bark do not address the barking directly but have him sit and just let him watch/learn that there is nothing to be afraid of. Do not speak to him, just relax and show him you are not concerned. If you can, involve friends (preferably ones the dog does not know) to come over and speak to you. Do not allow the friends to praise the dog or give it treats. You don't want a dog that is all over people looking for attention or treats. All you are looking for is that the dog accepts strangers simply because you have accepted them. Is there any dog training classes in your area? Gundog or otherwise. All you are looking for is a place where your dog can meet with other under control dogs and learn to react properly. Public parks are good to encounter other dogs but some may just be unpredictable and add on to what you are trying to turn around.
It is not a problem that cannot be overcome with patience and a bit of effort.
 
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