Very Vocal dog

[charlieboy-shooter]

Hi,

I have a small cocker bitch that is as the title. I am at a loss as to how to stop her barking at me. I would not say its aggressive. More of a for F***sake hurry up lets go, go, go why are you so slow.

If I walk down the garden and she runs ahead of me she barks constantly. If I stop her and make her sit and wait. no problem she does just that until called.
Equally whilst out walking her recall is good but I dare not stop as she comes back to me and just barks constantly until I move off. waiting, ignoring or putting her on the lead seems to make no difference. Equally she will run ahead, checking on me and if she naturally returns without a recall command she will bark at me. If I stop with her on the lead after a while she will bark and there is no stopping her until I move off.
Suggestions please.

 

[scotch_egg]

Won’t be popular but I would suggest a bark collar.

 

[deerstalker.308]

Won’t be popular but I would suggest a bark collar.

Nowt wrong with them and they come in so many varieties, vibrations and beebs, sprays and obviously electronic too, plenty to try

 

[rickydiver]

What have you tried so far to stop the behaviour?

 

[K.H - Tikka]

Could be a number of things so interested to learn your answer to this:

What have you tried so far to stop the behaviour?

 

[rickydiver]

Could be a number of things so interested to learn your answer to this:

Obviously it could be. I was asking Charlie Boy. Not sure why you are interested in my question rather than responding to Charlie Boy with a solution if you have one?

 

[Kjf]

Water pistol.in pocket , a good squirt and in a stern voice NO/ SHUSH / ENOUGH

EVERYTIME it gets vocal , EVERYTIME , it gets vocal ,

And turn around after recall and change direction , don't let it tell you to move on , you tell it to move on ,,and in the direction YOU want to go

You could even do the above without the pistol , by just ignoring the vocal " come on dad I wanna hunt/ get on with it "and sit down for a bit n let it wait for YOU

It will soon learn to be paciient,

plenty of praise when it does it

Kjf

 

[K.H - Tikka]

Obviously it could be. I was asking Charlie Boy. Not sure why you are interested in my question rather than responding to Charlie Boy with a solution if you have one?

Apologies, that’s a misunderstanding - I was merely suggesting I’d wait until he answered your question to form a response; if I felt I could aid the situation!

K.H

 

[Dogtra UK]

Water pistol.in pocket , a good squirt and in a stern voice NO/ SHUSH / ENOUGH

EVERYTIME it gets vocal , EVERYTIME , it gets vocal ,

And turn around after recall and change direction , don't let it tell you to move on , you tell it to move on ,,and in the direction YOU want to go

You could even do the above without the pistol , by just ignoring the vocal " come on dad I wanna hunt/ get on with it "and sit down for a bit n let it wait for YOU

It will soon learn to be paciient,

plenty of praise when it does it

Kjf

Good advice. If that doesn’t work get a Dogtra YS300.

 

[rickydiver]

Apologies, that’s a misunderstanding - I was merely suggesting I’d wait until he answered your question to form a response; if I felt I could aid the situation!

K.H

Sorry misunderstanding there on my behalf

 

[Buchan]

Behaviour is a challenge to understand and treat. We have enough difficulty with humans, let alone animals. It's vital, before considering a remedy, to find the cause, especially if you want to apply an aversive technique, which often makes the situation worse.
I'd speculate that this has become a learned pattern and she has "worked out" that barking means the reward of more walks. The fact that you intend going for a longer walk is irrelevant to her. She barks and gets the reward of a walk.
This will be tough to resolve and I suggest if it is really bothering you, ask your vet about a good behaviourist.
My go-to option is an adaptil collar, just in case it's anxiety based.
good Luck

 

[John Gryphon]

Personally a barking dog that is doing it as a nuisance is intolerable and there is no need to put up with it. My current dog thought that as numb 1 in the kennel that he should be with me every time I start the Kubota or ute and head off away from the house.
He goes out twice a day so is not lacking in any field time.
He decided that if I were to drive 200 yards away to cut wood or whatever that it was time to bark, the mournful type of woe is me bark.....I made the effort to grab a stick and drive back whereupon he hightailed it into the kennel. I slammed the stick onto the kennel roof several times reinforcing "shut up" repeat.
Hmmm future was bleak for him as he was then loaded with Mr Sparkly and thought he was safe whilst I was away down the paddock.

Woof woof woof, guess whom is waiting? Ooowwwwl!
Delivered with the usual but louder "SHUTUP"
Positive for any behaviour as in hen killing, sheep killing, cattle chasing...even `roo chasing etc.
Sometimes the North Korean re-educational school of method is the go to.

End of lesson and story.

Oh as a foot note for those that are of the opinion that the method is not kosher, in Australia incorrigible dogs of the sheep killing ilk etc simply find themselves with a Mother Earth connection very quickly. One cannot afford to have dogs in a rural environment doing what they want.

Only last week I made the decision to war wire. My old old bitch 15+ has taken to digging along a paved area and showering the pavers with dirt, dirt and more dirt so I ran a plain wire across the approach a foot high, its dissuaded her for a week then she obviously found out that it is benign...well I am going to hook it to the elec fence, one whack is all it will take and forever on whether she deems it benign or not she will never ever go again. My driveway paddock gave her a blast 8 years ago, she will only go into or from that paddock using a gap under the gate.

 

[sako85708]

I would fill up an old squirty bottle ( washing up / sauce etc ) with water and keep one handy all the time, when she barks say "quiet" and give a quick squirt if she then stops give loads of praise or a titbit and carry on. Just do not let her win or give up. It will take time but you will win in the end !! What I was told many years ago was write a list of what you do not want your dog to do before you get a new puppy and stick to it !! I've had a few cockers myself and now know why many say they are "Little people" I love and always will do the cocker breed but after losing my last one who was irreplaceable, I picked a Fox red Lab, now I know now why guide dogs aren't Cockers !! Good luck

 

[VanGogh76]

I've used pet correct (red can of air spray) on a noisy Vizsla a couple of sprays and silence, just have to show the can now and his behaviour is impeccable

 

[Jon P]

Learnt behaviour, assess how it started in the first place, then decide how you are going to break the habit in you and the dog, but it has to be consistent even if you are rushing to do other things. This includes the whole family using the same technique.

Neighbours 100 yds away have a spaniel that barks at the owners constantly when outside, even chases the lawn mower. Luckily it getting old now so may not be around much longer, hopefully they do not get another as definitely the owners fault.

It may also be worth sending dog away to a trainer to break the habit.

 

[charlieboy-shooter]

What have you tried so far to stop the behaviour?

In truth recently nothing more than my consistent term 'quiet' in a stern voice. But with no effect.
Until very recently I had 2 cockers and without digressing as to why. I have wrongly been avoiding this issue. Now it is just the 2 off us its more than time to get on top of this. She is 2 1/2 now and the barking has / is getting worse. So @Buchan reply.
I have in the past tried the following when I stopped but only when I had a reason to stop.
Stopping, and waiting and waiting completely ignoring her and the barking and moving off if she stopped but her stamina to bark was often greater than my threshold to want to throttle her so in truth she generally won. I know, I'm not consistent.
Stopping putting her back on the lead and telling her quiet in my calm but stern voice which probably didnot stay calm for long. Giving her a treat if she did. Then move off and then letting her off the lead.
With both of the above it seemed to make no noticeable difference or improvement. Every time was like the 1st I had ever done it. However with the few other things/ commands I get her to do. I used a command at the correct time and without any real effort she was ok thats what you want.

Water pistol.in pocket , a good squirt and in a stern voice NO/ SHUSH / ENOUGH

EVERYTIME it gets vocal , EVERYTIME , it gets vocal ,

A friend suggested this. I have not tried this yet as she loves getting in front of the hose and mouthing the water. Then I guess there is only one way to find out.

I'd speculate that this has become a learned pattern and she has "worked out" that barking means the reward of more walks. The fact that you intend going for a longer walk is irrelevant to her. She barks and gets the reward of a walk.

Yes, just thinking about my remarks above. I have really not helped the situation and thinking about you're statement thats exactly what I have done.

Thank you for the advice. I will try the pistol / squirty bottle and if that fails will look into a collar. I used one briefly and very sparingly on my other dog. As I didn't really need it. She made me look like I was a star and knew what I was doing and how to train a dog. Oh how wrong was I. How 2 dogs can be so different.

edit posts added whilst typing. Will check out the pet correct. Although I have a can of compressed air in the shed. See if that makes a difference right now.

 

[Bowland blades]

Collar but not a shock one , timing it well needs close attention though if your tied up sorting other things and the dog gets to bark more than the first yap your not getting the full distract.
A buzz should do it ( leave the collar on a few days while continuing with your normal routine) the dog must not connect the collar with its function - otherwise the game is lost
Keep your controller out of sight also
your only needing to surprise the dog and let it think the result is all to do with its action ( hence timing critical )

 

[Buchan]

I have in the past tried the following when I stopped but only when I had a reason to stop.
Stopping, and waiting and waiting completely ignoring her and the barking and moving off if she stopped but her stamina to bark was often greater than my threshold to want to throttle her so in truth she generally won. I know, I'm not consistent.
It's going to be tough. I'm not a behavioural vet and can't see the situation so I'm reluctant to give advice. THe only thing I can thing of is a distraction technique - a particualr toy she likes to play with, or a game you play. Quiet - play, Bark, no play.
However, you need an assessment. My behaviour book susggests the prognosis is fair to good and does talk about APPROPRIATE collars used APPROPRIATELY.

 

[K.H - Tikka]

Would I be right to suggest you have previously rewarded her on return to you?

I would suggest that she is demanding and/or bored. Personally, I would get her doing lots of variation on walks - be it sit stays, recalls, call her back to heel, introduce new movements etc.

Now it could also be that you need to teach her to do nothing. You mentioned she will sit for a while before setting off barking again; maybe she doesn’t know how to sit still for a period of time. While walking/in the garden, pop her on a lead and just sit down with her. Reward her when she sits/lays down with you.

I think it will be a mixture of both. I am of course only drawing on what you have said and making some assumptions. You will know if what I say relates better than anyone and of course I am not a professional behaviourist.

Just my thoughts, it’s definitely fixable, it won’t be overnight though.

K.H

 

[sagittariun]

I once had a lab that would get excited when let out of the kennel and just jump about and bark, one day i dropped on to all fours and barked loudly ( don't ask it was just reactionary) and constantly, she stopped and put her head on one side with that look " what the Fox hat" . from that time as soon as i barked she was calm. I also had a springer that would howl and sing once the game cart started off. I became very embarrassed with this, as there was no stopping it, One day my fellow guns, beaters all started to sing with her and this became the norm, which much amused visiting guns.