How to stop constant barking

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TyggerGrrl1977
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:14 pm

How to stop constant barking

Post by TyggerGrrl1977 »

My mom has a dog named Fiona. She's cute but her cuteness ends quick. She barks constantly. She barks at anything and everybody. When she's told to be quiet she'll stop barking for a minute but then she goes right back to barking. She barks at the neighbors constantly. She barks at me too. She'll even snap and snarl at people. If I tell her to be quiet sometimes she'll snap and snarl at me. The problem is my mom thinks it's cute and funny. I don't find it cute and funny. Fiona even has the habit of slinking around me until she's right on my heels. My sister and youngest nephew used to get her to come after me. I don't like it. Her barking hurts my ears and gives me headaches. I also have a dog myself. I don't want my dog to be "unruly" when she's older. I try to tell my mom why I need her help and she just ignores me. Mandy gets up on the table because she learned it from Fiona. I believe dogs shouldn't be on the furniture. Please help before I get rid of Fiona!
Wicket
Posts: 739
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:36 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by Wicket »

Do you mind giving us a run down of Fiona's day...
*mental/physical exercise--how long and when?
*food--what brand and frequency?
*any training she has received?
*do you think your family is open to re-training Fiona?
*What breed is she?

If you'd answer these questions, we can help Fiona more quickly. :)
OHenry
Posts: 97
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:35 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by OHenry »

This is a tricky situation since the people aren't in agreement. It is easier to train a dog when all the owners agree that there is an issue and agree on the best way to approach it. Is there a way you could get your mom to watch the show and/or join this forum?

In the meantime...exercise exercise exercise. More and better exercise will help improve almost every problem a dog has.
TyggerGrrl1977
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:14 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by TyggerGrrl1977 »

Fiona isn't taken out for any walks. My mom says she'll attack other animals. She hasn't.
She eats Beneful. It's out throughout the day and she nibbles at it.
My mom says she was training Fiona when she first got her and my sister and youngest nephew kept interferring. So in other words Fiona has had no training.
I don't know if my mom would be open to re-training. Again she says Fiona would go after people. I'm open to re-training definitely! Either that or Fiona will be taken away!
I'm not sure what breed she is. She's a high strung dog.

I need help!
TyggerGrrl1977
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:14 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by TyggerGrrl1977 »

I can try to get my mom to join the forum. We don't get cable right now.
My mom thinks the easiest solution is to keep Fiona in the house and she won't bark constantly. Fiona still barks even in the house. I was informed today that the neighbors have called and complained about Fiona's constant barking. I've even considered getting one of those bark off sensors. I'm trying to train my dog and my mom allowing Fiona to "get away with murder" isn't helping any. My dog of course thinks she can do the same things as Fiona. As the show is aptly named "It's me or the dog!" I've had enough of the excuses my mom gives when it comes to Fiona.
Wicket
Posts: 739
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:36 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by Wicket »

If you'd like to help out Fiona, give her more physical and mental exercise. Since she's not being mentally or physically stimulated, barking is the only "job" she has. Instead of feeding once a day, feed her twice. Save one serving of the kibble and make that your training food or put it in a Kong and have one of her meals in there. Both training, regular walks, and using a Kong will help make Fiona less bored.

These are good training sites:
www.clickertraning.com
www.dogstardaily.com (click on the training text book)

Loose lead walking: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=858

Clicker training---here's how: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=513
You can get a clicker for $1 at Petco, but you could use a ball point pen, a baby lid, anything that makes a distinct sound

Read through these links and let me know if you have any questions!
OHenry
Posts: 97
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:35 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by OHenry »

Don't get one of those anti-barking devices. They only make dogs more fearful and anxious and you mentioned that Fiona is already high-strung. The advice above about walks, clicker training, and brain toys will help a lot.
TyggerGrrl1977
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:14 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by TyggerGrrl1977 »

I'll try the training with Fiona. I hope my mom doesn't interefere with that. She already interferes with my training my dog.I can't get my dog to get out of something she's going to get hurt on without being asked what else she can't do. Then I'm told I'm doing everything wrong when it comes to training!

I won't get the no bark sensor. It's to the point I'm going to give up altogether.
ladybug1802
Posts: 1991
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:39 am
Location: Surrey

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by ladybug1802 »

As others have said, Fiona is barking because she has so much pent up energy, is frustrated and bored, and has nothing else to do in her life. Imagine if you were kept in the house all day, every day, with no tv to watch, no magazines or books to read, nobosy to chat to....then you will get an idea of how she feels.

You say your mum doesnt take her out because she feels Fiona will go for other dogs? This will actually make the problem worse....the more Fiona isnt walked, the more likely she is to behave in a way you will feel is inappropriate, to dogs and humans.

She NEEDS mental and phsyical stimulation immediately.
TyggerGrrl1977
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:14 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by TyggerGrrl1977 »

I suggested all the training tips and ideas to my mom and she didn't bother to try at least one tip. My dog is now starting to do some of the things Fiona does.
ladybug1802
Posts: 1991
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:39 am
Location: Surrey

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by ladybug1802 »

Is your mum not willing to even give fiona exercise and mental stimulation??? Until Fiona gets these things she wont stop the barking. At the moment she has no outlet for her energy, and as she in the house all day, imagine how boring that is for her.....so everything is magnified for her. Every noise, person walking past, coming in etc.....so couple the adrenaline, boredom and pent up energy and she has no choice but to bark. Put it your mum this way - ask her to imagine if SHE was cooped up in the house all day, every day, with nothing to do. No tv, no magazines, no books, no phone, nobody to speak to......then ask her to imagine how she would feel and how nuts she would go!

Is she still being free fed - ie the food is left out all day? Or have you changed this now so she is given 2 set meals a day, and the food is taken up after half an hour or so if she doesnt eat it?

What, if anything, HAS changed to try and help Fiona?
TyggerGrrl1977
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:14 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by TyggerGrrl1977 »

My mom gave me the excuse why she keeps Fiona in the house: to keep her quiet. If I tell Fiona to be quiet I'm told to leave Fiona alone. The neighbors have said Fiona needs to stop barking so much. My mom tells them to deal with it. The neighbors have even told Fiona to be quiet. I'm surprised the neighbors haven't called animal control!

Fiona is still being free fed. I've tried to change a few things and I've suggested some training tips but my mom disregards it all. I want my dog to listen but it doesn't help when my mom laughs at everything that Fiona and my dog does and thinks they're cute. In fact Fiona is going after cats more and more. She's getting vicious about it too. My dog follows in pursuit. I don't want a cat injured or killed because my mom thought it was funny that Fiona went after a cat.
Wicket
Posts: 739
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:36 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by Wicket »

TyggerGrrl1977 wrote:My mom gave me the excuse why she keeps Fiona in the house: to keep her quiet. If I tell Fiona to be quiet I'm told to leave Fiona alone. The neighbors have said Fiona needs to stop barking so much. My mom tells them to deal with it. The neighbors have even told Fiona to be quiet. I'm surprised the neighbors haven't called animal control!

Fiona is still being free fed. I've tried to change a few things and I've suggested some training tips but my mom disregards it all. I want my dog to listen but it doesn't help when my mom laughs at everything that Fiona and my dog does and thinks they're cute. In fact Fiona is going after cats more and more. She's getting vicious about it too. My dog follows in pursuit. I don't want a cat injured or killed because my mom thought it was funny that Fiona went after a cat.
Obviously, keeping Fiona in the house isn't keeping her quiet. She's in fact barking in the house that's supposed to keep her quiet. If you haven't already, have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with your mom, and talk her about the seriousness of this situation, that if she's not trained, not exercised and keeps barking Fiona could be taken away by animal control or worse, Fiona could end up injuring (very expensive, very expensive to treat) or killing a cat. Not funny at all.
Paula Broom
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 7:38 am
Contact:

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by Paula Broom »

I have a similar problem but my dog barks when she is left alone in the house, when someone comes to the door, she wants out and grabs anything that comes through the letterbox? would you recommend the ideas of kongs and things to keep her occupied when we are out. I am concerned as our neighbour is constantly complaining to all our other neighbours, which is made more difficult by the fact that our neighbour spends most of her time at her front door, talking to people and banging about.
misskris
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:33 pm

Re: How to stop constant barking

Post by misskris »

the stuffed, frozen kongs definitely helped rid Daisy of her separation anxiety (or settle it down, maybe is a better way to put it). I'm not an expert, but it seems your dog suffers from a little bit of separation anxiety? There are great recipes on the diet thread for stuffed and frozen kongs, but here's what I do:

Ration Daisy's food at the beginning of the day, mix some kibble with any of the following: peanut butter, chicken broth (homemade not the can kind, too much salt), non-fat organic PLAIN yogurt, mashed up banana, boiled chicken pieces, etc. I usually plug the little hole with a carrot or a piece of freeze-dried liver and stuff the big hole with any of the above stuffing, then top it off with wet food or with a glob of peanut butter, then put the whole thing into the freezer overnight. By the time your dog waits for it to warm up enough to eat, then to figure out how to get every last morsel out of the Kong, he's forgotten that you've left him home alone. The mental challenge of extracting his meal will also tire him out (hopefully), which will result in a sleepy puppy after (hopefully again)!

:)
k
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