she barks way to much

[ginger]

Hello everyone, my dog is a Min Pin and she barks at everything even at us, her parents. Everytime anyone, including people she knows, comes in the house, she barks like she is going to eat us alive. I dont know how to get her to stop. I have tried putting her in her crate everytime she does that, but that hasn't worked. I understand her barking at strangers comming in, but why does she bark at us? It is not a happy to see you bark, it is a nasty teeth bark. Any suggestions?
Thanks

[Nettle]

How long have you had her and what is her background? When did this start?


Our world is very big and scary for small dogs, and she sounds frightened (I can only go on what you have said in your post). If you lie on the floor and others walk past you and reach down to you, you will have some idea of just how scary we look to a small dog. We are all eyes, and hands coming out of the sky.

So she is shouting to say "back off, go away" because she is frightened.

Dogs don't like being hugged or picked up, and they have to learn to enjoy our hands coming down to them. Later they will tolerate our affection and even come to enjoy it, just as we tolerate being licked by them.

I'd say back off and give her space, avoid any but the briefest eye contact, and don't touch her for a while. Lure her to where you want her to go with yummy treats and a kind voice. Get her to follow you.

Let her come to you in her own time, and touch you. Then you can touch her back, but not hug or cuddle, and don't touch her head.

When she is comfortable with your presence, she won't need to tell you to get out of her space because she fears what might happen.

I'm not saying you have done anything bad to her - but from her perception, you are big and she is scared.

[ginger]

I adopted her when she was about 6 months and she is a very sweet dog, very smart, housebroken very easily, I can leave her out of her kennel when I go out. The exception is when it comes to barking, and the cat, but that's a different subject, I understand that she may be scared, but she can look out the door and see that it is "mom and dad" and I think she should be happy to see us, but its not that kind of bark. It's a "get out of my space" bark. She does it to my son and daughter everyday. Its more territorial I think. I am going to try to give her treats when I come in the door so she knows that its a good thing comming in. We tell her to hush and scold her but that hasn't worked either.

[pat]

I'm just wondering what happens on a normal day when you're at home with the dog. Do you make a lot of fuss of her and give her treats? Is she allowed on the furniture and on your laps in the evening? Where does she sleep?

[ginger]

we play with her alot when we are at home, yes she sits in out laps and during the day she sleeps on the furniture, but at night she sleeps in her kennel. When she is in there she does not bark at anything. When we leave her during the day, we have been just recently been leaving her out in the house, only in the living room and kitchen and dining room, the rest of the house if closed off. She has been doing very good. No accidents during the day. I hate the idea of leaving her in her kennel all day. I guess she feels safe in her kennel and thats why she doesnt bark. I have gotten people who come in to just ignore her completely. That has worked just a little, she doesnt bark as long.

[Nettle]

Sounds as if you are doing well

We might not like the idea of a kennel, but to a dog it is 'own space' like those dens we used to make when we were children - and how we longed to have our own room if we had to share!

How and when and how much do you walk her?

[ginger]

so do you think it is ok to leave her in her kennel all day long? That is where she sleeps at night. When my husband came home today, the only thing she had done was to chew up the "wee wee pad" I had left for her. I just want to do what is best for her.

[Nettle]

Depends what happens when she is not having kennel time, and how long 'all day long' is.

For instance, on a work day (I assume you are both in full-time work?) it won't matter a jot to the dog if she is left in the house or in her kennel (I assume you mean an outdoor kennel with a run attached?) so long as she has had a decent walk (at least half an hour and preferably more) and has been left plenty to do with toys, a stuffed Kong to play with, some safe things to chew on.

If someone can take her out partway through the day, that is nice for her, but we can't all manage that.

Then as soon as you come home, into your walking clothes and a good long walk for her, plenty of interaction and play.

THEN she is fine to be in the house with you until bedtime, getting plenty of attention, because she has had long lonely hours without you.

If, however, I have misunderstood, and by 'kennel' you mean an indoor pen without an exercise area, all day in that is rather miserable and I wouldn't say it was kind.

So please tell me where I am correct and where not, and how long you leave her, and what you do in between times, and we will be a good way along the road to understanding why she shouts at you.