Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

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Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

Hi, I'm new here :)
I have a rescued,19 month old, male, neutered Pomeranian. He has lived with me (and my 10yr old retriever) since June 2016. He had MANY ISSUES I had to address, most successfully others not.
He has developed a new habit of demand barking for his breakfast at 4am !!! This is killing me! And now my retriever has joined him in the fun and games even though he has had the same routine for 10 years...
I don't know how to address this, we have neighbours with young children right next door and I don't want to get up at 4am every day.
Can anybody help please?
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Lotsaquestions »

You need to ignore them. I have a German Spitz who is just as barky and demanding as your average Pom, and any attention barking we've faced has been solved by ignoring until they are quiet.

You might have to explain to your neighbours that you're training your dogs not to bark and that for a little bit you need to 'let them bark' until they figure out it doesn't work. Maybe get them some choccys (I got my neighbours chocolates when we were working on Merlin's barking).

if that doesn't work (Poms can sometimes just enjoy the act of barking for barking's sake) then you could get up at 3:45 (basically before they begin barking), then slowly make the time you wake up later so they know being quiet means you come down. This process can be long, so I would recommend the ignoring as your first route.

And welcome to the forum!
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

The chocolates sound like great advice! I will do that first thing tomorrow, thank you :D :D I'll try the ignoring route first.
Seen as you have a German spitz any advice on chasing other dogs? Teddy has had a tough life and at 9 months had 2 previous owners before me, he was initially purchased as a show dog but they didn't realise how much work it would be, because of the barking he was kennelled all day with working dogs (collies). He was rehomed then with 5 other dogs with a view to show, they were kept in a pen when the owner was home and he was crated the rest of the time :( he'd never even been for a walk! I'm not sure if it's the breed, his background or just Ted. He just loves to chase other dogs and nip their behinds, he does this with too much vigour for my liking! I don't want to have to keep him on a lead as he is an adventurous and robust little soul but at 2.2kg he'd have no chance if attacked.
ZaraD
Posts: 577
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:06 am
Location: Staffordshire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by ZaraD »

Perdita wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:27 pm The chocolates sound like great advice! I will do that first thing tomorrow, thank you :D :D I'll try the ignoring route first.
Seen as you have a German spitz any advice on chasing other dogs? Teddy has had a tough life and at 9 months had 2 previous owners before me, he was initially purchased as a show dog but they didn't realise how much work it would be, because of the barking he was kennelled all day with working dogs (collies). He was rehomed then with 5 other dogs with a view to show, they were kept in a pen when the owner was home and he was crated the rest of the time :( he'd never even been for a walk! I'm not sure if it's the breed, his background or just Ted. He just loves to chase other dogs and nip their behinds, he does this with too much vigour for my liking! I don't want to have to keep him on a lead as he is an adventurous and robust little soul but at 2.2kg he'd have no chance if attacked.
Barking\ ignoring is the best bet like lotsaquestions said. Its like when there puppies and you ignore them when they cry for your attention when pups. Just ignore , no eye contact no telling him to be quiet no nothing just ignore and try to go back to sleep or pretend to be asleep and he will soon learn that barking at 4am does nothing and gets him nothing so is useless and will just go back to sleep.i own a Giant schnauzer and Sampson use to bark at odd hours in the morning ( he's a rescue dog) and I just ignored him and he soon got the message.the best tip I can give is to not give up and to have loads of patience , Sampson barked for three hours flat at 2am but I still with my guns and ignored him and he soon went quiet and went back to sleep.
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Is he chasing in play or because he's worried?

I have experience about nipping during play, and that is just to end play before he gets too excited. Make play sessions short, and reward for good behaviour. Nipping during play means they are getting too over aroused, and is often a type of play collies fall into so it could be where he's picked it up.
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

ZaraD- I LOVE giant schnauzers! They're on my wish list in the future. 3 hours wow that takes patience to a whole new level!
I'm so used to having my mellow golden retriever that my Pomeranian was a whole new experience - and such a love of barking. He's very smart, almost calculating like a master criminal. I can't fault him on much else to be honest, he's done so well considering he was so afraid and down trodden when I got him. He loves racing around in the woods, at the lake and on the moors and fields searching for adventure :D
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

Lotsaquestions is there a way of addressing this before he starts? We usually walk with around 7 other dogs at night on an open field so catching him is tricky when he is as high as a kite. He doesn't seem happy and having fun when he's doing it, He seems angry if that's an emotion that you can attach to a dog? It's usually one dog in particular he focuses intently on - a collie. The only dog he doesn't do this to funnily enough is another collie who's his best pal, he tells him off and Ted falls in line. To be honest thinking more deeply about it, he runs toward any dog sniffs, barks then tries to either chase and nip or hump. On lead away from home he barks crazily at other dogs.
ZaraD
Posts: 577
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:06 am
Location: Staffordshire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by ZaraD »

Perdita wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:07 pm ZaraD- I LOVE giant schnauzers! They're on my wish list in the future. 3 hours wow that takes patience to a whole new level!
I'm so used to having my mellow golden retriever that my Pomeranian was a whole new experience - and such a love of barking. He's very smart, almost calculating like a master criminal. I can't fault him on much else to be honest, he's done so well considering he was so afraid and down trodden when I got him. He loves racing around in the woods, at the lake and on the moors and fields searching for adventure :D
If you look in the photos of your dog there's photos of Sampson :D , they are beautiful dog but not for the faint hearted. I love him and would 100% have another Giant in the future. I'm very lucky with him though as if not experienced any problems with him except for his fear of gates which I'm still working on and am making progress. The only other issue is that he use to bark like I said at odd hours but he doesn't do it any more , schnauzers are known to be vocal but Sampson only barks at someone knocking on the door and that's it were other Giant owners I know have told me there dog barks at the postman, outside, playing ect, so I'm lucky with Sampson however his protective nature is very strong but he listens to me, the one trait I have is that I'm very strong minded and determined as a person so Sampson could bark as long as he wants but he still isn't getting me out of my comfy bed :lol: that's why I'm such a good match for him as you have to be just as strong minded as the Giant to succeed 8) :lol: . But through all the hard work he makes me laugh everyday and makes me be thankful for the life I have. Sorry I'm catting away here I could talk about him all day :D
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Lotsaquestions »

If he's barking and nipping at dogs angrily he's likely been stepped on alot in his life and has decided to 'get in there first' out of fear. Because of this walking him with dogs he doesn't feel comfortable with will only make him more afraid and more aggressive and it isn't really fair on the dogs he's doing it to.

I can't really give advice on fear aggression, but there are people on this forum who will know how to help you. I am sure they will be along shortly!
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

Lotsaquestions, thank you very much for your help, it's really great to get different perspectives, I never thought about fear aggression as he always appears so bold.
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

ZaraD I could talk about my golden retriever all day too! He's such blessing and very much loved.
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

I've just had an idea, I've been quite poorly for about 8 months and when I don't have the strength to get through I've often slept on the sofa at night with my golden retriever as he helps me to recentre. It's such a lovely calming feeling. Anyway, I thought if I sleep on the sofa then go up to bed when the barking starts Ted will get the message.....?
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Walking out of the room when he barks is a tactic, but if all he wants is for you to wake up then he'll have achieved his goal. Poms can be VERY persistant in barking, so he'll likely just continue to bark whilst you're upstairs and you'll just end up trying to ignoring tactic anyway.

During the day do you reward his barking in anyway? Do you pick him up when he barks or give him a toy or simply just look at him when he barks? Poms are very, very smart dogs, they learn things very quickly including bad habits. If he knows barking gets him something, no matter how small, he'll keep on trying it.
Perdita
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:10 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Perdita »

So, I ignored the barking last night - on and off from 4.20am until 7am when I got up. I intend to do this tonight as well, I'm fortunate that I don't have to be at work or anything so can surf the sofa if I'm tired. I'm pretty hopeful....thanks for the advice.
I'm going to post about him barking at other dogs in a new thread as I've thought about it today and its problematic.
Thanks again lotsaquestions and zaraD.
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: Demand barking during the night- exhausted!

Post by Shalista »

CONVERSELY you could try what i did.

Bax would start barking for breakfast at 5 so i fed him at 5.

then he started barking for breakfast at 415 so i fed him at 415.

Then he wanted breakfast at 3 so i fed him at 3.

eventually bax walked his own breakfast time allllll the way back until he gets his dinner. and for a few years he ONLY got dinner because i could keep him occupied/ignore him/feed him snacks in the evening just when he started getting growly before dinner but i just couldnt abide him getting me up in the middle of the night.

Eventually i switched him from dinners to ONLY getting fed breakfast.... just before i leave for work. and i get up an hr or two before work so if he starts whining for breakfast 15 min early i dont care.

*shrug* sometimes the easiest way to handle annoying behavior is to give them what they want. :roll: :wink:
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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