How to stop barking...

[Unclee1]

We recently got a small dog and it's driving our neighbors crazy with its barking. We keep the dog outside during the day which is when the barking is occurring. When we are at home, the dog doesn't bark.

I'm thinking of getting bark collar. Does anyone have any experience with this or any other type of anti-barking devices?

 

[JLouv]

Dogs gonna be dogs. Get new neighbors.

Seriously.....I love barking dogs. They bark because something isn't right. You put a collar on it and it train it not to bark, what's the point of having it around?

I'd recommend getting a second dog. Yours is on edge because of being left alone. We easily forget that dogs are social creatures.

 

[Sugarbug]

Big dogs bark because something is wrong.

Little dogs bark because they're stupid, something made a sound, a leaf moved, the sun is rising, etc, etc.

 

[aroundlsu]

Yes I used a bark collar for a while on my Great Dane. He parks non stop when he's outside alone for no reason. The collar worked perfectly. Took him one bark to figure it out.

This one:
http://www.amazon.com/SportDOG-Rech...F8&qid=1359080745&sr=8-1&keywords=bark+collar

The only thing is I felt like the collar was really stressing him out. I can tell when he's stressed and not feeling well. I stopped using it after a while and decided to just let the guy bark if that's what he likes to do.

 

[Unclee1]

We have another dog and got this one as a playmate. SugarBug is right, this dog barks at anything/everything. We're going to also start taking the dog on daily walks (Should have been doing this already). Thanks aroundlsu...I'll check it out.

 

[LACamper]

Training. Bark collars work but positive reinforcement for being quiet goes a long way.

BTW, yelling at the dog to be quiet when he barks is only rewarding him (paying attention to him) for barking. I wish I could convince my neighbors of this.

 

[Unclee1]

The dog only barks when we are at work so positive reinforcement doesn't work (It DOES work when we are at home). I've thought about enlisting my neighbor to do this, but I don't think he's game

 

[Jester]

Training... positive reinforcement .... goes a long way.

BTW, yelling ... is only rewarding him (paying attention to him)... I wish I could convince my neighbors of this.

I think it works this way for kids, too.

 

[jhans504]

Only input I have is to purchase one with a rechargeable battery. I made the mistake of buying one without and the cost of the batteries is $10/ea. After a while of leaving my border collie out during the day, he tests the boundaries of the collar...and wins (it's like he knows when the battery's dead), after that the collar does no good until I bite the bullet and buy another over-priced battery.
Hope that helps.

 

[Hitman]

Seriously.....I love barking dogs. They bark because something isn't right..

Not always. Excessive barking is an attitude issue. Those type dogs have to be taught to be content and patient. You don't get to bark b/c you're bored. If you don't like your dog barking, teach him that it's an unacceptable behavior.

I'd start during the weekend when you're home. When he barks, 'NO' with a pop on the nose. After a few hours or day of that. He will KNOW that when he barks he gets a "NO" from the master and a 'POP'. Now it's time to put the Bark Collar on.

I think this will help him associate the stimulation with the behavior. You MUST associate the stimulation with the behavior or you could fail miserably and stress the dog out completely.

 

[Mayonnaise]

Crate train. Crate train. Crate train. Crate train. ALWAYS crate train. Then worry about leaving the dog in the yard during the day. Face it, it's not a guard dog anyway. It's not going to do anything to stop anyone from breaking in. All it's doing is annoying your neighbors. Ever heard the story of the boy who cried wolf? Buy a crate...

 

[madwabbit]

crate train and burn off that energy. dogs need daily challenges both mentally and physically. the uh, crate training is probably your easiest way to go.

 

[Unclee1]

Crate train. Crate train. Crate train. Crate train. ALWAYS crate train. Then worry about leaving the dog in the yard during the day. Face it, it's not a guard dog anyway. It's not going to do anything to stop anyone from breaking in. All it's doing is annoying your neighbors. Ever heard the story of the boy who cried wolf? Buy a crate...

I think this is going to be my 'best' solution. Everyone, thanks for the input!

 

[flamatrix99]

We have a rat terrer and two dachshunds and they drive me crazy when they are in the backyard. The older dachshund is the worst offender. She gets the other two all wound up. The younger dachshund doesn't bark until she does. I think it is our fault for not formally socializing them when they were puppies. The lil dachshund is crate trained but the other two haven't been in a crate since they were small.

 

[RedStickChick]

Big dogs bark because something is wrong.

Little dogs bark because they're stupid, something made a sound, a leaf moved, the sun is rising, etc, etc.

I take offense to this. My dog is small, ~15 lbs, and she perks up and barks whenever she sees someone she doesn't know / like. Yes, she's going to bark at noises but a dog is a dog. They bark. It's their nature.

She's woken me up to someone attempting to break in, as well as when my neighbor has been creeping around outside.

And yes, you do have to let them burn off their energy. I run her almost every day. It SUCKED when the weather was constantly gross and raining outside for a week straight not too long ago. She was going insane inside.

She loves cops/sirens though. It's weird.

 

[clay]

Train and then train some more. I've got a Weimaraner and a Great Dane and the GF has a Pomeranian. They all loved to bark. The Weim responded to the bark collar. The Pom didn't Now the Pom barks once if he thinks he hears something (once or twice a night). He still goes ape **** if he sees or hears something at any of my doors. I don't mind the latter. The Dane doesn't bark unless both dogs get going. He's more of the big, dumb muscle to scare someone off if the first two don't.

 

[Unclee1]

Train and then train some more. I've got a Weimaraner and a Great Dane and the GF has a Pomeranian. They all loved to bark. The Weim responded to the bark collar. The Pom didn't Now the Pom barks once if he thinks he hears something (once or twice a night). He still goes ape **** if he sees or hears something at any of my doors. I don't mind the latter. The Dane doesn't bark unless both dogs get going. He's more of the big, dumb muscle to scare someone off if the first two don't.

I agree w/ the training part. Now I just have to get it done.

 

[sandman7925]

Big dogs bark because something is wrong.

Little dogs bark because they're stupid, something made a sound, a leaf moved, the sun is rising, etc, etc.

Haha

 

[Lurker]

Dogs gonna be dogs. Get new neighbors.

Seriously.....I love barking dogs. They bark because something isn't right. You put a collar on it and it train it not to bark, what's the point of having it around?

I'd recommend getting a second dog. Yours is on edge because of being left alone. We easily forget that dogs are social creatures.

We should all have children and amplify their screams and cries for all the neighbors to hear...I mean, a baby is gonna do what a baby does, and everyone loves the cries of a child right?
Really, there is no cause to consider anyone else in this world other than ourselves right? No need to address loud noises that make others uncomfortable and reduce their quality of life. I mean, if it's my dog and I can tune out the obnoxious, incessant noises why should anyone else give a **** right?
I love inconsiderate people...

 

[Bosco]

We should all have children and amplify their screams and cries for all the neighbors to hear...I mean, a baby is gonna do what a baby does, and everyone loves the cries of a child right?
Really, there is no cause to consider anyone else in this world other than ourselves right? No need to address loud noises that make others uncomfortable and reduce their quality of life. I mean, if it's my dog and I can tune out the obnoxious, incessant noises why should anyone else give a **** right?
I love inconsiderate people...