Barking - 18 month old and just started to bark

[nhwebgroup]

My 18 month old Ginger has started barking at almost everything. She has not done much of this before, but over the last few weeks she has begun barking more and more. She mostly barks if she hears a car passing or the wind blowing or just about any noise that's out of the norm. It started out with barking when she could see out the window, someone walking by in the street, then it got worse. with cars passing by and now just about any noise...

We tell her NO but she still growles and snorts...

Have any suggestions to help her stop barking?

 

[boxer]

Well, instead of just telling her 'no', how about re-directing her to something else as well? Dogs are like little children - they need to be told what you do want them to do as well as what you don't want.

If you only tell her 'no' when she barks, that doesn't really take her attention off of whatever it was that she was barking at - so of course she still growls and snorts. Hard to do that though, if she's busily engaged in a game or a short training session

 

[nhwebgroup]

I've tried to divert her attention by brining her 'squeeky toy' out and playing fetch but she's not easly distracted. She alwyas seems to run back to the window/sliding glass door and bark. I have picked her up and brought her down the hall and that helps sometimes (moving her to a different location).

It's sort of funny the things she barks at, mostly nothing. Just the way she snorts and growles and whines.. make us laugh but can get annoying at times.

I have a traning collar that she wears most all the time that she knows to obey when I buzz her slightly. The collar may be helpful in this situation too.

 

[boxer]

Engaging her brain in something else is what will be effective. I'd try training sessions.

Even if it's kind of funny though, laughing at her when she's growling andsnorting is positive attention that only encourages her behaviour. You can't really expect her to learn to stop if you keep sending conflicting signals.

Now - I'm not sure exactly what you mean by a "training" collar, although in my experience that term is almost always applied to some unpleasant correction device. You mean an electric shock collar, I think :mad: Well, if that's the case I have no intention of getting myself kicked off this website for entering into a discussion on that sort of practice. I'd pay money though, to see you wearing the collar and your poor dog in control of the remote.

 

[nhwebgroup]

Engaging her brain in something else is what will be effective.

I have tried that, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. :(

laughing at her when she's growling andsnorting is positive attention that only encourages her behaviour. You can't really expect her to learn to stop if you keep sending conflicting signals.

This i know, keeping the kids (and me at time too) from laughing at her is hard cuz the situation is funny....

although in my experience that term is almost always applied to some unpleasant correction device.

It's not a electric shock collar it has a 'vibrate' effect that 'buzzes' her when clicked, and yes i have worn it.


as you said

I have no intention of getting myself kicked off this website for entering into a discussion on that sort of practice.

I agree I'm not into abusing ANY dog...
The 'buzz' effect seams to just startle her and stop her in her tracks.

anyhow, this is not a discussion about 'shock' collars

I'll keep trying to divert her in other ways.