Excessive Barking

[mhache]

I had gotten my Male boxer neutard at 6 months. Before then he never barked at anything.
A couple days later we were driving in the car and he was growling and barking at every car I passed on the highway, I thought it was just a phase. But here we are almost 3 months later and he barks and growls at even the wind. We tried being stern voiced we tried the water bottle and we tried special training and he just wont stop. yet he wont bark when someone comes to the door. We also have a 2 year old female that only barks when provoked so we were hoping he would learn from her.
does anyone have any advise?

 

[boxerjohnny]

Has your dog been rewarded in the past for barking issues? If this is something new, neutering has nothign to do with his excessive barking, he is either being paid attention to, or rewarded or has been at sometime he has done this in the past. Does he get to go outside and exercise daily?

 

[RLucky]

My puppy is approaching 5 months and has yet to be spayed. I've found that she's started barking at passerbys and other dogs barking outside now and she used to be quiet as can be. I'm assuming it's the approaching puberty thing.

 

[Irondano]

Could be 2 problems!!!

That seems to me, two things:
1. That he isnt doing the enought exercise he needs.
2. He is being dominant.

Do you take him to daily walks for at least 1 hr??? (preferly running or with a back pack).
What do you do when he barks? How you are teaching him that barking is not allowed??

Normally, are the two thing i told you, and can be corrected be exercise and discipline.

Good luck!!

 

[LILYLARUE]

He may also be entering a fear stage. Do a search for it and you will find lots of info on it.

Sounds like more fear than anything. Lots of action in a moving car. It could get him a bit hyped up, anxious or fearful knowing he has no control of all that motion and can't chase those things flying by. So what else is there to do than bark? LOL

The second fear imprint stage is very interesting. Some go through it with minimal symptoms and some go full force. My Lily is one to do it full force. She started about 7 months old and still barks at anything and everything that is outta place or just doesn't belong.

To teach a dog "quiet", you first must teach them to "speak" so they can learn appropriate times to bark and times when commanded to be quiet. When you yell at a barking dog, they think that you are chiming in on theirs. It doesn't help but to reinforce that bad behavior. Best to stay calm and quietly tell them to "quiet". As soon as they stop barking, that's the exact moment to treat them. When they bark, no treat. Sometimes tossing treats in the back seat will grab their attention and distract them. Another good time to say "good quiet".

Most dogs don't bark only because of dominance. They are trying to communicate something. You will know a dominance or threat bark when you hear it - very deep and throaty growly-bark. He means business with that one and should be heeded when heard. There are several sounds of barks too with totally different meanings. Once your pup gets more vocal, you will be able to differentiate between the barks and get the idea of what they are trying to say. Most likely in the car, it's "Hey, whats all this stuff moving so fast and why can't I play with them." or it can be a security behavior where they are warning those flying things not to come close cause he is afraid and will protect the car from those monsters.

Sometimes, just stopping what you are doing, and looking at things from a simple, dogs point of view, you can get a better understanding of his communication methods and his mood at that moment.

 

[KWilson]

He may also be entering a fear stage. Do a search for it and you will find lots of info on it.

This is also what came to mind when I read your post.

 

[mhache]

Excersise for my dogs is not an issue They go to daycare 4 times a week for 9 hours and come home absolutly beat. They are also trained in there problem areas there. And on days I am off we take them for walks or rollerblades depending on how much energy they have. He didn't Bark at all before being neutard. He's starting to get very protective of me. Now if he hears something he jumps up and sits on me and barks till everything is ok. But its not a light bark, its quite a deep mean one. He does the same to his 2 year old sister. If they are in the yard and he hears something he puffs out and wont let her move till everything is ok.

 

[LILYLARUE]

If he is getting protective, then you have to show him that it's YOUR job not his or he may end up overly protective and reactive as an adult. Removing him from the thing he is guarding will reinforce him not to go into security mode or he will have to leave. If he is doing it in the yard with the kids, then he needs to be leashed and taken into the house and away from the kids for a bit. Eventually he will learn not to react, that you will protect when needed. He will know instinctually after he mastered it, when is it appropriate to protect and when he shouldn't. It's a good lesson in self control for him.

 

[Irondano]

Teach him you are on charge!!

Then if exercise isn´t the issue, if the other things, he is being dominant, and one of the stuff dominant dogs do, is to be over protective.

Try learning to be his leader, and teach him not to bark.

I also have a Rottweiler who used to have that issue (barking), and i had to teach her with calm and consistent traing no to bark. Everytime she used to bark i told her or touch her to let her know that behaivor has no longer useful. Take a lot of work, but she finally stop barking (excesive).

Good luck!