The Bark is worse than the bite!

[Christian Harding]

:o Well hello again everyone! OK I need help...again... My dog...Karma has found her little voice. And well she is nwo barking for no reason. Well I am sure that there is a reason I just don't speak Boxer. I dont want her to not bark I just would like to be able to have her bark when it is appropriate. For instance..If a person is chargin at me or Alison (my fiance) with a machette I would love for Karma to bark. Three o'clock in the am or when she gets close to our cats... not quite the right time! Ok here is what I have tried... Saying CUT when she is barking at an good time after she has barked for about 5 seconds and NOOOOOO right away when she is barking at a bad time. I have employed the use of a soda can with pennies in it shaking it when I say NOOOOO. Got this out of a book...works pretty well... for a little while. I just would like to get any input that you all may have to help. I have been told if you use the same correction device all the time that the dog could get desensitized to the sound....You have all been very helpful before... actually very helpful so...... Please help!
I love my pooch and wont get a bark collar..... so dont suggest that.... And I also want to know if I should just ignore this behaivor I mean it may just be a puppy thang!?!?!! :D

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I would suggest, in addition to which ever method you find is working best for you (the soda can noise for instance), but what I did with Maggie was to teach her a key word "enough" which means ok, time to stop barking now. I would say "enough" and gently put my hand around her mouth to get her to stop. When she stopped, I would immediately praise her and give her a treat and say "good girl... good enough."

Now, I just say "enough" and she'll stop barking at whatever she's barking at. They need to know when it is time to stop, as well as what to bark at. Your dog is probably doing as you suspect, flexing her vocal chords as it were, and experimenting with you to see what her barking can get you to do for her. They are very clever dogs.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.