# Attention barking fix



## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

I hope it all works out well as it has been going. May be others with this issue will have more insight on this.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm glad that it has worked out for you. I don't see a downside to it.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Sounds familiar, Storee will bark for whatever reason when she figures it'll get her something. However I don't ask her to stop barking, or ask her to go to her kennel for it, I just take her there. It only took a few times for her to realize that I 'think' her barking means she'd like to go to her crate for a while. 

We had a cat who was very noisy and I had a spray bottle in the kitchen for her since she'd pester me every time I was making something or walking into the kitchen. Left instructions for the house sitter that if she was making noise in the kitchen it was because she was thirsty and needed a drink from her squirt bottle and that she catches the water as long as you aim for her. 

Is that mean? :

Lana


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

When Danny was about a year, he was becoming an attention barker. I just shaped the behavior to get him to bark when I said "speak". I would wait until he barked and then, knowing he would bark at me again, I would say "speak" and when he barked I would say YES! It only took on day to train him and he has stopped being an attention barker.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

What an awesome thread for my household... I have this problem in the developing stages with Duncan, my 17 week old pup. THANK YOU everyone who's posted here so far.

I just love the ideas. Now I can't decide if want to teach 'speak' ...... hmmmmmm since i have 3 girls I think we have too much 'speak' as it is and I will nip this in the bud with 'removal from the pack.'

I love the ideas here!


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## Capt.Marbles (Oct 6, 2009)

We tried the speak method and it didn't work well for us. It may have been some part puppy stubborness and part consistency on our part. Anyhow, Dex learned to speak on command within an hour, but just didn't stop. We then tried to just ignore him and pretend he wasn't there when he was barking, but he proved to be more stubborn then us, so we now have moved to the kennel method.

Glad you folks agree with what we are trying to do. Just a side note, since he now knows barking will get him put home, he's been whining a lot more since it is a sound he can get away with.


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

Sounds like you found a good fixed for his barking.

Fortunately both of mine are very quiet. We get the occasional bark at another dog walking past the house but after 1 - 2 barks they're done.

Hope he continues to do well.


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## Capt.Marbles (Oct 6, 2009)

We don't really mind the barking when things are moving past our house, as it is a nice alert if need be, and is a wholly different deep bark then his whiny attention bark.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I think you can use crate isolation successfully so long as you aren't angry when you put him on the crate. For most dogs, there's a huge difference between 'Too bad. If you're gonna bark, you can sit by yourself and lose access to me" vs. "Shut up you wooly beast... into the box of doom you go!!" Attitude is everything. Glad it's working for you.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

FlyingQuizini said:


> I think you can use crate isolation successfully so long as you aren't angry when you put him on the crate. For most dogs, there's a huge difference between 'Too bad. If you're gonna bark, you can sit by yourself and lose access to me" vs. "Shut up you wooly beast... into the box of doom you go!!" Attitude is everything. Glad it's working for you.


Yep...what Stephanie said. :

This brings to mind the episode of "It's Me or The Dog" with trainer Victoria Stillwell. A woman had 2 Old English Sheepdogs that would bark and bark while riding in the car. Victoria blocked all of the windows, that the dogs could see out of, with dark cloth and then she fashioned a curtain between the back seat and the front. Whenever the dogs barked, without saying a word, she would immediately draw the curtain closed until they stopped barking. It didn't take the dogs long to figure out that barking equaled a closed curtain :.


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## Capt.Marbles (Oct 6, 2009)

We never get freak out and get loud, but do get stern and let him know that a certain type of barking is unacceptable behavior. We tell him to go home once, and if he doesn't then we get his collar and walk him in. As well, when we put him in the kennel at other times, we make a point of being almost over the top positive "good boy, now go home and get a treat". Most times at night, by the time we are going to bed he's already passed out in there. 

It's been working great, and as a first time dog owner it's nice to get some reassurance that we are on the right track. thanks.


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