# Bossy Barker at Obedience School



## Lise123 (Jan 1, 2014)

Bailey is enrolled in a self-control class that is a prerequisite for the Rally and Intro to Novice class we are going to take next. The class focuses on crate games, with a few other behaviors thrown in -- sitting until you're released, retrieving, and a solid "touch."

Bailey catches on quickly and does pretty well in the class. However, in between training times, the dogs are crated. Bailey goes bananas! He bossy-barks to be let out to continue training, to the point where the trainer covers the crate and makes me leave the room until he's quiet.

The trainer (and the other people in class) are very kind about it. The trainer says he's just working through a stage. He doesn't want to stop the fun. 

I don't know how to help him through this stage. At home, he doesn't bark for my attention. I have started crating him at home for five-minute intervals to simulate the class experience, but at home, he doesn't care.

If he continues this behavior at Intro to Rally, I will be mortified. I love my boy, but I sure hope this stage passes quickly!


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

How old is your pup now?


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarding to them. If he is being quiet and calm in the crate at home, then you want to intermittently reward him for that good behavior (let him know he is doing a good job!) with some calm praise and/or give him a treat and walk away. Once he is doing well settling/staying settled in the crate, add some excitement to the 'picture' It is pretty easy for them to stay calm when nothing else is going on, but bounce a ball, jump up and down, act silly, run around, they can quickly 'rev up'. If/when he gets excited, stop, and wait for him to settle, reinforce him when he is settled. Help him generalize his calm crate behavior by moving the crate to another room, and practicing in different locations, out in the yard, in the back of the car at home and building up to more exciting/busy locations.

Consider other ways to help him learn self control, rehearsing known cues with distractions going on, perhaps someone walking by or playing with his favorite toy, teaching 'leave it', stay, go to a mat (bed) and remaining there until released, gradually increasing duration, then adding 'distractions' that might entice him to get up, ensuring that you are rewarding/reinforcing him for staying put.


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## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

You may want to get the crate games DVD to watch/work through too.

You may want to get a crate to take other places to practice.

You may want to ask your instructors what you can do to prevent the barking - so for one of my dogs I would puth im in the car between turns, another would get something good to chew on, another would be in training mode. Some dogs get too tired if you're intensely training the whole session which is why some of my dogs had breaks of the car or a good chew. But also - I don't want my dogs spending a lot of time being distressed in the crate - so I would very, very gradually increase the duration between rewards in the crate, etc.


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## Lise123 (Jan 1, 2014)

Thanks for the good ideas. We are playing crate games and working through the DVD, which he loves. He does a great job waiting in a sit while i open the door and try to tempt him into breaking the sit before I release him. He loves training. This facility is particularly good for him because they encourage periodic play breaks, which he also loves.

What he hates is the break in training. He is crated while the trainer speaks to the owners. My trainer told me I can't acknowledge him while he's barking for my attention, which I understand, but it's so difficult when the other people in the class can't hear the trainer speak. So we cover him... then I am banished... and when he is quiet, I am allowed to return and uncover him.

He is 15 months old. It's the first time we've been at a school where dogs are crated during teaching moments, and he's just having tantrum after tantrum over it. Ugh.


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## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

I don't remember covering thedog/leaving being part of crate games.

I understand not giving him attention before he barks - but it may be better to focus on how you prevent him from barking in the first place?

It doesn't sound like tantrums to me - it sounds like frustration and distress. I don't like that level of stress associated with my training. I teach a class that has dogs crated - we start with the dogs on beds/blankets. Then with the blanket in half of the crate (remove the cover), then in the whole crate with the door open, then closed but rewarding often...gradually decrease the treats.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

I'm confused by this...it's a self-control class, so he's there to learn how, right? It seems like crating him away from doing training and playtime, both of which he loves, and asking him to be quiet about it is like giving him the final exam before he's taken the class?

I could see working up to short crate stays, after longer down stays and tethering, and I know this is a skill some dog activities require...but...

Seems like you ought to at least be allowed to give him a bully stick?

ETA: I've taken probably a hundred or so classes with my dogs...I've had the "worst" dog in the class and the "best" dog in the class...sometimes in the same hour.  Please don't be embarrassed...everybody gets a turn having a bad day, sooner or later, and if by chance there is a "perfect" dog...it just makes everyone else feel bad!


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