attention seeking?

• attention seeking? cassie elias Posted : 12/25/2006 1:29:38 AM Sophie  has always been a bit of a "talker" since we brought her her home, but today I was thinking about it more  because she kept barking an "arrooo-ing" and once you looked at her or said her name she would stop put her ears back and then wiggle her aussie butt[]it was pretty cute! She does this usually a few times a day but today she was just doing it non stop. once I said her name and talked to her her she would walk over and I would scratch behind  her ear and then she would walk away and do it again. So I was wondering if she could possibly be seeking more attention or maybe she was bored. Would you guys offer your thoughts/opinions on this? Thanks very much Cassie   LIKE 13 REPLIES 217 VIEWS LAST POST CASSIE ELIAS Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• tiffy Posted : 12/25/2006 10:44:04 AM My corgi, Tootsie is also a big time talker and its definitely attention seeking behavior. It may seem cute now, but it gets old quick. I simply ignore her  and make no eye contact, she stops when she gets no reward, ie. my attention. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Chuffy Posted : 12/27/2006 9:01:53 AM My dog is a talker too and I have to disagree with tiffy, I still think it's very cute!  It's like, "ow, ow, ow arrrrrooooooo!!!!"  I used a clicker to put a cue to the bhvr and then only rewarded him for when he did it on cue and ignored it the rest of the time.  He rarely does it unasked now - except as a way to charm guests, and it hardly ever fails!  But it hasn't become a problem. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• tiffy Posted : 12/27/2006 9:58:17 AM I still think its cute, I just can't let her know or she will become extremely pushy. It got so bad , that at one point, a friend stopped petting her and she became extremely talkative and started pushing her arm around with her nose.. My friend wondered why Tootsie was growling at her and I said she was just talking.It was embarassing and we started NILIF right away. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• spiritdogs Posted : 12/27/2006 12:14:52 PM It probably is attention seeking behavior, and it's only a problem if it's something you don't like, or if the dog gets even pushier when ignored.   Personally, I rather like the hound "voice", although my Aussies aren't usually vocal in this way.  Some Aussie lines are more vocal than others, however, both for "talking" and for general barkiness. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Katy Harvey Posted : 12/27/2006 2:30:48 PM Hee hee!  I was beginning to wonder if my Aussie was crossed with a hound, because he makes that "Awwrrrooo" sound too for attention!  He makes that sound after a stretch and yawn too, kind of like a human making a vocal yawn to alert others they are bored!   My other Aussie is very talkative too, but she yaps instead of the "awwwrooo" sound.  I'm trying to break them both of it, but sometimes it is very cute if they don't do it too much! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Kari McCloskey Posted : 12/27/2006 3:21:03 PM If you are wanting her to control her "talking", teach her a command to to speak. It was designed to be a cute trick, but will control barking . I teach my shelties to speak only when commanded in the house. So many other sheltie breeders tell me my dogs are not normal because they don't bark. I look at it as they are well trained to not bark. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Cita Posted : 12/27/2006 10:27:25 PM I did the same thing with my Sheltie. For a real crowd-pleaser, try teaching a "bark" command in a couple of different languages! "Speak!" Woof! "Hablas Espanol?" Woof! "Parlez-vous Francais?" Woof! My dog loved that game, particularly since it got her so much attention. Once we got started with it, she never barked when it wasn't requested. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• cassie elias Posted : 12/28/2006 3:10:35 PM Thanks everyone, it is quite cute but it can be annoying when you're trying to sleep in the morning. Sometimes she gets soo excited when you respond to her she walk over lifting each one of her front paws[]So I guess will teach her speak, does anyone know how to go about doing this, she is very food motivated, but i haven't been able to teach her anymore tricks than the one's she knows because she is just staring at the food!She knows sit lay down belly up high-five or shake, but like I already said I'm having trouble teaching her anything else. Thanks again! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Chuffy Posted : 12/28/2006 3:28:55 PM Have a well primed clicker in your pocket and lots of treats for a few days.  Every time she "talks" click as she's doing it and follow up with a treat.  When she realises this will get her a treat she will offer it readily - stick a cue to it, CT.  Gradually you can phase out the treats and only give her attention/treats when she does it on cue.  Well that's how I would do it anyways.  Someone else might have a better plan, or a more detailed one, or a helpful link...... 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Liz Posted : 12/29/2006 3:00:17 PM By giving the dog attention when she does this, you are only encouraging the behavior, and she's won.   She's doing this to get your attention. When you pet her, or pay any attention to her when she does this, you are rewarding this behavior.   I sometimes have used a squirt bottle, and it's helped enormously. But each dog varies.   No offense, but I disagree with giving the dog a treat when she does this. Like I said, if it's a behavior you do not want, don't encourage it. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Chuffy Posted : 12/29/2006 3:08:30 PM Au contrair, if you decide to ignore it doesn't mean everyone else will!  Other people are harder to train than your dog - fact!  By putting a cue to this bhvr you give yourself and on/off switch and a way of controlling it. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Kari McCloskey Posted : 12/29/2006 11:05:12 PM You can reward the unwanted (the barking) behavior by making it a trick or game. The dog has to learn that you are the one that controls the "game". I use the click and treat method to teach my shelties to bark so that they learn there are times that you can bark and times you can not bark. Spray bottles work well for most dogs. Problem comes in is when I am show grooming my shelties and I have to mist their coats ot make them fluffy. Can't have a dog that terrified of a spray bottle in the show ring. Using the device such as a spray bottle also teaches a dog to fear you and the action (being wet or sprayed), which can cause problems in other areas of life (getting a bath or being wet).   Kari 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• cassie elias Posted : 1/1/2007 11:42:10 PM Okay, I finally got to petsmart today bought sophie a new toy and a clicker!!I began by assosciating the sound of the clicker with a piece of kibble well problem I was saying lay down and she just sat there staring at the food in my hand! I said many times and she didn't do anything , so can anyone give me advice or link me to a site that explains the proper way to do this Thanks very much! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login