Dog Community

2 young aussie sheps, and the barkathon.

Posted : 9/21/2006 8:06:37 AM

Hello all,

I have a 15month old female aussie shep(Deunan), and a 9month old male aussie shep(Aydin). They are both very sweet dogs, and get along for the most part. The problem is that when they start 'playing,' it tends to turn into the barkathon 2000. It usually starts over a toy. Deunan will be minding her buisness, and aydin will pick up a toy (squeakyCuz, bone, ball etc) then he will start 'growling' with it in his mouth, flinging his head around like its a rope bone. This will last a bit, and duenan will watch. Aydin will then 'push' the toy onto Deunan, and then she will try to take it from him. They'll start playing, which is fine. But then the barking starts, and it doesnt stop. Its like they are trying to prove who is loudest. Sometimes i think they are just playing, as aydin will start tearing around the room making 'passes' at deunan, in which she will bark/nip. Other times i think they are having a tiff. Eventually it will go back and forth. Deunan will get the toy, aydin tries to take it back from her. I can't tell if the barking is a play for alpha.

I'm not really sure which dog is alpha(or thinks they are alpha). Part of this is because they have such different personalities. Aydin is very outgoing, in regards to getting attention and being petted. Deunan is much more laid back, and would rather offer up a game of fetch than be petted. Aydin is super food motivated, while Deunan is not. In regards to toys, its often 'i want what the other dog wants' for both of them, but more often than not Aydin will take toys from Deunan first. Deunan since she is older, has a lot more privladges. She gets to stay out in the house during the day while we are at work(aydin is confined to the kitchen with much less comforts!) Aydin still sleeps in his crate, while Deunan sleeps in the bed with us. Deunan is also allowed on our nice couch.

Sometimes they will get out of hand, and Deunan will noticeably put Aydin in his place(despite being quite a bit smaller). Then they just return to the normal barkathon play.

Things we have tried, are a citronella collar on Deunan. While she generally doesnt start it, her bark is much higher pitched so its more annoying lol. It doesnt really help that much, and sometimes Aydin sets it off for her! When it does go off, they stop for 5 seconsd to sniff the air.. then continue on. The other thing that has helped, is to make Deunan lay down on the couch. But that feels like we are punishing her for playing. If anyone could give a suggestion, on how to help allievate the barking id really appreciate it. It seems they have a knack of 'turning up' their volume during our favorite shows. >_<

Thanks, -Mike

Julitza

Posted : 9/21/2006 8:12:47 AM

I really have no clue what could be causing this but maybe you can try this: Once the barkathon starts, playtime is over.

Some breeds are just naturally very vocal, and I have seen a lot of herding breeds that are quite vocal. When you go to an agility trial, what dogs are doing the most talking? Aussies, BC#%92s, Shelties and Collies.

Lizzie will play with Laika (Golden) and she will yap all the way through the play session, while Laika is quiet as a mouse. Ive learned to live with it, but it wouldn#%92t bother me so much if her bark weren#%92t so yappy [

]

teufelhund

Posted : 9/21/2006 8:22:46 AM

Yeah.. its wierd tho, neither of them are very vocal at all unless they are in 'play mode' with each other. I sometimes take them to doggy daycare, and i ask if they both bark a lot, and im told no.

mudpuppy

Posted : 9/21/2006 8:27:33 AM

some dogs just naturally bark when they get excited-- I think your dogs are just playing, and having a blast. Teaching them that playtime ends if they get noisy might help, but many dogs seem to have very little "voluntary" control over their vocalizations. Thus the popularity of automatic anti-bark collars.

spiritdogs

Posted : 9/22/2006 7:00:37 AM

OK, so the only thing more irritating than Aussies are Border Collies and Shelties!!!! And, you got herding dogs why? I can identify, since I have one Aussie (high-pitched screechy bark), and one 1/2 Aussie (lower pitch, but still annoying), and a Border Collie mix (used to be annoying, but now that she is 17 1/2, I'm glad every time I hear her bark [

]).
There isn't much you can do to keep these guys quiet when they get excited. Stockdogs aren't usually expected to shut up, just move cattle. I do teach my dogs a "quiet" command, and they are pretty good at observing it, but I live on two acres with no close neighbors, so I'm not as strict about barking as I am about some other things.
You can try a citronella collar, which has no shock. (www.premierpet.com) But, I find that Aussies generally bark right through them. I taught my dogs "quiet" by having them bark, then clicking and treating when they stop. Gradually, if you are more motivated than I, you can lengthen the time they stay quiet before you C/T.

tashakota

Posted : 9/22/2006 7:09:25 AM

I agree, they are playing. BUT I wanted to say that the I've seen more labs and dalmations barking non-stop while doing agility than BC's or Aussies. Shelties... oh my, Shelties are the worst because it's typically much higher than the labs or dalmations.

mudpuppy

Posted : 9/22/2006 8:03:29 AM

I have to agree with that. When you do see aussies barking on course it's usually because they are trying to discipline their handler for messing up.

Xerxes

Posted : 9/22/2006 10:38:19 AM

OK, so the only thing more irritating than Aussies are Border Collies and Shelties!!!!

And the only thing more irritating than the lot...Pharaoh Hounds!!!!

spiritdogs

Posted : 9/22/2006 4:34:16 PM

ORIGINAL: mudpuppy

I have to agree with that. When you do see aussies barking on course it's usually because they are trying to discipline their handler for messing up.

Or, they are from some of the working lines that are barky LOL. When I was looking for a pup, several people told me that there was one line in particular that is known for it. It wouldn't have stopped me, had I wanted one of those dogs, but nice to be forewarned...
Sequoyah doesn't correct me LOL, but she does talk back when I'm not clear in my explanations. She doesn't like to be confused.

Pwca

Posted : 9/22/2006 4:54:13 PM

Mal is a PITA about htis, but the 'play ends when you open your mouth' has been working wonders with him.

I've also been actively CORRECTING him for barking- harsh no in a grumbly voice. Given that i'm generally VERY positive (and he's a relatively sensitive dog), this is having a definate effect- the only other thing I've been grumbly and harsh about was biting electrical cords.

teufelhund

Posted : 9/27/2006 11:52:59 AM

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

OK, so the only thing more irritating than Aussies are Border Collies and Shelties!!!! And, you got herding dogs why? I can identify, since I have one Aussie (high-pitched screechy bark),

Eep, i wasnt getting an email update saying people had responded to this thread. =x

(not sure if the above was a dig on my choice of dogs, because of barking buuuuuut)

I love both dogs. My wife and i got an aussie(s), after a great deal of research. I read that most aussies, are generally not big barkers for herding dogs. Now, im not *really* complaining. It's something i can live with, but if i could help allievate it sometimes that would be awesome. They fit pretty well into our life style, and im fairly sure they are happy with us! (deunan has completed 3 obedience classes, and aydin will be going into his 2nd(intermediate). We plan on doing agility with them both, when the school we attend starts those classes.

Deunan(the female) has the high pitched screechy bark you mentioned. She's really small for an aussie (if i didnt know better i'd think i got a mini). Aydin, the boy, has the deep, booming bark. I dont consider either of the dogs to be 'big barkers' in general. They never bark, unless its the 2 of them playing. They bark much, much less frequently with other dogs.

On another note, i used to post here eveyr so often, but i stopped visiting for awhile. - Spiritdogs, i still hvent seen a pic of your red merle

But since your an aussie person, i'll leave a shot of my 2 furries.

Deunan
http://vwzealot.clubdub.org/vwzealot.vwmafia/pets/animals%20mikes/9-26-06/129-2903_IMG.JPG

Aydin.. doesnt he look guilty?
http://vwzealot.clubdub.org/vwzealot.vwmafia/pets/animals%20mikes/9-26-06/129-2929_IMG.JPG

(sorry for poor image quality, we took them both to the doggie beach awhile back, and the wife dropped our digital camera in the water.)

Christi

Posted : 9/27/2006 12:39:11 PM

Ruby is not really a barker either, with two exceptions. The first is when someone comes to the door. Aussies aren't just herders, they're gaurdians as well and I knew this so it was no shock but I had to teach her "hush" otherwise she'd just keep barking until I opened the door. "Hush" has proved to be extremely useful. I didn't clicker train her but if you did with Deunan, then Anne gave an excellent suggestion on how to teach it to her. Even if you're not clicker training, they're so doggone smart they'll pick up on it right away. The second is when she's playing soccer and wants us to kick the ball, she gives out this very high pitched squeak with the ball in her mouth. I figure it's just her way of communicating with me and it doesn't really bother me so I don't correct her for it. When she and Samwise, my Golden, play together there is no barking at all. And they're only 9 and 6 months old so they still play pretty rough. I think you're best solution is to teach "hush" or "quiet." I don't necessarily think playtime should end, though, because they're still young and need it but with you acting as moderator, of sorts. BTW, they're very cute. I know you said the picture quality wasn't good so it had me wondering, is the one in the second shot a red merle? Ruby's mom is a red solid, dad is a blue merle and Ruby's a black solid with white trim. Very different but that's what I liked about her.