Do you let your dog bark?

I'll put it this way -- I **must** stop barking or I'd lose all of my dogs.  My city is INCREDIBLY strict and if a dog is caught 'barking' for 7 straight minutes and it's documented by a cop, you get ONE warning and then you can lose the dog.  I'd be so in trouble with code-enforcement it wouldn't be funny.

Mine know they get ONE bark in the house if they need to 'tell' me something.  Same thing outside -- but Luna (the bassett/beagle) doesn't know how to 'stop' easily so I have to go get her -- in fact, her outside free time is curtailed because there are certain times of the day when I just can't allow her to be free enough to 'dis me' or she'll have a bark-fest and I can't get TO her to stop her. 

I'll say this tho -- even with breeds prone to barking, if a dog is completely uncontrollable and you can't do a thing with the dog  ... there's a problem there.  You have to back it all the way up to where you lose control.  In other wors just shrugging and saying "I can't make her stop" -- that' s not good enough.  It has to happen **before** the dog is allowed enough freedom to have the barkfest you want to stop.

I'm pretty adamant about this one specifically because the stakes are SO high for us.  We are literally a block and a half from the police/city department -- and I've had the cops called on us before!!  It was years ago and a new father was out walking his baby in a baby carriage during the day, we were GONE and I'd let the dogs stay outside. 

I cam home to a list of citations as long as your arm, and a parade of neighbors a mile long to find out "why were the cops here??".  It was beyond embarassing because it could have had the impact of making me lose my dogs. 

As it was I had three neighbors testify that my dogs usually did NOT **ever** bark.  In that particular situation it was the fact that a cop came up TO MY FENCE and glared at my dogs for the "seven minute test" and they obligingly barked at him for all 7 minutes telling him to "GO HOME NOW!"

It was the last time EVER my dogs were left outside when we were gone (even for 2 minutes). 

Because the deal is -- it's not even just when they bark 'normally' -- but like in my situation, that cop (who had to be a non-dog lover) GLARED at my dogs and literally set them up TO bark non-stop.

 It's a royal pain -- but my dogs never go out while I "do something" that requires my presence.  In other words, my dogs don't go out when I'm in the shower, doing something I can't be interrupted from, etc. -- if I can't get 'on it' the instant they bark -- they never went out!!

Does that make sense?

calliecritturs

I'll say this tho -- even with breeds prone to barking, if a dog is completely uncontrollable and you can't do a thing with the dog  ... there's a problem there.  You have to back it all the way up to where you lose control.  In other wors just shrugging and saying "I can't make her stop" -- that' s not good enough.  It has to happen **before** the dog is allowed enough freedom to have the barkfest you want to stop.

I agree that allowing your dog to be a nuisance is a problem, and that your situation is very strict. But I don't think the fact that a dog is a barker means the dog has a problem. It may be a bad environmental fit.

i feel barking to alart someone is okay. like emiley and loki i would let bark when someone came to the door till i got there then i would say enough and they would go lay down. i feel barking for no good reason isnt okay. but if playing, letting you know theres a stranger in the yard etc. is alright but the dog should stop when you tell them to.

Misha doesn't really bark, unless I'm home and he wants me to play with him. He's pretty much stopped that now (the more he barks, the less he gets what he wants). He's allowed a bark or two in the morning to remind someone to let him out, or if he's had an accident (he was sick Christmas morning). Other than that the only time he barks, excluding around the horses - which he doesn't visit anymore, is when he decides he needs to be a guard dog and someone is coming up or down the path and he thinks they shouldn't be so close to our yard. Then he lets out a soft warning "ruff" and then he'll bark. I usually put my hand or a finger on top of his muzzle and say "Thank you, sir." 

I'm lucky to have a small terrier that ISN'T a barker!  At first we never heard her even make a sound, except when she was having a bad dream...Then one day she "found" her voice: the dog in the mirror stimulated her.

Now she is much more vocal, but more of a "talker" than a barker...aka she doesnt release barks, but various roo roo sounds, and even meows and such...and if you respond to her with exactly what she was trying to tell you she wanted, then you can an affirmative roo roo roo!!!!!!!!! lol

 It's hilarious.

But yeah, only time she really lets out is when there's a rodent she can't get to... that has climbed a tree, crawled in the wood pile, etc.  Then I put her inside though...and she gets so annoying as she'll start crying and whining to go back outside to find that long gone critter.

Simple answer? No. I don't like when my neighbors dog goes on for hours, and I would not think they would like it if mine did it.

If I am home along, Casey will give one low warning bark when someone comes to the door - but that is it. He knows I appreciate that, and only that. I don't like barkers. Talking is ok, like hounds and huskys. He'll give out a little bark when he needs to come back in from outside, that's ok. But if someone comes into the back yard when he's out there - he growls and barks his warning bark. I'm not fond of this, but I don't hate it.

He will also give a warning back if people start to fight (play wrestle on the floor, etc). He thinks someone is getting hurt. If you tell him it's ok, he goes and lays down.

Casey doesn't bark on command, I think it would be 'cute', but not needed. I wouldn't want to encourage him to bark.... haha.

NOOOOOOOOOO almost never.... when they are allowed to bark it is with the encouragement to "Watch 'EM " I have to be careful I have a large pack and weather we are traveling or at home I don't want an issue because of the big brown dogs. Once in a while we will be at a rest stop or gas station and be approached then the Watch 'em command is used... I would rather some of the folks who want to chat not come any closer than necessary, 'specially when they look like they are druggies or drunk. 

I give away meals and small amounts of money regularly so someone can grab a shower and have a hot dinner and a sandwitch for later but I will not allow anyone near the door of the RV without the dogs on duty.

As for barking at other dogs, nope again I think it is rude to allow them to act out. We were at a show this weekend and folks in an expensive 5th wheel had 7 dobes in expens the dogs NEVER stopped barking unless the owners stood over them with a long bungie cord they would hit at them with. I stopped and tried to chat when the dogs were inside but they were 110% uninterested in any other way of quieting the dogs. So after thinking hard about it and talking to the Hubs I went to the show committee and reported them. I hated doing that but this is not being an ambassador for a breed it is mean to take an elastic cord that is thick as my thumb and smack the dogs on the heads and ears with it .

Bonita of Bwana

Pwca

Training helps, yeah, but there is not a 'let' about it. Ugh. 

OF couse there are the first 3 commandments from the Sheltie bible.

1.  If it moves bark at it until it stops moving.

2.  If it doesn't move bark at it until it moves. 

3.  If one is barking all must join in as there must be something wrong.

 I have a Dakota and a Lily.  Crusher is my Dakota.  He stands stoically and watches anyone approaching.  He fans his tail back and forth slowly like a P'd off cat and just stares.  When he does get talkative he woooowooos.  This mainly happens when we are working on obedience.  I call it backtalk, but its not barking.  He grumbles and chuffs.  And if you say something to him directly into his face and slowly, he will repeat it back to you in syllables.

Onyx is like Lily.  She barks whenever she sees or hears something she deams inappropriate.  The poor guy that lives behind us has tried soooo hard to gain her trust.  He goes back every morning to cut a bit of wood for his fireplace, and he talks to the dogs if they are out there.  Crusher chuffs away at him and fans his tail.  Onyx barks.  Granted the guy's swinging an axe, but not at them!  He's nice though and takes it in stride.  She barks when someone walks past the house and looks at her.  This makes me nervous, as my crazy old landlord wanders around checking on properties and he always stands at the end of my yard and stares at my dogs while Onyx barks and barks.  After he leaves she settles right down and I think he does realize this, he just forgets everytime he sees them.  She barks at the mail lady and the gas meter man.  But normally its over before I could even think of getting out to correct her in anyway, so I'm kind of at a loss.  At least she hasn't worn off on the Beast.

Plus there are about 8 other dogs in this place that bark nonstop when they are outside.  At least mine don't do that!

In our house its 3 barks and your out....well in actually, they have to come inside if they bark more then 3 times. They don't bark inside but they growl if they hear a funny noise. If its excessive barking I know something is wrong.....last time Rory was barking frantically a hurt crow had fallen into our yard....hey at least she didnt eat it, LOL!

Maggie is a barker!  She's a guard dog...that's what she does best.  She lays by the front door when she is sleeping inside.  She lays by the door of the back gate when she is sleeping outside.  She barks at the garbage man, the doorbell, if someone pulls into the driveway, the neighbors walking their dog.  We have a "window" in our fence so the dogs can look out if they are in the backyard.  I may cover it.  If she starts barking, I call her inside so my neighbors don't have to hear it.  They are never outside when im not home so thats no problem.

I have been working on getting her to stop when I tell her..  Overall, I don't mind the barking to alert me someone is near.  When she doesn't stop...that is when the water bottle comes out. 

I am open to any and all suggestions on this BARKING thing.  Dublin loves to bark.  He talks all day also.  Whines, whimpers, and generally makes himself known at all times unless it is nighttime...he does sleep very well thank goodness!  But we have a major barking problem in the car.  He barks at other cars, people and then just barks in excitement to be going for his run.  My husband and I drive one handed with the other hand on our ear to protect the last bit of hearing we have left.  I never thought I would consider a bark collar but we have explored the idea.  I just hate to do it.  Not sure it will work and I don't want to make him aggressive.  Since he has some issues lately with being a bit to head strong for my liking.  I read that setters are the top five barkiest dogs.  He is living up to his rep!  I have sat in the back seat and tried treats with the shhhhh deal and it doesn't work at all for him.  He is quiet going home because he is pooped by then.  Also he likes to whine and bark while we eat dinner.  Which is frustrating the entire family and tonight we tried just crating him upstairs to avoid the drama at dinner.  He is just killing us plain and simple lately.  Teenage years I guess.  But if anyone has some ideas that work on barking I would love to hear them.

Laurelin_429

My dogs are shelties so uh.... they bark. Can't really stop em. ;)

Now see, Foxy the Mostlie Sheltie was a sheltie/corgi mix -- and yes, I DID teach him not to bark.  In fact, it used to crack us up -- we're a block and a half from the fire station -- and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh he **wanted** to howl SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad ... and occasionally he would go out and go:

((ah-o-o-o-o-ooooooooooooo)) *a whispered howl*

It was hysterical!!!  But he knew he couldn't do it full voice!! 

My point is you CAN teach them if you need to ... I'm not saying the dog has a 'problem' -- actually it's more the owner who does if they feel powerless to stop it.  You can train most anything -- barking included. 

OR you can choose not to because it doesn't bother you ... or whatever.  In my particular case it's just plain not an option if I want to keep my house and my dogs!!

I've created a monster! Max never used to bark, but I wanted to train him to say "please" for his treats. Well, I sat down with him one night and didn't give him any of the treats I had untill he barked. Then I told him "good boy! say please!" We worked on it for about 45 minutes. He got it down great! Well, now he feels he can say please when ever he wants and he'll get his treat! So I'll tell him "Shhhh!" and he'll quiet down.

Max is like super glue to my hip. He is with me all the time (Or atleast a good majority of it) and it's when I am out of his view that he'll start barking. But, this is due to his up bringing before I had him. So it's OK.