Help dog won't stop barking

Dublinstiofán

Read a couple of threads on this but think a solution better than "kick the dog from one end of the garden to another" and "buy a gun" can be found.

Got two new dogs about two months ago and they're great. Full of energy. Anyway last two days were pretty much the first time they have been left alone for any extended period of time (say over 3 hours) . Whole family are on holidays and i'm the only one in the house. So i'm doing my best to babysit. Walking them every day, feeding them etc.

Neighbours came around tonight to tell me one of the dogs was barking for 5 hours this evening and the same yesterday while i was in work and also said its a constant thing like barking non stop for like an hour + at a time.
I know this is not acceptable but before drastic measures are taken, Is there anything else i can try to shut her up until the rest of the family come home and we can find a more permanent solution?

She usually barks and scratches at the back door when somebody is in the house and she is locked outside. I've given her a few taps on the nose for this since we got her because i don't thing its acceptable. They should be able to play outside sometimes and be content on a day like today. This will stop her for a while but i cant do that when i'm not home.

Where would i get a Muzzel around D12 and if i got the right size would it stop her barking?

Would it be too cruel to leave her inside and him outside? Meaning that even if she was barking nobody would hear her much.

If anybody had a similar problem and found a reasonable solution i would be very grateful to hear it.

Cheers

Stiofan

P.S Anybody tried these? Any good?
dap plug

Other dog is good as gold by the way don't think he knows how to bark even.

Call me Socket

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

She usually barks and scratches at the back door when somebody is in the house and she is locked outside.

I don't think it's because she's outside- I think it's because she's seperated from ye....she probably wouldn't bark or scratch if ye were outside with her:) Dogs are very social, they normally prefer to be with their humans than not be.

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

I've given her a few taps on the nose for this since we got her because i don't thing its acceptable.

I wouldn't recommend you continue doing that. Dogs associate with the here and now- by the time you get the door open and go out or reach out to smack her on the nose, enough time has lapsed for her to associate a smack with looking up at you when you open the door....or wagging her tail when you open the door. She won't learn to stop barking, she'll learn to fear you and dread your hand coming near her.

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

They should be able to play outside sometimes and be content on a day like today.

You're thinking in human terms....!:D A dog doesn't appreciate fine weather and see it as an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

Where would i get a Muzzel around D12 and if i got the right size would it stop her barking?

Short answer is no. A muzzle will stop her biting or chewing. A basket muzzle will stop her eating and drinking as well, and you can't block a dog's access to water- especially in this weather. No muzzle on the planet will stop a dog barking.

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

Would it be too cruel to leave her inside and him outside? Meaning that even if she was barking nobody would hear her much.

Why not have them both indoors? Persistant barking can be caused by boredom....seperating them could make the barking issue worse, the other dog might start on it! There are loads of options to relieve boredom- fill and freeze kongs so they'll be busy with them- leave chew toys for them- tire them out on a walk before ye leave the house and they'll spend a lot of time sleeping- have a dog walker bring them out to break the day up for them.

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

P.S Anybody tried these? Any good?
dap plug

I've never used them myself but I've heard some people have had good results....others found there was no difference, depends on the dog I reckon and how stressed they are.

luckat

I wouldn't muzzle a dog all day - how would she drink if she's thirsty! Cruel!

Are you saying you were out when she was barking for five hours, DublinStiofan, are you were in the house? I'm not sure from your post.

Personally, if I wanted my dog/s to live in the garden during the day, I'd get them used to being out there when I was in - leave the back door open and when they go out, throw them a treat from a top window the odd time.

Then it'll be a normal place for them to be, and they'll be happier.

As for stopping them barking, the best way is what Karen Pryor teaches for shelters - you wait until they *stop* barking, then throw a small treat, wait until they stop barking again, throw another; when you have this established, you make the silences longer (hard to calculate, but you'll get the hang of it).

Here's a page with good background information

http://clickertraining.com/node/1125

Personally, I solved this problem by leaving my dog inside, not in the garden, when I'm out. She's happy in her own home, doesn't feel anxious, and doesn't bark unless someone comes to the door.

(Mind you, I trained her from the start that downstairs was her place and she wasn't to come upstairs. She doesn't come upstairs unless there's some kind of big change in the house - last week our cat died suddenly, and a couple of days later I found sand halfway up the stairs where she'd come up and curled up to sleep the night after a trip to the beach.)

Dublinstiofán

luckat wrote: »

Personally, I solved this problem by leaving my dog inside, not in the garden, when I'm out. She's happy in her own home, doesn't feel anxious, and doesn't bark unless someone comes to the door.

Left the dogs in today and they pissed and **** all over the place.
Were quiet though.

What am i going to do. I'm sick of it.

Dublinstiofán

Now the ****ing thing has me and the neighbours up at half 8 with its incessent barking.

Im loosing it.

PCPhoto

another poster said it earlier ..... toys...plenty of toys.

maybe some hidden treats to keep them both occupied.

the barking is a call for you...and for attention..... you are not there so they keep calling thinking you will eventually come.

play with the dogs - find out what they enjoy ....maybe go for some walks to tire them out a bit.

I'm awake at 9am and I dont have any dogs !!! (stoopid sunlight coming through the window)

Dublinstiofán

PCPhoto wrote: »

another poster said it earlier ..... toys...plenty of toys.
maybe some hidden treats to keep them both occupied.
the barking is a call for you...and for attention..... you are not there so they keep calling thinking you will eventually come.
play with the dogs - find out what they enjoy ....maybe go for some walks to tire them out a bit.
I'm awake at 9am and I dont have any dogs !!! (stoopid sunlight coming through the window)

Thanks, they have toys loads of them.
I am here today on my day off and i shouldn't be up at half 8 every time i have a day off, its not acceptable, I don't get many of them.
They get plenty of exercise with me.

I need something else for them

womping

Would you consider a dog training course? There are ones specifically aimed at dogs who bark excessively. I know it can be expensive but it's better than constant barking.

luckat

If they soil the house, it may be because they've come to regard the garden as their home. Try keeping them in one room with a door to the garden, and rushing them out when they crouch to pee or poo. They should get the idea soon enough - but maybe start this on the weekend when you're home!

Dublinstiofán

One of them is getting sick. Gave her a drop of milk earlier on and an hour later it was all over the floor.

Same the other day but not with milk. Is she in distress or something and thats why shes barking? Theres not a word out of her when shes in.

star-pants

She might be -- maybe a trip to the vet (but I'm a worry wart) might help?

Also a lot of dogs (not all) are lactose intolerant so she might be sick from that.