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Barking Issue-Advice Badly Needed

  • 29-12-2014 2:55pm
    #1
    MarthaMyDear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭


    Hi guys,

    Having a bit of an issue at the moment and would love your input. My room mate's dog is an adult male bichon frise. It's a nice dog and is generally very quiet (he basically sleeps all the time!) but we are having an issue with barking. The dog is quite nervous and if he hears anything outside-door closing, voices etc he barks until the noise stops.

    I looked up some tips online and one of them said that when he begins barking to use a stern voice to tell him to stop then when he is silent for a few moments praise him. I tried that this morning but when I used a stern voice with him he ran under the table shaking and growled at me continuously for a few minutes.

    He hasn't been neutered yet but I have said he needs to be neutered if he wants to continue living here so that is being booked. Would this make any difference to the barking?
    Has anyone any advice?


Comments

  • #2
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,377 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    A scared dog will still be scared after neutering; what you need to work on is the fact he's scared in the first place. That means gradually desensitize him to the sounds which is not going to be a one morning effort but take months. Best bet for fastest result would be to get a certified trainer to help design a program for everyone to follow for the fastest results; if you post were you are roughly located people can give you some recommendations.


  • #3
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    Neutering a nervous young male may not be the best tactic either op... The bit of confidence he has is possibly maintained by testosterone, and it has been shown that neutering nervous males can make them worse.
    Just something to consider.

    I'd also suggest that you leave a radio on just loud enough to dull some of the noises, but longer-term it should really help him if you get an accredited behaviourist in (not someone with training experience/quake only.... Emotional issues such as this need a more qualified input. As Nody says, if you let us know where you are we can hopefully steer you away from the many cowboys this industry attracts), who will help you and your housemates put together a structured plan to deal with the noise problem and that underlying anxiety, which is tailored to your environment.
    Good luck!


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