My dog barks too much! (1 Viewer)

[John Torrez]

Okay, my family got a dog a few weeks ago. Anyhow, the dog barks too much now (I'm surprised the neighbors haven't complained yet) and it's really getting on my nerves, I'm seriously considering getting rid of it. Unless there is another way out there.
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"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

 

[Kelley_B]

The dog wants attention. Dogs normally don't bark just to bark. Plus put yourself in the place of a dog, a strange place, strange people, etc. When we got our dogs last year they were scared for about a month and then one day just started running around and acting like they live there. What type of dog is it? Some breeds just bark more than others.

 

[Terry Hansen]

John
I'm assuming your dog is barking outside. Most dogs bark out of boredom or loneliness. Are you giving the dog lots of exercise? This usually can make the difference between a quiet dog and a barker. A lot of dogs that are left outside a lot will bark just to get attention in the form of the owner yelling at it, for some dogs any attention is better than none.
If you have been doing these things you could try to fill an empty aluminum can with a few pennies and the next time the dog barks toss the can so it makes a lot of noise(make sure the dog doesn't see you). It will startle the dog and after a few times the dog will associate barking with the noise of the can and hopefully will stop. A short blast from a hose can help too.
Good luck and give the dog a chance.
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[Ryan Wright]

We need more detail. What type of dog? How old? Does it live indoors or out?
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. As the others said, most of the time it's loneliness. If you were out there playing with the dog, it wouldn't be barking. (Well, it might bark at you, as dogs will do during play, but that's different from the annoying, constant barking they do when left alone) Does it get enough attention? Many people think it's ok to just buy a dog and throw it in the backyard, then play with it once or twice a week. This is quite cruel and results in the dog misbehaving. They bark, chew things up, dig holes, etc. Then the owner decides he just has a bad dog and gets rid of it.
I've come to find that there are no "bad dogs." A dog wants nothing more than to please and spend time with it's owner. That's pretty much it. You can think of it as a really immature child, with only basic reasoning abilities. It will do what you want it to do, and it will try and try to make you happy, but it has to learn how. This is accomplished with training usually consisting of repetitive motions. Do it enough, and the dog will pick up on it. I suggest you take the dog to obedience training, or pick up some dog training books at the local library. Then spend time with the dog every single day.
When they receive plenty of daily attention and training, obnoxious behaviors go away and you end up with a very loyal companion. I read somewhere that a dog is the only animal that loves you more than it loves itself. How true.
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach him to use the HTF and keep him occupied for life.

 

[Bill Cowmeadow]

My Great Dane craps too much!

Bill

 

[John Torrez]

Okay, I'll elaborate. The dog is a german shepard but I'm not sure how old it is. My mom and brother wanted it, I didn't. They went to the pound and this was the only dog they found that "looked good" so they got it. I knew they shouldn't have gotten it because now they don't play with it.
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"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

 

[Todd Hochard]

With possible exception of hunting dogs, I never understood the purpose of getting a dog, only to keep it outside. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I have a Beagle, and he doesn't bark or howl that much. Then again, he's terribly spoiled, and has a sort-of cat-like attitude about him sometimes.
The dog wants attention. Make it part of the family, and you'll have a lifetime (his, not yours, of course) companion.
Todd

 

[Wayne Murphy]

My Great Pyrnese also barks and craps too much...We wouldn't be without him though. You can purchase a couple of different collars to help you out when your not around or it's early/late. The one I bought gives an electric shock when the sensor feels the vibration of the bark. It goes up thru 8 levels, then shuts down, and resets. My guy can tell when the battery is getting low....he will bark a little extra to drain it then have fun. (Pyrs are a guarding breed so if he sees a suspicious leaf or low flying satellite he barks.) The other sprays citronella. I don't know how well it works.

 

[Bill Catherall]

quote: Some {cats} are happy just to be fed and given access to outside...[/quote]
That sounds just like my cat. She comes inside when she wants to eat and runs right back outside when she's done. When you think she's happy to see you and wants to play, all she really wants is more food or be let outside.

But that's ok with me. I'm really not much of a cat person. I hate getting hair all over me. I used to want a dog. But after reading this thread, I think I won't. I just don't really like giving that much attention to animals. Again...it's the hair.
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Bill

[Edited last by Bill Catherall on September 05, 2001 at 09:56 PM]

 

[Micah Cohen]

I've read this thread with interest, because I'm the annoyed neighbor of the barking dog and its owner. "Annoyed" is not a strong enough word. Apoplectic is more like it.
I really appreciate and thank Ryan and Mike B. and the posters who mentioned stuff about how having a dog is a serious responsibility, and how the dog needs to be treated with respect and care and attention.
If you're my neighbor and you're reading this thread (altho, I doubt you read much more than the back of cereal boxes), please tell me why even getting heavily fined by City Animal Control has not kept you from not leaving your poor dog outside to bark its head off all the time?
I've installed sonic anti-barking devices pointed at the neighbor's yard (http://radiopet.com/barkfree.html - they don't work very well), I've pointed handheld sonic alarms at the barking dog (they work a little better, but training someone else's dog is very very tedious), and I've thought seriously about dribbling some auto antifreeze into the dog's yard (dog's LOVE antifreeze, and it kills them painfully) but I know it's not the dog's fault that it's always barking. How can I poison the dog owner?
Check out http://www.nomorebarking.com/ for... Well, the URL says it all, doesn't it?
Most off all, John, I urge you to be considerate of your neighbors (and attentive of the dog). If the dog is not right for your family, take it back to the pound. It deserves to be happy and cared for. Don't let it be unhappy. Unhappy dog equals unhappy neighbors. And unhappy neighbors, like me, will think about feeding your poor dog antifreeze.
You could always get some fish. They're much quieter.
MC
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[John Torrez]

Micah, it won't be so easy. I know my mom is stubborn and won't want to take the dog back. I'm seriously considering letting it off it's chain one day and letting it run away instead, because you're right, it does need a better home.
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"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

 

[DennisHP]

All the decisions to get a dog should have been made PRIOR to bringing it home. To simply leave the gate open in hopes it runs away or taking it back to the pound are tantamount to letting your children off at the mall and never picking them up (well, not THAT bad but you get my point).
Once you DECIDE to get an animal you should stick by the decision for either your life or the dog's. Is it a throw away world these days? If it doesn't fit your life anymore just get rid of it?
What if someone you love did that to you?

 

[Ryan Wright]

With possible exception of hunting dogs, I never understood the purpose of getting a dog, only to keep it outside. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Yeah - I'm with you. As Mike B said, dogs want to be part of your pack. Really, they think you're just another funny lookin' dog. My dog lives in the house. She sleeps on our bed and we let her lay on all of the furniture. She's a really good dog and she follows us everywhere. Mostly me, because I used to carry her all over the place when she was a puppy (actually, I still do). If I go outside for 30 seconds to check the food on the BBQ, she wants to come. The other day I was in my garage installing an alarm system in my car and she just had to be out there with me. It was hot in there and she was panting, so I picked her up and set her back in the air conditioned house. Her ears went down, tail went between her legs, and she looked at me as if to say, "You don't like me anymore." I felt bad and said "OK, come on, you can stay out here." It's amazing what dogs understand. She perked right up and came running back out, hopped in my car and just sat there watching me.
Anyway, a dog is another family member. Putting them outside by themselves always seemed cruel to me. People seem to think that all dogs want is food and water, but like humans, they have emotions and personalities all their own. And, as I said, their main goal in life is to please the alpha dog - which, in most cases, is you. If you throw the dog in a cage it thinks it's let you down and will resort to all sorts of nasty behaviors to get your attention.
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach him to use the HTF and keep him occupied for life.

 

[Kelley_B]

My Dachshunds used to tear up things when would go to work and they were left running around the house, well we started to lock them up in the kitchen. The gate that we used broke one morning so in a rushed panic i let them stay out and when I came home they had destroyed NOT A SINGLE THING!!!! I was so happy that they now stay out whenever we leave. The worst part about having the Dachshunds is that when we go on vacations we have to have them put in jail. I love those dogs, just like they were my own kids. I spoil them with anything they want at Petsmart, which is just chicken chewers, Snausages Part Pack, and any stuffed toy.

 

[Chuck C]

Uzi.
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Chuck
Chuckster's HT Site
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[Wayne Murphy]

About not understanding why some people keep their dog outside. The only time my Pyr wants to go out is to do his business or if it's 30 below zero and a blizzard is raging. Then I can't get him to come in. I'm waiting for Humane society to pound on my door some day.

 

[AndyVX]

I have a Golden Retriever, and it never barks for no apparent reason. Whenever it does bark, it's always at a Raccoon or something else that may be snooping around my yard.
My dog is also part of the family...sits on the couches, sleeps on the beds, eats dinner with us (not at the table though ), hangs out with us when we are doing gardening etc, comes for drives in the car with us, and so on and so on.
I think what people need to realize is that when you get a pet (especially high attention seeking pets like dogs), that they require a lot of love, care, and exercise! If you and/or the other members of the family aren't willing to commit to this, then DON'T get a pet!
There is nothing more that I hate then seeing an animal that has been badly treated! And saying that you are thinking of just letting it run away and hope that it finds a good home just plain disgust's me!
If you do end up taking it back to the pound...don't! Put a little effort into it, and find the dog a good home with someone else. (I generally don't trust pounds, and rather then putting an animal back into misery, find it a nice home)
Sorry if this is coming off a little harsh, but I just can't stand seeing/hearing about mistreated animals...no matter how much or little they are being mistreated.
Andrew
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ICQ# - 119869807

 

[TonyD]

quote: Okay, I'll elaborate. The dog is a german shepard but I'm not sure how old it is. My mom and brother wanted it, I didn't. They went to the pound and this was the only dog they found that "looked good" so they got it. I knew they shouldn't have gotten it because now they don't play with it. Micah, it won't be so easy. I know my mom is stubborn and won't want to take the dog back. I'm seriously considering letting it off it's chain one day and letting it run away instead, because you're right, it does need a better home.
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some people should not be allowed to buy an animal.
if that dog goes back to the pound he will be put to sleep most likely not too long afterwards. if he runs away he will most likely be hit by a car and die alone somewere very slowly and painfully. if that was supposed to be funny. well i guess i didnt see the humor.
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"who needs padding when you can have quality over quantity? more isn't always better." just my 2 cents on post count padders.-----
[Edited last by TonyD on September 07, 2001 at 12:54 AM]

 

[David McGough]

No problem, what you do is get a shock coller. You tell him
to hush and he does not you shock him. It does sting him but it works.. I put one underground for my winnie dog. Our last
one got run over, wife had told me to get on installed and I did not. Well guess who had let him out and was on Home Theater and forgot track of time..(did I do that)
Usually he stays around yard but I think one time he found
a double cheeze burger and always goes back. Anyway he was
a gonner...
Well 4 mos later wife got another and I got a inground
fence. I put it around my 1.5 acre house.. Lucy gets
one ft to line and a bell goes off on her coller she goes another foot and SHOCK. Took a few times but now she knows
her line and it is GREAT..
My neighbor got a shock on demand like you need. Excessive barking and he jolts him. The dog now stops barking when told to. He knows what is next...
David http://www.geocities.com/fat_daddy38343

 

[AndyVX]

That makes me sick.