Can a dog be trained not to bark?

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
OK so my puggle discovered the TV a month or so ago, & it was pretty cute at first--she barked once in a while when an animal (still trying to figure out how she even recognizes an elephant, it's not like she ever met one) or something really cartoon-ish came on the screen.

But now it's gotten really excessive. She barks at the TV constantly. It's totally nerve-wracking! Is there any way to break her of this habit? :confused:
 
If there is then I have never found the cure. My dog goes nuts when the doorbell rings or if anyone tries to leave the house. I always try to sneak out. If he hear keys it is over.
 
I know they have various collars for barking. I've never used one myself but I'm pretty sure they are either a shock type collar or some type of spray that is sent out when they bark.
Or you could always call Ceasar? LOL

Good luck
 
Oooh I don't think I'd do the collar, that just seems too mean!

LaDonna, I keep a coffee tin full of coins handy & that usually quiets her--she's a pretty submissive dog & listens well. It was OK when she did it once in a while--I mean, usually I'd jump out of my seat but that was only temporary. Now it's CONSTANT. She is CONSTANTLY barking. And I am CONSTANTLY rattling coins at her & telling her to be quiet. My neighbors must be hating me! I def. can't live w/o my TV, but I miss half of everything I watch, & I'm not sure how to handle her. :(
 
my pug used to be a barker also....i did actually get a "shock" collar and it only took 3 times having someone knock on the door to stop the barking. after that i never really put it on him cuz he knew what it meant. i did put the collar on my boyfriend and then tried it on my wrist to see what it felt like as i didn't want to do something to my dog i wasn't willing to do to myself. it was more like a heavy vibration that startles you....and you can control how much it "shocks"....i dont know how i feel about these now days, but it was effective....

i think cesar's way of being calm assertive to correct a had behavior is less "shocking" shall we say, and if done correctly could fix other unwanted behaviors....
 
OK I am LMAO at your BF wearing the collar! So it really doesn't hurt? How does it work? Is it noise activated or do you have to do it manually?

I've tried the strong & firm method. It stops her, but I'd like to stop her before she starts. Just for a little peace & quiet!

Hmmm I found this, which works w/sound instead of zapping: http://www.dog.com/item/petsafe-ultralight-bark-control-collar/

The reviews aren't that good, but the price is.
 
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I agree with using Caesars calm approach. My aussie goes NUTS when any phone rings... ours or on TV... but she just jumps around and gets her toy and shakes the CRAP out of it for a few minutes... then the tornado is over.

However, we have managed to make a huge impact on her NOT barking at the TV because we try to anticipate when it is going to happen and when we even see her flinch to react to another animal on the TV we do the ol' Caesar CHHHHHHH and she will not bark. It does not seem to stop her from doing a tour to sniff the TV though if she is not laying down... but she does not bark at it any more...

I think it is more of a "hey mom/dad, look!!! It's a new friend... can I go play???" sort of thing with our furbaby...

check this out and see, i'm sure you can do searches on different topics:
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/

good luck!
 
the collar startles you more than anything, but i can promise you my boyfriend did jump out of his seat when it shocked him....it is a weird sensation that is triggered by the vibration of the dog's voicebox...i do have to say that i am on the fence about the collar now that i have watched so many dog whisperer shows, and i think i would try the calm assertive stuff first....i think the idea is to let the dog know that there is a negative consequence to bad behaviors.....that assertive touch to the neck usually snaps them out of the behavior long enough to divert their attention. repition and consistency are key to training these little ones....

with gomez (the most stubborn dog on the planet) we had quite the battle of wills at times.....unfortunately for gomie....i am WAY more stubborn.....
 
We have shock collars for our labs but they are not specifically for barking. The barking ones I believe are activated when the dog barks. Our collars go on a range from 1 - 30. Our male who is more laid back only needs about a 5, actually now you just put the collar on & he stays right by you. Now our female is abit more stubborn!! She can go up as high as 27 sometimes. She will stop & scratch at it before deciding to get her butt back to us!! Like the other person said, it would probably only take a few times & she would be cured.
 
See, the problem is calm & assertive isn't working. She even knows she's doing something wrong--I get that guilty sidelong look from her--but that doesn't stop her.

So that other collar emits some high pitched sound when she barks instead of a shock. That doesn't seem to bad.

Gayla, I think BFs everywhere should be required to wear that collar until they're fully and satisfactorily trained. ;)
 
Shock collars of any kind should only be used by, or with the supervision of, a qualified professional trainer. They are not a silver bullet that should be substituted for other non-aversive behavioral modification methods.

IMO...last resort only, and I would never use it for barking.
 
The woman who trains dogs (and their people!) on "It's Me or the Dog" (Animal Planet) is a firm believer in praising good behavior with a bit of chicken.

Say whatever word you want to use to control the barking in a firm voice (and only once), and only give the chicken (and praise) when the behavior occurs. As training advances, don't give the treat all the time, just occasionally.
 
Hmmm. Well the word is "Quiet" and the pug has it down to a science, he shuts up immediately. But the beagle in my puggle can't help itself. :p She does get praise when she listens (haven't tried the treats--Barkbusters told me no treats for training, although I confess to using it for housebreaking when all else failed), but she seems to be listening less & less.

It's just the barking thing--other than that she's really turning out to be the best behaved dog I've ever had. Crazy animal.
 
kathryn said:
The woman who trains dogs (and their people!) on "It's Me or the Dog" (Animal Planet) is a firm believer in praising good behavior with a bit of chicken.

Say whatever word you want to use to control the barking in a firm voice (and only once), and only give the chicken (and praise) when the behavior occurs. As training advances, don't give the treat all the time, just occasionally.
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ITA!! Reward training will always provide better results in the long run...and it's more fun to do.
 
I don't recommend a shock collar for a submissive dog. It can lead to all sorts of other problems. Submissive dogs tend to be more fearful than more dominate dogs, and adding pain to correct a behavior will add to that fear. There are much better ways to correct a dog. (I am not a fan of shock collars anyway. The lower settings don't really do much and the dog quickly learns that, and the higher settings are indeed painful - while I can see something like it for a highly self destructive behavior, I know there are better ways to train a dog - and I have seen the results of both. I would not trust the behavior of a dog trained by a shock collar especially if it does not have it on - and believe me, the dog knows).

Why not contact a dog trainer in your area. Have him/her come to your house and observe your dog interact with you and the TV and that person can help you determine the best way to break your dog of barking at the tv. Ask frieds who have well trained dogs where they got their training, check on the web, etc. Avoid places like Petsmart or Petco, but if you have high end pet stores in your area, check with them. A good trainer will cost about $100 an hour, but I think an hour or two at the most, will give the trainer an idea on how to best correct this problem. It's very common.

Oh - and about NOT treating your dog - why ever not?! That is the craziest thing I have ever heard! Dogs do what works. From us, they want food and attention. To break any behavior, the easiest and fastest way is to make not performing that behavior much more rewarding than performing it. So if your puggle likes a particular treat, save it and give it to her ONLY when she does not bark at something on tv. You will have to be very consistant at first - every time she does NOT bark, reward her. After she is very consistant, start dropping the rewards to 3 out of 4 times, the 2 out of 4, then reward randomly. I still reward Jimmy randomly for certain behaviors I want him to stop (or do) and I often hear from friends and strangers that they want a dog like Jimmy as he's so well behaved.
 
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i know that look you are speaking of.....i used to get it too....it must be the pug in your puggle.....

i dont know if there is a high-pitches sound involved with the collar...it definitely has a feel to it when it goes off that will startle your puggle.....you could always take a guy to a pet store and make him test it out for you to see if it is something you want to do to the dog....it could be a test to see if a guy is BF material...:D

the good thing about my BF, just like my dog, it didn't take much to train him....now, just a look and he knows he is doing something bad....
 
andtckrtoo said:
I don't recommend a shock collar for a submissive dog. It can lead to all sorts of other problems. Submissive dogs tend to be more fearful than more dominate dogs, and adding pain to correct a behavior will add to that fear. There are much better ways to correct a dog. (I am not a fan of shock collars anyway. The lower settings don't really do much and the dog quickly learns that, and the higher settings are indeed painful - while I can see something like it for a highly self destructive behavior, I know there are better ways to train a dog - and I have seen the results of both. I would not trust the behavior of a dog trained by a shock collar especially if it does not have it on - and believe me, the dog knows).

Why not contact a dog trainer in your area. Have him/her come to your house and observe your dog interact with you and the TV and that person can help you determine the best way to break your dog of barking at the tv. Ask frieds who have well trained dogs where they got their training, check on the web, etc. Avoid places like Petsmart or Petco, but if you have high end pet stores in your area, check with them. A good trainer will cost about $100 an hour, but I think an hour or two at the most, will give the trainer an idea on how to best correct this problem. It's very common.

Oh - and about NOT treating your dog - why ever not?! That is the craziest thing I have ever heard! Dogs do what works. From us, they want food and attention. To break any behavior, the easiest and fastest way is to make not performing that behavior much more rewarding than performing it. So if your puggle likes a particular treat, save it and give it to her ONLY when she does not bark at something on tv. You will have to be very consistant at first - every time she does NOT bark, reward her. After she is very consistant, start dropping the rewards to 3 out of 4 times, the 2 out of 4, then reward randomly. I still reward Jimmy randomly for certain behaviors I want him to stop (or do) and I often hear from friends and strangers that they want a dog like Jimmy as he's so well behaved.
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She's def. fearful. She's even afraid of me, & I've never lifted a finger toward her! I think there might have been some abuse, or at least neglect, at the breeder's. Christine, do you think the sound collar would be harmful too? It seems like a pretty good option.

Jeez, I'm trying to remember why no treats. And I can't. Treats certainly did the trick w/housebreaking--small dogs, & pugs in particular, are notoriously hard to housebreak.
 
Here I thought I was the only one who had nutty dogs. My dogs are obsessed with the tv well two of them anyway. The other one doesn't care. I can't watch Animal Planet and even if a commercial comes on with a blip of a dog in it the barking starts. If I would blink I might not have seen the animal but they always do. If my tv isn't on my one westie looks at me then looks at the tv and keeps doing that and goes up to the tv. As crazy as it sounds I think she wants me to turn the tv on for her. They even like that Geico lizard or is it they don't like the lizard I don't know. Now, it has moved to the computer. My westie wants up on my lap so she can look at the internet if she doesn't get her way she sits pretty and cries(she probably thinks it's the tv). I tell her no but she doesn't seem to be care what I say she wants what she wants.
I have no answers but I know I don't want to shock my dog personally for me I think it's mean.
 
LauraMax said:
She's def. fearful. She's even afraid of me, & I've never lifted a finger toward her! I think there might have been some abuse, or at least neglect, at the breeder's. Christine, do you think the sound collar would be harmful too? It seems like a pretty good option.

Jeez, I'm trying to remember why no treats. And I can't. Treats certainly did the trick w/housebreaking--small dogs, & pugs in particular, are notoriously hard to housebreak.
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I would try positive reinforcement before any kind of punishment training, especially for barking. Seriously - if you punish a dog for barking, the dog is not going to learn to stop barking, she will only learn that it's scary and painful to bark when you're around. You want to teach her an alternative behavior that is acceptable to you instead of barking.

Here's a great website that explains different kinds of barking (you need to figure out why she's barking), and how to train against them: http://www.wagntrain.com/barking.htm

I trust Stacy implicitly as she is the one who taught me to train Tucker, who was my search dog and I used those techniques to train Jimmy, but current dog. Both were "soft" (not dominate at all) and very fearful as puppies. They ended up confident and secure dogs.

I wanted to comment on the treating... I kind of look at a human, dog relationship as that of a boss to an employee. The boss wants to get the most work out of the employee as possible. She can do it many different ways, and actually each employee is a little different, too, so figuring out what works best for each employee is also her job. I think we have all had good bosses and bad bosses, and I'll bet that each and every good boss used positive reinforcement (praise, bonuses, lunches out - whatever worked best to get you motivated to work) and the worst ones used negative reinforcment (more hours, lectures, micromanaging...). Think about which one you would rather work for... Of course there will be times when you may have to shake a can or squirt water at your pup (or your good boss may have to sit down with you and have a talk if you did not perform up to expectations), but the over all experience is a good one. Dogs are not that different - they are more willing to work harder for positive things and for most dogs, there is nothing more positive than food. You may want to cut back her meals a little to make up for the treats (so she doesn't pork out), but that's easy enough to do. (Some trainers suggest you make the dog work for every bite - if she's really fearful you may find that works better as it will help her get more training - it's the Nothing In Life is Free or NILF approach - there's all sorts of info on the web - but it does make a dog, especially a more stubborn dog, more biddable. It IS a lot of work, though).
 
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