# Too Much Alert Barking



## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Oso is now 7 months. A couple of months ago, he started once in a while barking when he heard a noise when he was sleeping. They were lough ruffs and usually stopped after two in succession. 

Well, now Oso is getting a little too zealous. We live in an apartment and there are often people walking around and sounds to be heard. I would say Oso alert barked 10x today. He doesn't do it when he's in his crate and it is now a longer and prolonged, maybe 10-40 seconds? 

We have been letting him sleep with us and he will alert bark at 2am if our neighbor goes in/out of his house (neighbor is an insomniac), this morning he barked at something at 5am. 

We are working on quiet. In general, I don't have a problem with him alerting us when someone is around, so we do give him a pat or a thank you (which is very small attention compared to normal praise). I just want him to stop when we tell him. So, he's getting better at quiet which shortens the duration of the bark. 

I just wish the frequency of the barking would decline. You know. Barking at important things is GREAT, but little noises and people walking around in the courtyard.... not so great. 

We are probably going to have to crate him tonight. Another thought is, is the apartment the problem, not the dog? Or may he bark at every noise anyways? 

Anyone have experience with this?


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

We are going thru the same thing with Riley (7 months today). I started using Ian Dunbar's approach with "woof" and "shush" and it has worked SO well! She is quiet on command! 

Here is the video:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/videos/woofshush


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

There is some really great stuff Ian Dunbar bangs on about. I like a lot of his techniques and this is a great example of positive behaviour reinforcement. It can be applied like this to so many other things you wish to train your dog.

I used a similar thing to teach the dogs to be quiet when we are stalking animals in the bush. But, I added some body language and a very quiet voice into the mix. I crouch, slow my movements, and very quietly say the sush command. Of course, still using his reward for wanted behaviour method. 

Dogs are so smart sometimes. Sometimes I reckon it's not that they don;t get something, but more they got it and are now moving onto something else, way before our heads get there.........  Well......... that might just be my lack of intelligence in comparison....  
I


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks guys! I followed Ian Dunbar's plan for potty training to a tee and I didn't even realize he had a resource on barking. I guess it's a 7 month old thing. He's sooo into his alert barking too, his whole body is on alert. 

I also like the idea of using slow crouched body movements a quiet voice for hush. Makes sense in the Bush, but would be really fun in the house too!!  

I had tonsilitis this week and haven't been using my voice in an attempt to heal it more quickly. It's been a really great experience to work with Oso through his hand signs and body language. He has to look at me more which is good.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Ok, just watched the video. I _had_ seen this in one of the books, probably After You Get Your Puppy. At that time, we couldn't get Oso to bark for anything.

I'm thinking I should just peruse the whole book again. It is still somewhat difficult to trigger a bark, but we may be able to do it now. I found Ian Dunbar very charming as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the accent and reference to grabbing a cup of tea (which I am drinking now by the way). I am one of those Americans who are obviously charmed by those things though.  I guess Brits wouldn't think twice about it.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

luv2laugh said:


> Ok, just watched the video. I _had_ seen this in one of the books, probably After You Get Your Puppy. At that time, we couldn't get Oso to bark for anything.


Months ago, I couldn't MAKE Riley bark. Now, if I act all worried and scared and say "WOOF!" in a loud voice she will start barking. Try that and see if it works. If not, have someone stomp around outside or knock on your door.


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

Moose alert barks and it drives me mental. he's very loud and doesn't stop when we tell him to-so I often times stick him outback and he continues to bark out there {if someone comes to the door}. he barks when we enter the house, he barks when people he is familiar with enter the house. he barks when the paper gets tossed onto the front step. he barks when a car slows down infront of our house. he barks when someone pulls into the driveway. he barks when somene is walking down the street. he barks when neighbours are in their yards-even when it's a neighbour 5 houses down. 

etc,etc,etc,etc,etc. :-\ I've tried everything, and this has gone on since he was about 1yr old. His bark is deep and loud, and scary to strangers. {comes in handy for those pesky solicitors}


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

This is the biggest reason Kobi went from sleeping in my bed about half the time to almost never sleeping in my bed.

Good luck trying to fix it... I'd rather take the easy way out and get my sleep back.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Well, we are putting him in the crate again at night, we sleep better and he does too. I tried working on the woof/shush and I can't get him to bark on cue for anything. I knocked on the wall, I played videos of vizslas barking on the computer, I pretended to be scared and woofed. 

When my husband gets home, I'll try again. People were outside moving around too and nothing. oh well. I'll let you know if we make any progress.


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