# bark, bark, bark



## elmo.mama (Aug 8, 2011)

Our 6 month old has discovered his roll of being Mr. Protector around the house. Only problem is, he doesn't understand the difference between a person, bush or the shadows of passing cars. He barks at everything! I'm assuming age will help, but does anyone have tips so we can help him start to understand when that deep "woof" is acceptable and when he needs to keep his cool?


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

We haven't tried it yet, but I like this resource that shows you how to teach your dog a command for "quiet." http://www.mspca.org/programs/pet-owner-resources/dog-care/dog-behavior-tips/barking.html Other sources I've looked at say to address the underlying fear/territoriality? that causes your dog to bark. For example, by desensitizing your dog to sounds of people rustling in the bushes or walking by, and conditioning him to associate those sounds with good things (e.g., treats).


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## Big Rick (Apr 14, 2009)

Our male is a barker and I have discovered that instead of yelling at him when he barks it works better if I talk to him in a quiet voice. Yelling is the same as barking to a dog and they will respond in kind. I have also used a dog whistle with limited success. A simple shhhhh! seems to work best.

Our female usually only barks when they are playing and he has something she wants. In the house we tell them to "play quietly" and they will play without growling or barking. It's amazing to see. It doesn't always work, though!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Good luck with that. We have tree squirrels that love to sit on the tree branches in the yard or run along the top of the fence and "laugh" at my two dogs as they bark and bark. 

One day that squirrel is going to loose its balance, fall and... well you can guess the rest of the story.

Do not use a bark collar.

"Bark Off" is an electronic high pitch machine that is sound activated. Seems to work fairly well. That is except for the squirrels.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/02/best-use-of-bark-collar.html

Rod a.k.a redbirddog


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I noticed our V seems to only bark when he seriously needs something. Perhaps, we make sure he gets as much physical activity as possible (or as much as a puppy can handle).
If Sam has time to bark = excess energy. 
It is my understanding that dogs and cats are very good at saving and storing energy. But, too much stored energy will need an outlet at some point.


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

ack!! ours TOO!!! I'd love to say it gets better with age.... but ours is 5.5 and still barks at EVERYTHING. and he's got a super deep "I'm going to eat you" bark and it's enough to wake the entire neighbourhood. 

I can't stand it, we've got little kids and I cherrish their sleep to the fullest extent- and he can wake them up in a second. He's not agressive, doesn't growl, but that bark- a neighbour actually called the cops on him because he's afraid of our V [......yes, the V who is afraid of his own shadow, who wags his entire body instead of just his tail- while he barks] 

I need a solution too, somedays I'm so tempted to just...set him free.....


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Physical exercise should be a high priority. Kong toys filled with goodies will keep any dog busy and not barking 

Look up Ian Dunbar. He has numerous solutions. I think your V is is plain bored and has too much energy. 
I am amazed at how much stamina our Sam has. He's only 5.5 months old. 
One more suggestion, these dogs don't like to stay alone in the yard. Need to be trained to do that. Otherwise, they stay close or beside the owner. 
We are lucky, we set our schedule and the dog seems to be high on the list.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> we set our schedule and the dog seems to be high on the list.


20 to 30 hours a week is what my high-powered hunting dogs need. They want to be inside most of the time. We have a dog door in our front door and a yard they can go out into. They hang out in the house but do go out and bark at dog walkers going by and of course our tree squirrels.

Moose, you have your hands full with little ones. My wife and I needed to wait until our kids were not just grown up, but married before we got our Vizslas. I feel for you. 

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/08/farewell-rita.html

I don't know if we could have handled that much random motion around kids and a Vizsla pup.

If you can't walk the dog, find a dog walker in the area who can. You *have to burn that energy * or the bark will continue.

Good luck.

Rod


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

We got Moose before any of the kids came around and did extensive training with him as a pup. These aren't antics he's picked up recently...we've been dealing with them since the beginning. 

He's also afraid of the hardwood floor , can't turn around in a bathroom or on tiles anywhere [he'll go into the bathroom, and back out slowly], won't walk through the middle of the kitchen- instead tries to squish his big body through the table legs or under a chair [he'll do a belly crawl between the end of the couch and a coffee table, to avoid walking on a certain spot on the floor] . We have lined our floor from the kitchen to the carpet stairs with those foam mats that go together like puzzle pieces. If the foam isn't there, he will sit in the kitchen crying , while looking at the stairs [which...are not a far distance at all] and the other day he did this for AN HOUR, crying. We were able to put the mats away for a year or so, but they're back now as Moose seems to stress easily and the kids were away for a week and we think it really wrecked his nerves. It's getting to the point where I'm tempted to confine him to the upstairs which is carpeted , while he's in the house. He steps on feet , and will gouge his nails into your feet, he can't walk normally- he tries to grip every floor surface with his nails and simple things make him shake like a leaf [any toy that requires blowing- even blowing up balloons or if the kids make any blowing sound] . I'm tempted to get him medicated.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> proud owner of a neurotic Vizsla named Moose, and 4 kids 5yrs and under


Me thinks Moose needs a professional. 

Rod


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Moose,
I'm with redbirddog. I think that these are things that you can work through to give Moose more confidence and a better quality of life. They may not be completely resolved, but I think as you find more ways to cater to these fears, they are going to keep cascading and getting worse. Check out: http://www.dogsbestfriendtraining.com. While they're based in Wisconsin, they do phone consultations and helped me with my dog's fear of walking near streets through counter-conditioning and positive reinforcement methods. He seems much more comfortable and happy on the street now. If you don't work on getting your dog through these things, they can become disproportionately magnified (even if they started off small). They charge $90/hr, but it was worth every penny. Good luck!


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

I definitely agree that Moose needs a professional - ha! I will check them out, but I'd rather find a local in the Toronto area ...but definitely...he needs someone to help us figure out what the heck is up with him! 

I need a behaviour specialist that will do an in-home assessment, perferrably. You really do have to see it , to believe it.. and the floor antics started about 6-8months after moving into our now home, which we did in 2007. he was fine in our old home, which was hardwood as well. and he gets a ton of exercise and affection.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Just a quick suggestion if you haven't done it already. Keep Moose's nails SHORT so the nails don't touch the floor. 

That's it. I keep Bailey and Chloe's nails short enough that you never hear them on the floor.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/08/art-of-nail-trimming.html

That way it is just pad that touches the smooth surface.


Rod


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

yes we've tried that, we've also tried putting boots on his feet -which did help but he would get them off pretty quick.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Moose said:


> I definitely agree that Moose needs a professional - ha! I will check them out, but I'd rather find a local in the Toronto area ...


I found this person for you. If not close enough, he might be able to refer you to someone else closer to you. 

Gary Landsberg
BSc, DVM, DACVB, dip ECVBM-CA
North Toronto Animal Clinic
99 Henderson Avenue
Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2K9
Canada
office tel: 905.881.2752
office fax: 905.881.6726
[email protected]
http://northtorontovets.com
I accept media inquiries 

http://www.dacvb.org/resources/find/


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## AfroViz (Jun 26, 2011)

Poor Moose :'(

I don't know if you hunt with Moose or if you've ever had him on birds, but if he's got a normal Vizsla bird-drive you can use it to help him overcome his fear issues. I handle all the fear cases at my club we and do it with a role model (my GSP) and a game bird in a cage.

A Vizsla has a hundred plus years worth of bred-in instinct telling him to desire birds and not one telling him to fear floors. His inner monologue should be something like, _"BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! BIRD!"_ and there's just not enough room in the head to worry about the surface he's standing on, or scary noises, or whatever. In some cases curing a fear issue is as simple as luring them into the fear situation without triggering the fear response and then putting away the bird and letting them come back to themselves. It can literally be like flipping a switch.


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## Bobcat25 (Jan 6, 2011)

"One more suggestion, these dogs don't like to stay alone in the yard. Need to be trained to do that."

How do you train them to like this? My 1 1/2 year old loves to go outside in the back yard to chase squirrels and try and catch birds, but only if we are outside with her. Otherwise, she will just sit on the back porch and wait until we come back out. Doesn't matter how long we are inside - she will just wait. Doesn't cry or whine or bark - just waits. I would love her to have fun and like it outside for a little while without us being there with her.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

These dog's are superglued to the owners, I know. It takes repetition and ever increasing time. I would start with a command like "play" and have the dog on an tied to a tree (long cord) and take a few steps away. If the dog breaks the command, I would return and reissue the command, step away again... It takes time, eventually they learn if you go away, you will come back and everything is OK. 

I would not loose patience, since they are like a 3 year old child. Who would punish a 3 year old child for not acting mature? 

As long as they don't become bored and consequently distructive or bark to get attention. Left alone, most prefer to conserve energy.

Ian Dunbar suggests to train a release command like "go play".
There are other commands but I like Dunbar's style. 

Similarly, when walking, "heel" locks their attention on the handlers every move. It is important to release them from "heel", this allows more freedom.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Ian Dunbar is top class! I've read some stuff written by (I think) his former student, Jean Donaldson, who is also great.


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