~*Barking Issues!!*~

[Nisha]

yea well hopefully it will work and my mind can be at ease again - omg just then i went out because Milo barked and i saw two little girls (abt the age of 10) glance at milo through the fence and run of screaming!!! wat in the world???!!!!!!! my dog isnt scary!!!!!!!!!!!

[Karlin]

Also do just shut the doggy door at night. They definitely do not need to be let out during the night when they are just sleeping; my three easily last 10 hours or so between the time they get last walks, a good nights' sleep, then getting out first thing in the morning. One of the best ways to control barking is to work to eliminate the situations that enable the barking to start. Neighbours will get very annoyed, rightly, at barking dogs in the middle of the night. My inclination would also be to put them inside and lock the diggy door when you are going out during the day without having access to the yard by themselves thru that door.

All this can be hard to manage once you have two dogs egging each other on -- it is one reason why that old advice that getting two dogs will solve boredom probelms like barking that one dog alone might have, isn't necessarily the case. Sometimes you get twice as much of the problem you don't want. They definitely do teach each other new habits. Lily is very barky at other dogs on walks -- and this now regularly starts off Jaspar and Leo. Leo hardly barked at all and Jaspar has taught him to bark at cats and other things outside.

Just some other thoughts -- a solid recall is one way to start to directly address any problem where you want the dogs to come to you right away. Also a look command to get them to refocus to you from whatever they are barking at. If they haven;t done obedience they are the age to start doing a class. The more you form a close training bond with your dogs, and work with them, the more likely they are to gain self control generally, as well as respond to you so that you can easily control these types of situations. It's the usual answer I know -- there aren't easy answers, they all require time and effort and some modification of the way things are currently set up to try and minimise the triggers that cause the unwanted situation.

[Maxxs_Mummy]

yea well hopefully it will work and my mind can be at ease again - omg just then i went out because Milo barked and i saw two little girls (abt the age of 10) glance at milo through the fence and run of screaming!!! wat in the world???!!!!!!! my dog isnt scary!!!!!!!!!!!

Typical little girl behaviour Where we used to live, there was a large contingent of little girls. They were all a bit screamy Little boys would more than likely bark back - don't know which is worse

[Nisha]

Thanks Karlin for your advice. i will start shutting the door..ive noticed they never actually go out to do their business so it wont matter - anyway they know not to do anything in the house. They have been obedience trained - but just the beginning/basic puppy class things like sitting, lying down, shaking etc etc..i was just wondering should i put him in his timeout pen if he barks when someone comes past the gate?? because its not really that bad if he starts barking little then but then again if i dont do anything he will kind of be getting mixed instructions??