How to stop fence barking?

[vshenoy]

Hi All!

I have yet another behavior question I'd like to ask you knowledgeable and experienced folks! Just to remind you, Meenah is my 6 month old tri female. She is quite submissive and we've been working on that with training and socialization to boost her confidence. She's doing well.

Meenah is generally very quiet, but has indeed found her voice. Lately, she has been engaging in some fence barking that I don't like! Not sure, but I think this is a learned behavior.

To explain the situation, we have a chain link fence on either side of our backyard. The neighbor on one side has a female terrier and the other neighbor has a rottweiler and a golden retriever both males. I don't know if any of them are fixed. When we first got Meenah, these dogs would bark at her and she'd stay away from the fence if they were out. But as she started to realize that the fence protected her, she'd go closer and closer and eventually she started barking back at them.

The problem is that lately, she goes to the fence and she initiates the barking! She will even bark at the fence on the terrier's side when the dog isn't even out, sometimes at the people that live there. And at the rottweiler's fence she runs back and forth, inciting them into a frenzy.

I don't want to invite these dogs over to play with Meenah so they can all be friends because I think they'd tear her apart. The terrier is very aggressive with other dogs and pounced on Meenah one day when I was walking her because the owners had let her loose (Meenah was not hurt, I screamed like crazy and Kelsey backed off, I had words with the owner). The other two dogs are never walked and never leave their fenced in back yard. They get so excited when they see Meenah that they start attacking each other. I think they were never socialized.

When Meenah starts barking at either of the fences, I've been saying "uh-uh" to her or "quiet" and then praising her when she stops. But then she runs back to the fence and starts again. I end up just bringing her inside. She has lots of toys to play with outside and our yard has lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore, so I don't think she's bored. Maybe she thinks its fun to bark at these dogs or maybe she is engaging them in play, I don't know. Maybe she is asserting herself. I want her to stop the barking, especially when there are people out there! Noone has complained but I'd sure hate to have a dog bark at me when I'm just in my backyard. Any advice to stop the fence barking?

Thanks!!

 

[Karlin]

Basically this is a fun game for her and very hard to train her not to bark when she is always going to be very stimulated and excited at seeing the other dogs. Bringing her in when she starts to bark is the main solution. I'd also recommend covering your side of the chain link fence so the dogs cannot see each other through the mesh. It is really pretty hard to stop this type of behaviour when they can all see each other.

Barking is almost impossible to stop when the owner is not there to ask the dog to stop barking (one reason why it is always better to keep dogs inside when people are away, to be a good neighbour as well as it being better for the dog). You could work outside to train her to stop barking when you are right there with her -- but the two things I'd do is cover/replace that fence so it isn't see-through chain link, and just bring her in as soon as she starts barking. You can also fence in a smaller area of the yard for her, which doesn;t give her access to the chain link part (but I'd still cover the chain link).

 

[Moviedust]

This is a tough one because, as Karlin says, if the dogs can see each other, they are automatically stimulated, especially if the neighbor dogs are in the yard 24/7.

One of my neighbors has a chi, and a chainlink fence separates our yards. The chi isn't the most agreeable of dogs, but, ironically, my girls and her seem to get along. They-all dogs on both sides of the fence-- will bark at each other when they see each other. But these barks are more of a "Hey, I'm here!" or a "Are you outside?!" calls. After the barks, everyone dashes to the fence to do a sniff. If playful, the dogs will run up and down the fence together. The Chi's owner was surprised by this, as she's kinda old and cranky, but the girls seem to like it.

Of course, a chi is nothing like an unsocialized rottie or an aggressive terrier. Karlin's suggestion for blocking your dog's view might help, though I'm not sure how agreeable that is you or your neighbors. Since your pup is so young and working on building confidence, I'd make sure it is highly socialized outside the house, ideally through some kind of obedience classes where your dog learns how to respond to and interact appropriately with dogs of all sizes.

Also, some dogs go through barky phases when they are pups. It's like the learn how to bark and enjoy hearing it. With appropriate responses from you, you can curb some of this barking.

Given the aggressive nature of at least one of the dogs, and the clearly frustrated energy of the two large breed dogs, I would never leave my dog out in the yard unsupervised... NEVER. If the large dogs really wanted, I wouldn't be surprised that they could get over that fence with a big jump (and a terrier could probably climb a chainlink fence). If you're there, you can curb your dog's behavior to keep it from barking and taunting the other dogs.

Another point: is your dog spayed? If not, you need to be aware that she's getting to the age where she could go into her first heat. Even if the male dogs are neutered (which they may not be!), they could definitely be interested in your little girl, making their desire to get over that fence even greater. Not only would that be dangerous for her physically and emotionally, it could also lead to an unwanted pregnancy.

You're totally in the right to be concerned about the situation. There's more going on here than just barking. It's definitely a high alert situation, and demands attention and unfaltering supervision.

 

[vshenoy]

Thanks for the responses!

I am not sure it would be feasible to change the fencing to one that blocks the dogs views. But that's a good thought.

The terrier is tied since their yard is not completely fenced in, so she can't get all the way to the fence between our yards.

Meenah was recently spayed. I was concerned about her going into heat as well and had her spayed as soon as the vet said we could. I thought her being in heat might be enough to get those dogs to jump the fence.

We went to puppy kindergarten classes and joined a small dog meetup that meets once a month for a two hour playgroup. Also joined a cavalier meetup as well for more socialization. When we go for our walks and encounter someone else with a dog, I always use the opportunity for more socialization and she does well with it. Its just our neighbors dogs that she barks at and I think its because they taught her this game.

Karlin, I will try bringing her in every time she starts barking. Maybe that will teach her that barking = going inside. She loves being outside. My husband suggested making soda can grenades and lobbing them in her general direction when she is barking. Do you think that would help? I've never done the shake can thing with her before.

 

[Moviedust]

Thanks for the responses!

Karlin, I will try bringing her in every time she starts barking. Maybe that will teach her that barking = going inside. She loves being outside. My husband suggested making soda can grenades and lobbing them in her general direction when she is barking. Do you think that would help? I've never done the shake can thing with her before.

I know you asked Karlin and she'll probably respond, but my advice is NOT to use shake can "grenades" to deter behavior. Not only can it frighten your dog and cause more problems (and still not stop the barking), it could also cause effects on the other dogs. The sound isn't limited to the dog you intent to frighten out of a behavior! If the big dogs are scared, they may become defensive, which is dangerous.

The best bet is to supervise at all times when outside, and when barking starts, outside time ends.

 

[hbmama]

Dottie is really quiet in the house, and most of the time in the backyard. Initially, the neighbors cat would get her going and she would run the fence line back and forth while barking like crazy. The cat seems to think that this is amusing and sits there staring at her from above while flipping his tail back and forth.:shifty: Now, she is not all that interested in the cat and no longer barks at him....guess she figures he is not worth the trouble afterall. Maybe your pup will tire of the barkfests, or as earlier suggested, you can put up some sort of a screen to block the view of the neighbors yard.

Hard to say what would work, because we have another issue with the beagle next door. As soon as she comes out and starts her Wooo-wooo-woooooing....that's it. It's bark bark bark bark until I can't stand it anymore and I have to bring her in. You may have to just be vigilant in this area and when she sees that she is missing out on yard play time, she will quiet down. Most dogs will bark to alert their owners of what they think we need to know, but it can get to be annoying!

 

[vshenoy]

True about the shake cans possibly scaring the other dogs. Hadn't thought of that! It sounds like my best bet is to bring her inside once she starts barking.

She is sooo quiet in the house. I should count my blessings that the only time she barks is at the fences. I'd go crazy if I had a yippy yappy dog!

By the way, Meenah finally pooped on command for me! She actually seemed to understand what I wanted her to do and she kept sniffing and pacing back and forth to build herself up. Took a while but she finally produced! What a smart girl. :rah:

 

[Karlin]

The issue with the cans isn't other dogs -- but rather, why terrify your own dog, especially a dog that already has been overly fearful and which you are working hard to help, with such an aggressive approach? For any dog, scaring is not a great training approach to stop unwanted behaviour; a time out or trip back inside is more effective and kinder. However, you will need to be outside when your dog is outside for the many reasons Cindy and others note; and simply bring her in if barking starts. The other dogs are really as much (more?) an issue as her barking -- I simply would not leave a dog out there to have aggressive dogs getting overexcited and my own in the midst of that. I also would be concerned that a dog could easily scale a chainlink fence (I have seen it done!).

I know I sound like a broken record suggesting people buy a good training manual by Dr Ian Dunbar, but yet again -- this is exactly the kind of issue he deals with in his books. It really helps to have a reliable authority like Dunbar available at all times to answer questions, in the form of one of his many excellent dog books. This is true for experienced dog people and newbies.

 

[Moviedust]

I also would be concerned that a dog could easily scale a chainlink fence (I have seen it done!).

A pointed example:

Today I had a roaming, young (yr old?) pit bull contained in my back yard temporarily. Without really any motivation (other than wanting to go on exploring the neighborhood), it tried to jump over a 6 ft cedar privacy fence, and he ALMOST made it! If he'd had any real motivation, he could have gotten over (which might explain why he was loose in the first place).

A chainlink fence would have been a leisure speed bump for him.

 

[Karlin]

a leisure speed bump for him

:rotfl:

More seriously, this is why I bang on about the importance of having a female in season under watch ALL the time even if seemingly 'safe' in the back garden. Some medium to large breed dogs can easily jump a 6 foot wall or even higher -- many service dogs are trained to do this. I remember someone posting pics of their cavalier scaling a 5 foot wall, no problem. A chainlink fence has 'steps' built right in. Stuff to keep in mind if you have an intact male too as if he smells a female, he could be gone over a fence in the moment you look the other direction.

 

[vshenoy]

Points well taken! I will definitely try bringing Meenah in once she starts barking. We won't use shake cans. Of course, ever since I posted my question, she hasn't done it even once.

I am relieved that Meenah has been spayed. I worried that if she went into a heat, the rotti and the golden would withstand not just climbing over the fence but their electric collars (their yard isn't completely fenced in as ours is and this is how my neighbors have chosen to deal with it!) to get to her. But I do watch her out there and am on high alert when those dogs are out.

Karlin, I have seen you mention Dr. Ian Dunbar's books before. I will be sure to check them out. I've been using Brian Kilcommons' book "Good Owners, Great Dogs" but didn't see anything in there about my specific issue.

Thanks again for all responses!