Aussie-border mix barking

Hi...

I've read a ton of messages regarding barking on this board, and I know

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

INDEED? Hey? Have you ever heard of Dr. Ian Dunbar, Veterinary
Ethologist?
He's the BRAINS behind the A.P.D.T. (association of professional dog
trainers).

that my dog is bred to protect... sheep, mostly. The thing is, I have
no sheep and I don't really need protection. Can anyone out there give
me breed-specific advice on her? She barks at all dogs, all humans,
any sudden movement, noises, etc... and viciously. And now that I'm

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Yeah. He sounds like he needs some PROFESSIONAL OBEDIENCE TRAININ.

living on a well traveled street, things have gotten excruciating.

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

erstand

I've tried a spray collar... I've tried telling her I understand and
it's a boring stimulus... I've even put her on puppy prozac. No avail

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Have you tried givin him a stuffed Kong?

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Perhaps you should stuff his Kong Toy with Prozac?

That'll keep him busy till his next dose!

and she's driving me nuts. Any hope?

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

NO PROBLEMO! It was probably a RHOWEND trip.

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Of curse! Let's ALL PREY for LUCK, chris!

Human_And_Animal_Behaviour_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

NO PROBLEMO!

Here's Dr. Ian Dunbar, Veterinary Ethologist on BARKIN:

=A9 2004 Ian Dunbar

BARKING
Some dogs get extremely worked up when visitors ring the doorbell, or
when dogs walk by the house. Some spaniels and terriers bark at the
drop of a hat. And our good friend Larry Labrador will bark whenever a
leaf falls from a tree three blocks away.

Barking is as characteristically doggy as wagging a tail or burying a
bone. It would be inane and inhumane to try to stop your dog from
barking altogether: "You'll never bark in this town again!" After
all, some barking is extremely useful. My dogs are much more efficient
than the doorbell and much more convincing than a burglar alarm. The
goal then, is to teach dogs normally to be calm and quiet but to sound
the alarm when intruders enter your property. The barking problem may
be resolved to our advantage by management and education: first,
immediately reduce the frequency of barking before we all go insane;
and second, teach your dog to "Woof" and "Shush" on cue.

Reduce the Frequency of Barks
The easiest way to immediately reduce woof-frequency is by exclusively
feeding your dog from hollow chewtoys. Dogs bark the most right after
their owners leave home for the day. Each evening weigh out and moisten
your dog's kibble or raw diet for the following day. Squish the gooey
food into hollow chewtoys (Kong products and sterilized bones) and put
them in the freezer overnight. In the morning, give your dog some
frozen stuffed chewtoys. Your dog will spend well over an hour
extricating his breakfast from the chewtoys. And if your dog is busying
himself with chewtoys, he will be lying down quietly! (For detailed
chewtoy-stuffing instructions, read our Chewing booklet.)

Do not leave an excessive barker outdoors. Yard-bound dogs are exposed
to many more disturbances and their barks more easily penetrate the
neighborhood. Leave your dog comfortably in a single room (away from
the street) with a radio playing to mask outside disturbances. If you
have been leaving your dog outside because he soils or destroys the
house, housetrain and chewtoy train your dog so he may enjoy indoor
comforts when you are away from home.

Teach "Woof" and "Shush" On Cue
It is easier to teach your dog to shush when he is calm and focused.
Therefore, teaching your dog to "Woof" on cue is the first step in
"Shush" training, thus enabling you to teach "Shush" at your
convenience, and not at inconvenient times when the dog decides to
bark. Moreover, teaching "Shush" is now much easier because your dog is
not barking uncontrollably-barking was your idea!

Station an accomplice outside the front door. Say "Woof" (or "Speak,"
or "Alert"), which is the cue for your assistant to ring the bell.
Praise your dog profusely when he barks (prompted by the doorbell);
maybe even bark along with your dog. After a few good woofs, say
"Shush" and then waggle a tasty food treat in front of his nose. Your
dog will stop barking as soon as he sniffs the treat because it is
impossible to sniff and woof simultaneously. Praise your dog as he
sniffs quietly, and then offer the treat.

Repeat this routine a dozen or so times and your dog will learn to
anticipate the doorbell ringing whenever you ask him to speak.
Eventually your dog will bark after your request but before the
doorbell rings, meaning that your dog has learned to bark on command.
Similarly, your dog will learn to anticipate the likelihood of
sniffables following your "Shush" request. You have then taught your
dog both to speak and shush on cue.

Over repeated "Woof" and "Shush" trials, progressively increase the
length of required shush-time before offering a food reward-at first
just two seconds, then three, then five, eight, twelve, twenty, and so
on. By alternating instructions to woof and shush, the dog is praised
and rewarded for barking on request and for shushing on request.

Remember, always speak softly when instructing your dog to shush, and
reinforce your dog's silence with whisper-praise. The more softly you
speak, the more your dog will be inclined to pay attention and listen
(and therefore, not bark).

Teach Your Dog When to Bark
Invite a dozen people for afternoon tea to teach your dog when, and
when not, to bark. Instruct your visitors (some with dogs) to walk by
the house a number of times before ringing the doorbell. When the first
person walks by the house, it will take all of your attention to keep
your dog shushed. But persevere: it will be easier when the same person
walks by the second time, and again easier on the third pass by.
Eventually your dog will habituate and will no longer alert to the same
person's presence in the street. Profusely praise your dog and offer
treats for silent vigilance. Repeat reinforcement for quiet vigilance
several times on subsequent passes by. But when the visitor starts up
the garden path, eagerly and urgently say "Speak! Speak! Speak!"

Praise your dog when he woofs, and then instruct him to sit and shush
at the front door while you welcome the visitor. If your dog
exuberantly barks and bounces at this point, simply wait until he sits
and shushes and then praise and offer a treat. Have the visitor leave
and come back a number of times. Eventually, your dog will greet him by
sitting in silence. This procedure becomes easier with each new
visitor. Your dog soon learns to watch passersby in silence and to give
voice when they step on your property, but to sit and shush when they
are invited indoors-a trained neighborhood watchdog, which even
non-dog-owning neighbors will welcome on the street where they live.

If you require a more detailed description, read our Barking booklet
and watch the Training The Companion Dog Video II: Behavior Problems &
Household Etiquette. To teach your dog to be calmer and bark less, you
will need numerous stuffable chewtoys. To teach your dog to "Woof" and
"Shush" on cue, you need some freeze-dried liver treats.