[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Princess

I had a barker for awhile, Millie. She's part beagle/cocker spaniel. a Speagle as they call her lol! Anyway, I found this site really helpful and maybe you will too. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals...p_barking.html

I read the Humane Society's advice you linked to, and thought it seemed really useful.

Consistency, repetition and patience are key, plus quickly rewarding the positive behavior, which requires vigilance because at first the dog exhibits the "good" behavior accidentally, like in silence between barking jags—and you have to be there and catch it and reward it quickly, over and over till the dog "gets" the cause-and-effect thing happening and begins to consciously elicit the reward by generating "good" behavior.

I am not an animal behaviorist, so take my opinions from this point on with a grain of salt and for being what they are; the rantings of a layperson who happens to be fascinated by animal behavior.

The advice on what to do with a dog that barks too much is great, and they do address why they bark too much in the first place—being left alone too much, or not getting exercise.

I also think dogs bark too much because they are trying to enact their role in the pack. They think it's their job to bark, or they feel anxious because they don't know what their role is, and so they are overcompensating with all the barking.

I stayed with my sister for two weeks this winter, and was alone in the house with her two dogs, one of whom is a 130-pound German shepherd. True to breed, he believes the family is his flock, and his job on earth is to protect us (except for my sister's husband, whom he accepts as his alpha and worships).

If a UPS guy or some other unsuspecting person came to the front door, Thor would go nuts. His teeth-barred barking is loud, deep, and confident. The fur on his back stands up and he stands with his front paws on the front door, which makes him like ten feet tall.

I would just sit on the nearby stairway, watching, and the corgi would come up and sit behind me, which was funny because in their usual dynamic, he totally dominates the shepherd (it is so not about size with them).

Anyway, one day, as soon as Thor started barking, I didn't yell and instead, thanked him loudly and warmly for protecting me, and he turned around confused, then came running over to me, tail down, head down, fur on his back down, and pushed against me like he does when he wants his head rubbed, and I rubbed his head and continued praising him, saying, Good boy! Thanks Thor, I'll take it from here. Good job!

I did it several times and it always worked, and my sister tried it, and it worked for her too. Instead of yelling, which I just read in the Humane Society site, makes them think you're barking with them, I'm thanking him for doing his shepherd protective thing, and as soon as he realizes that, he thinks, Great, my job is done. I can quit now, and it alleviates his anxiety about doing his job well, which is shepherd's reason for living.