Dog barking alot!

Jazbee

Hi, looking for some advice on our dog. She's now 10 months old, spayed, health wise is fine. She barks at every dog we meet out walking. It used to be every couple of dogs, then every few but now its every dog. Even if we have met them before or meet them most days. IF an owner lets her approach (very rarely now) as she pulling on the lead to get to them, shes fine with the dog. She either smells it and vice versa and all ok or she decides quickly she doesn't like it and walks away. She desperately wants to say hi to all dogs but its like her nerves take over and she barks to cover her fear??

We did our best to socialise her but she has always been an anxious dog. Gets very nervous, even with my youngest child.

Whats the best thing to do? I normally ignore her and keep walking. Its making it quite hard to bring her on walks with the kids.

One other barking problem has also recently started since she has been spending more time outside in the nicer weather. She starts barking it seems to get the neighbouring dogs to bark. I'm bringing her in when she starts it as its unfair to our other neighbours but I wish she didn't do it! I don't mind that she barks at people walking by. But all the extra barking is not great.

Any advice? Thanks!

RubyGirl

It's just persistent training I'm afraid and distraction when she is out walking, is she food orientated you could bring small bit's of chicken/cheese in your pocket and start using phrases like "leave it", "walk on" "no bark" and as soon as she walk's past the dog give her the treat. If she is focused on you and know's you have something nicer she will cop on fairly quickly.

Is she a good walker on the lead otherwise or is she pulling you? You could change her over and practice walking her on a harness, I use a dogmatic head collar and found it brillant http://www.dogmatic.org.uk/contents/en-uk/d63_Why_Choose_the_Dogmatic_.html,
or you could use a front attachment harness like this http://store.petsafe.net/easy-walk-harness.

On the barking outside if he's housetrained and even crate trained even better and you have walked him in the morning I would either let him sleep inside or in her crate. You could also start using your "no bark" phrase here. A barking dog will wreck anyone's head and especially on a nice day when window's are open in peoples houses.

Hope it help's Jazbee.

DBB

Hi jazbee,
The barking at other dogs sounds, from what you describe, like frustration. She wants to go over but can't (when on lead), and this starts to make many owners worried about letting her mingle. And so the dog gets more frustrated.
Whilst socialisation is vital, the importance of ongoing social contact with other dogs once they're beyond puppyhood is often overlooked.
So, a young "teenager" like herself gets frustrated, barks, therefore gets fewer opportunities to mingle, therefore loses, or fails to expand on the social skills learned in puppyhood. Then the barking worsens, and may even develop into worse behaviours.
It is very deal-able with-able, but it's a bit too complicated for me to go into here!
Would it be at all possible to do a session with a good behaviourist? Now is the time to deal with it, it'd be well worth the moolah if you can go for it at all!

Jazbee

Thanks guys,
She is food orientated so treating is possible but was worried about doing it if she's already spotted the dog, then she may think I'm treating her for barking. On the lead, have been thinking about a front harness as she has started to pull on her normal harness.
She's never off lead, but was wondering if she may be better in her approach if she was. (We mostly walk her in an amenity area with no road).
I think as you say DBB a behaviourist might be good at this stage. We are going to be kennelling her for a few days next month so I'll see can we find the extra money before then. I believe there is a good therapist that covers our area have seen her recommended previously.

On the barking in the garden shes 90% of the time indoors and I keep her in if I'm going out for more than a 20 mins.
Thanks again..hard to believe she's so noisy when she's cuddled up on my lap for an hour.

DBB

I'm not mad about advising people to get help unless I feel they need it, simply because it can be difficult to give accurate advice without actually seeing your pooch in action!
There is so much individual variation that the standard treatments often need to be tweaked and modified, which can't happen in this medium!
The front attachment harness is always a good starting point with issues like this one, I find the Easy Walk harness to be very effective and good value.
The fact that she's food motivated will really help. And whilst I wouldn't worry so much about rewarding her barking, I'd be more concerned that whilst she's barking, she's too revved up to even accept food from you... So food is no longer a reward at just the moment you want it to be!
It's avoiding situations like this, and finding a workable and effective way to reward more desirable behaviour, when a good behaviourist is really worth the money.
Is it Emmaline of Citizen Canine Ireland you have in mind? If so, go for it!

Jazbee

It is Emmaline, yes! I look into that harness tomorrow too.
Thanks, I know its hard to give very specific advice if you aren't physically there.