My girl Tinker (a 15lbs Westie mix) is a very happy dog and loves other dogs to the point of getting so excited she'll stand and bark/talk at them instead of running and playing - well, she DOES run and romp but she's more of a referee. I can sense the other dog owners at the Dog Park are a bit annoyed by her continuous conversations, so I'm trying to learn how to at least command her to stop barking. She's not yapping - she's not showing agression - she just is really excited. She's 7 years old and very smart. I just don't want her to be so vocal and I'm NOT going to put a shock collar on her.

Any ideas?

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You have to keep taking her back to the park, monitor her encounters, discipline her for the behavior you don't like (hold her by the scruff of her neck lightly but firmly) and tell her "no." After about 200 times, she should begin to get the picture. It takes time and consistency. When she does something you don't like, your attitude has to reflect your disappointment. Be extra nice otherwise.

Our dog is a yapper and would bark constantly when someone came to the house. The last couple of weeks we have been using a coke can with change in it, shake it when they start barking and they immediately stop barking. We have two dogs and it has also helped them when playing ball. The little one would always tug on the other dogs ear and growl when it got the ball, all the way back to who threw the ball. With a little shake of the can he lets go and if you do it a few times they seem to be better even when you don't have the can.

I know if may be hard to have a can at the park but maybe you have a friend or relative with a dog you can train him around. May not totally cure him but may help some.

You don't even have to be close to the dog with the can after a while and they will stop doing whatever their doing when you shake it. It gets so you barely have to shake it and they notice it.

I have also read to throw the can at them in the beginning, you don't have to hit them just close enough to scare them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2012 03:14PM by Done.

She's a cutie btw.

What a cute poochie! We have an English Sheepdog at our dog park who does the same. The owner just pulls her away and the rest of us owners just tell the dog to shut up and have a good laugh.

Jerry, cute dog, looks a bit more Scot than Westie to me (I am a lifetime Scottie owner). My wife is working on becoming a dog trainer under the Tellington Touch rubric. I asked her about this and she said your dog needs structure, and it needs exercise...as in on-leash walking. Do you walk her regularly on leash, in a structured, disciplined manner?

It needs to be "aware" of itself. Dog going from calm house to crazy dog park is causing dog to act imbalanced...which is why she's acting out.

Wife said it's a good idea to make the dog think...before entering the park, walk the dog along a curb, then off the curb...switch directions, etc. Make it think. Make it aware of its surroundings. Maybe put her on leash at the dog park for a while...so there is also structure inside the dog park.

Calmly put her on leash especially whenever she starts barking (disrupts the barking, now I have to think about something else!), and calmly walk her around, do some figure 8's (change of direction). So she's aware of her surroundings, and aware she's now on a leash. Don't yell at her, you'll just sound like you're barking and make her more agitated/excited. Just be calm and collected.

Your fellow dog park mavens will respect you for doing this. Maybe also talk to a local dog trainer and see what they say. Good luck and let us know your progress!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2012 04:15PM by SteveO.

Coin trick worked for my chi, and 3 dogs I pet sit for. Never try to shake it in their face or to scare them. Just to get their attention and to break the bark cycle. They are at first surprised, then annoyed, eventually will stop. Took about a day with puppies, longer with older dogs.

Quote
Done
I have also read to throw the can at them in the beginning, you don't have to hit them just close enough to scare them.

Just don't throw the can in public! Others may not understand. When I was a kid, my friend was training his dog with a similar method, but using a choke chain to shake in his hand, and if the dog was unresponsive, he'd throw the chain near the dog, but never hit the dog with it. One day a lady saw him throw the chain, and boy, did we get yelled at, and no amount of explaining helped.

Uh Gareth, No don't throw the chain, either.


The idea is to suddenly get the dogs attention, with simply a metallic noise, breaking the current barking cycle.

Would that coke can trick stop my neighbors dogs from barking?

Yes she DOES look more like a Scottie - a lot of people tell me that. She's a mix between a Westie, mini schnauzer and carin terrier.

I like the method you describe and will try it out. I have to admit she doesn't get the exercise she needs which is my fault of course. I also agree yelling at her will only sound like ME barking at HER!

Thank you I will report back!

Quote
SteveO
Jerry, cute dog, looks a bit more Scot than Westie to me (I am a lifetime Scottie owner). My wife is working on becoming a dog trainer under the Tellington Touch rubric. I asked her about this and she said your dog needs structure, and it needs exercise...as in on-leash walking. Do you walk her regularly on leash, in a structured, disciplined manner?

It needs to be "aware" of itself. Dog going from calm house to crazy dog park is causing dog to act imbalanced...which is why she's acting out.

Wife said it's a good idea to make the dog think...before entering the park, walk the dog along a curb, then off the curb...switch directions, etc. Make it think. Make it aware of its surroundings. Maybe put her on leash at the dog park for a while...so there is also structure inside the dog park.

Calmly put her on leash especially whenever she starts barking (disrupts the barking, now I have to think about something else!), and calmly walk her around, do some figure 8's (change of direction). So she's aware of her surroundings, and aware she's now on a leash. Don't yell at her, you'll just sound like you're barking and make her more agitated/excited. Just be calm and collected.

Your fellow dog park mavens will respect you for doing this. Maybe also talk to a local dog trainer and see what they say. Good luck and let us know your progress!

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__________________________________________
My Mac:
iMac 27in/2.66GHz Intel Quad-Core i5/16GB RAM/ATI Radeon HD 4850/512MB/10.8.2/ Bahhhhh
My iPad:
16GB WIFI (3rd gen)
My Phone:
iPhone 5 (Verizon)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to start working on this with her and will report back!

Thanks!

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__________________________________________
My Mac:
iMac 27in/2.66GHz Intel Quad-Core i5/16GB RAM/ATI Radeon HD 4850/512MB/10.8.2/ Bahhhhh
My iPad:
16GB WIFI (3rd gen)
My Phone:
iPhone 5 (Verizon)