Puppy Barking!

[yelenots]

We have had our new puppy for 4 weeks now and all she does is bark from moment she wakes up until she falls asleep! We have another dog who doesnt bark very much so its not as if she is copying her! Please can anyone advise how to stop this - I would be very grateful for all suggestions!! Thanks :)

[boxtops]

I'm not a dog person, but might a site like this help? http://www.peteducati....cfm?c=2+2085&aid=153

[lankeela]

Need some more information. What breed, where does she sleep/play, what is her daily routine? Has she got toys, chews, how often are you feeding her? Does she stop if you tell her off, play with her, put her in a cage etc.

[yelenots]

Hello lankeela - she is a Polish Lowland Sheepdog and is 11 wks old and highly excitable and barks all the time! She has plenty of toys/chews plus our other dog to play with. We feed her 4 times a day and has a cage to sleep in. If we tell her off she just carries on barking-she is not scared of anything and full of confidence. She has only just had her 2nd inj so hasnt been out yet we're hoping she'll calm down when we get outside for a walk! We have just introduced a 'shaker' to try and stop her from chewing things she shouldnt be!! Very cute and lovely though! :)

[dotty.]

When we first got Bingo at 8 weeks old, he was very quiet but when he settled in, he started to bark if anyone knocked at the door or walked near to the front window, especially the window cleaner.
He would bark as soon as anyone knocked and continue barking until he felt he had done his job.
he lived with us there for 12 years, then we moved here, and he never barked from the minute we moved him in, not even when someone knocked, he seemed alot calmer .
I noticed the dramatic change and came to the conclusion that it was a sense he had of danger or fear in our other house.
I wonder if your new puppy has a sense of unease for some reason, once he is more familiar with the surroundings he may calm down, but possibly he is hearing something you aren't.

[yelenots]

Hi Dotty, She is barking because she wants to play all the time! She barks at her toys and our other dog and when its mealtime!! She has settled in well and I dont think for one minute that she misses her mum or brothers and sistesr!! She is a very happy/playful puppy but its just how to stop the excessive barking!!

[lankeela]

You could try clicker training, have plenty of treats handy and use them when she is quiet for any length of time then click so she associates it with a reward for being quiet. Catch hold of her collar and gently stroke her and then reward if she is quiet and any other situations when you can get her attention and she is quiet. Gently saying 'good girl' at the same time.

[yelenots]

Hi lankeela - have started clicker training and she knows how to sit and come so we'll give it ago when she's quiet too- trouble is its usually when shes asleep!!

[jules77]

I have a seven year old who is excitable and barks a lot. Only thing that shuts her up is the pet corrector spray, I only have to pick it up and she shuts up.

[woofgang]

that time when they can't go out is horrendous...make sure you have a rock solid recall then once you can take her out she can run some of the excitement off. IIRC the Polish Lowlanders still do work so its like having a border collie pup...needs loads of mental activity as well as physical exercise.

[yelenots]

Cant wait to get her outside!!! I've been told about that pet corrector spray but thought we'd try the 'shaker' first!
Thanks for your replies

[woofgang]

the pet corrector is quite a strong deterrent, I'd be very reluctant to use it on a pup.

[bednobs]

my dog used to bark all the time, and we had one of those spray collars - he just used to bark till it ran out then bark some more. He came from rescue, so was just settling in, and it has got better as he's got older

[lankeela]

I have always taken puppies out from first getting them. Obviously not to the local park where there are lots of dogs, but to visit friends, to the countryside and even to the dog training class, held in my arms for them just to get an idea of meeting other people and dogs, and seeing the dogs moving round. There are far more dogs put down at a young age because of behavioural problems than die from catching something and they do get a certain amount of immunity from their mother. It also gets them used to travelling and having a lead put on so its much easier when you do come to take them out properly. They also sleep better after an outing!

[woofgang]

Yup we did pup socialisation at the vets and took the boys out in the car, also had shedloads of different visitors.