affenpinscher - barking mad!

[beaniedog]

hi, i have a 3 year old affenpinscher bitch. I got her when she was a year old, from a breeder. (not perfect enough to show) It has taken a lot of time and perseverance to get her house trained but i still have a major problem with her barking when the front door goes. She goes absolutely mad.. that is bad enough but some visitors are barked at from start to finish. I have tried noise aversion but she is too excited to get through to..... any ideas gratefully received.. thanks

[drgnrdr]

Do they know sit? most dogs do. You don't have to wait for a visitor to do this, set it up so you can practice. Get someone to help you. Have some tasty soft moist treats, small bite size, appropriate for your dog, for her probably the size of a pea maybe. I like cut up hot dogs. Make sure she smells you have treats when you go to door for the set up. Have someone knock or whatever gets her started, when you say her name and your command, <<Hush>>>step into or in front of her to block the door and get her attention, she has to move when you step into her, that will distract her, in that instant that she shuts up for 2 seconds tell her good girl and treat her. This must be done with good timing, don't wait to long to treat her and don't say hush over and over. Say: name, >>Hush< step into her and when she stops barking for 2 seconds PRAISE and treat quickly. She has to associate your command with her quiet to treat. Keep doing it, have someone trigger her by door bell and she should get faster in her response to hush. Work on this before company is expected, for her excitement for guest, she needs to sit to get attention, everyone needs to not pay attention to her barking at them, and you can again do the hush game with treats. But most time they bark for attention from guest, they only get attention if they are calm or sitting nicely, also guest can give her a treat that is by the door that you have placed, but she only gets it if she sits for it. Try this, let us know, the more info you can give the better next time...I can only give general info because I don't see her or you interacting.

[beaniedog]

hi, i will definitely try this over next few days and will let you know how it goes. Thanks a lot.

[Tammera]

beanie can tell me about the pottie training please, my mum has recently bought an affen (same was to ugly to show) and she had a baby a week after she got her, and they both seem impossible to train we have tried so much, treats and praise, putting them out after they eat, an hour after they eat etc and nothing seems to work the baby will wee on paper and we tried moving it towards the back door and out the back door but that dont seem to help either. affens seem very arrogant when it comes to trying to get them to do something you want them to do.

thanks

[beaniedog]

hi tammera, my little dog has been a nightmare to housetrain, still not 100% though. at first I tried everything, putting her out regularly, after eating etc etc. but what has done it really is over the top praise. stand in garden and when wee or poo done, go mad as if doggy has just climbed Mt Everest or something and give her a treat as you are praising. (telling off or shouting does nothing) and you just have to persevere with it. she has only now just started tapping the patio doors to go out. when she does this everyone in house must jump and praise!!! keep going. let me know how you get on!!! i would love to know and also if you need any other info - where did you get your affenpinsher ??email at [email protected].

[Tammera]

thanks very much, thats what i been trying the praise thing, ill get my mum to keep going with that. ill email you now thanks again :)