So sorry that it's taken me so long to acknowledge your thoughtful reply! I have a family member coming from out of town to visit and I'm running around like a crazy person getting ready...lol
Well, I definitely need to go back to the basics with Coco because she does not always come when she is called. She only comes about 25% of the time. When her attention is focused on something outside or bark worthy (to her) then it's almost impossible to distract her. If I call her just to come to me she usually runs the other direction. Then there are the times when I call her and she actually comes. When I first got her 5 years ago her issues were so overwhelming (and I had ZERO dog experience at the time)that I tried several different dog training approaches. I finally was referred to a dog trainer who does clicker training. She worked with her in the beginning and the most we got out of it was she walks really well on leash (which is great because leash walking Dalice is a challenge) and she sits on command. Dalice has awesome recall. They have such different issues. lol...but don't we all :) I spoke to the dog trainer recently and she said the clicker will not work with Coco. She suggested the Citronella collar. I printed out your email and I'm going to try my hand at getting the 'basics' back in place and go from there. Thank you very much for your suggestions. I have to get this under control somehow. I wish I could live on a farm somewhere but right now that isn't an option. lol... Laurie & Coco --- In [email protected], Peggy & The Girls <phrpg5@...> wrote: > > > > > Hi Laurie! > > I have an Mini American Eskimo dog, and they are known to be very protective > and territorial, which leads to a lot of barking. Princess loves to sit in > the chair by the living room window and front door. She guards it very well. > I didn't want to ruin her guard dog instincts, but I also don't want an > excessive barker. So I used positive reinforcement. When she would let out > the first bark at a passerby, I would say "Good Girl, COME!" she would come > and then I would pet her and tell her she is a "Good Girl, now be QUIET". At > the beginning she would run back to the window and start barking again, even > though no one was there any longer, that's when I would say "NO!, Quiet!' > again. This time I did not say she was a 'good girl' If she barked again, > then its the ''No! Come!" and make her sit and repeat the "No, Quiet" and > then turn my back on her. She learned that the reward is a soothing 'good > girl' tone and a pet because she did a good thing with warning me that a > stranger was approaching. The reprimand is only a strong, firm but not a > yelling No and dogs understand that when you turn your back to them, you are > in charge in a calm manner. It also has a lot to do with our voice tone. We > have to be consistant and only use the exact same command words each time > that they bark. If your dogs do not come when called the first time, then > you need to go back to the basic training of putting them on a long leash, > make them sit and stay and walk backwards from them and then stop and then > say 'come' with a slight tug on the leash. A dog that is well trained for > the 'come' command will always listen the first time it is used no matter > what they are doing. > > It has to be repeated every time they bark. The idea is that when they see > someone they are allowed to let out the 'warning bark' but when no one is > there or if it is another dog or squirrel they are not allowed to bark. Now > Princess will come and tell me that someone is there. When I say 'Quiet' she > does her whinny act in protest, which is hysterical to hear by the way, but > so much better then the barking. > > I too live in an apartment, and can not afford to have excessive barking. I > also taught her how to recognize our regular neighbors. So now she lets a > different sound of a bark and wags her tail. Many times she doesn't bark at > them at all. Here's how I did that. When a neighbor would > pass by and she would bark, I would say "It's John, be Quiet" and if she > didn't stop, then I would use 'Come' and she would sit by me and tell her > she was a 'good girl' again I would say "It's John..Quiet". She has learned > there names and has also learned that these particular people are okay and > friends. > > Believe me, when she see's some one new or a salesperson, she goes > ballistic! That's when, if she doesn't come to me, I will get up and put a > leash on her and put her in the sit command with her back to the door or > window and tell her 'quiet' until she calms down. Yup, I leave a short leash > by the door all the time. > > Kari made a very good suggestion to be outside with them when they see the > neighbors dogs. I would take that a step further....when they bark at the > other dogs, use the 'quiet' command, when they don't listen to you, turn > them around so that there back is to the neighbors dog. > Only release them from that position when they stop barking or whimpering > and then say 'good girl'. > > I used this method to train Princess not to join in the barking with a > neighbors house that I have to pass on my path in order to get to my > apartment door. They have 3 dogs, two of which are aggressive and very > territorial. Princess would go nuts on the leash trying to get to them, and > she would be in a full attack mode just like they were. I knew I couldn't > train my neighbors dogs, but I could train her to ignore them as we passed > by. As I passed them she would start pulling and barking and growling and I > would stop and turn her back to them and I would make her sit like that > until she was absolutely quiet and calm. Then we would start to walk, if she > started in again, then again I would repeat the sit with her back to them. > It took about 6 times of doing that over a course of a week. Not only did > Princess learn to walk and ignore the other dogs behind the fence, but they > too learned not to bark at her too. The main reason they all stopped is > because there was no eye contact between them. Plus when a owner or another > animal turns it back, it is their body language to say 'I am ignoring you'. > The dog that does the turning of it's back is also portraying itself as > being calm and self assured. It works for people too when we walk them on a > leash and they start to bark at a stranger, just turn the dog around with a > NO command and walk the opposite way. You have just taught your dog to > ignore strangers and after having done this several times, the dog will be > able to walk and pass by people as if they weren't even there. > > BTW my chi is Gigi and she is so calm and quiet, I never have to worry about > her barking....she leaves the guarding up to Princess. Lucky me, or I would > have two to train. For you, I would take Coco out and train her first since > she starts it. A lot of times the next dog which is Dalice, will usually > copy the leaders calmness and you may not have to train her. If you do have > to train her, then do her separetly too, for the first few rounds and then > do both of them at the same time. > > Hope it helps, it worked for me and many other dogs. > > > > > > > -------Original Message------- > > From: clowgerl > Date: 4/12/2011 1:23:21 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Chihuahuas] barking - any suggestions > > > Hello, > I am new to the group. I have two Chihuahua's named Coco and Dalice. Coco is > a rescue and I have had her for 5 years. Coco came to me without her voice > box. Whether 'right or wrong' I can understand why they did it. She barks at > everything and even though you can't hear a 'bark' you can hear noise coming > from her throat. I live in a condo which has a patio and the main problem is > that she gets the other dog, Dalice who has her voice box, going when she > constantly barks at every single thing. So Coco starts it silently and > Dalice loudly chimes in. My neighbors are complaining and I just don't know > what to do about it. I live in a warm weather area so on my balcony I have > one of those boxes that holds sod so they can use it to go potty. I don't > use it in place of walking them (I have to say that because I always get > asked that question) but it does save my carpets for when I am not home so > giving them access to the patio is necessary. My dogs do get daily exercise, > they play, they are loved beyond....and ???? I just don't know what to do > about this. > > Over the years I have worked with dog trainers, etc...and they have been > helpful with other issues but the barking has really been a tough one. I now > have Dalice at a friends house until I can figure out a plan. If anyone has > any suggestions I would be most appreciative. > > Thank you, > > Laurie > ------------------------------------ We are now on Facebook! Join today! http://www.facebook.com/groups/chihuahuasclubYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
