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I have always tried to be a good neighbor and a responsible pet owner...so right now I am at the possible end of my rope with a pup that I rescued about six months ago. Finding another home would not be the responsible thing to do....and doing that would not be an option, as we have fallen in love with him.....except for his barking!! He barks at everything....a leaf, people, a frog in the water....anything!! It is not like he is not taken care of...as he goes to work with me every day....along with another pup...that has taken on his bad habit. When we get home, and he is let out in the "back" yard only....he will bark at the neighbors when they are out there...and he will bark at their dogs. They don't stay out there for very long at all....I will get them in as soon as I can. The pitch of his bark is quite high....so when he is in the car, I have to put him in a crate...as the barking at every animal that we past is just too much for my ears.
Does anyone know how much it would cost to have "debarking" done? I have used the "shocker" collar, my voice, paper, stones in tin boxes, and knocking on the windows of my home. Would anyone know if there are any other methods that I can try....before I really consider this option...which I am "not" in favor of....but see it as my only alternative.
Thanks for any help that I can get!!
Go out with him when he barks give him a command Quiet for instenice grab his muzzle & hold shut all else fails get a bottle of water/vinagar mix & squrt him Another trick TEACH him to SPEAK on Command!! Believe it or not after awhile he be Quiet til told to Speak!!
Giving him to another loving family seems a lot more responsible than debarking him. Maybe you could find someone who lives on a farm where he could bark as much as he wants. I do agree with the other posters. More structure and more training is a good idea.
op PLEASE do not go around grabbing and holding shut our dogs mouth..its a very good way to get bitten!
go out with him and give im a loud sharp Ah-Ah or NO at a bark, you want him to stop and look at you the moent he does make a HUGE fuss and give him a treat...
dogs bark fro a number of reasons, in this case it sounds like a boredome issue..he spends all day at work, then comes home and gets put outside where hes got nothing to keep him entally stimulated other than barking...its fun, it gets a reaction...what else am i going to do wiht my time...
instead of putting him out go out with him, play frisbie or ball and and then bring him in with you.
a HAPPY and TIRED dog is a quiet and relaxed dog...sounds like hes bored and has alot of pent up energy.
Giving him to another loving family seems a lot more responsible than debarking him. Maybe you could find someone who lives on a farm where he could bark as much as he wants. I do agree with the other posters. More structure and more training is a good idea.
Do you have ANY CLUE how many dogs are looking for homes? Dogs that DON'T have issues?? First of all, chances of them finding another home that will take this dog in with it's issues when they've got a choice of literally millions of others is pretty slim. Second, they already said it's not an option anyway.
A behaviorist is a great idea. That said, I'm the rarity in rescue work. I don't 'like' debarking dogs or declawing cats, but if that's the only thing standing between them and a good home for life I support it. I've got two cats. They're both declawed. They're also strictly indoor only cats and were both in situations where the only way we could keep them was to have them declawed. The housing market where we lived was going bonkers and we couldn't afford a grand a month more for a rental that would allow them there with claws. So declawed they were. It was that or we lived in a tent in the woods with seven dogs and two cats and five kids.
Try the behaviorist. And know it will take time. It's not an automatic over night fix. In the meantime, only take him outside on a leash and immediately correct him when he barks. When he's not barking give treats and praise. And know that I really, really sympathize. I've got a 3 year old foster chihuahua that's the same way and it makes me nuts. Just not nuts enough that I've done anything about it. The benefits of living in the middle of nowhere and not having neighbors close enough that they can hear him!
Dogmama50......Contacting a behaviorist would probably be the best thing that I could do, but time and money are obstacles that are getting in the way right now. Hopefully, any ideas that others may have will help the situation. Perhaps he does need more stucture when he is put outside to do his business....otherwise, he is not by himself....I am listening all the time...because I don't want him bothering others with his piercing bark. Yes, he is a small dog...about thirteen pounds...if you are wondering about size. I decided that after having a 120 pound German Shepherd...that hardly barked at all....that I needed a pup that wasn't quite so big.
Foxywench.......When I take him and the other small pup that I originally had, to work...they are in a structured environment....they get to see my husband and me all day....they get to see customers all day...without too much barking...the employees play with them....and I take them out when they need to go out. Then, when I get home....I put them out for perhaps fifteen minutes....and when the barking starts up...then I bring them in.
Katie1....I will try some of what you suggested...I may even try it at work, where I have him in a smaller setting...otherwise, when out in the yard...its useless to try to get him in such a hold...but I will try.
Thank you one and all.....
I feel your pain. We had a sheltie debarked about 27 years ago only after a trainer didn't work. We could not keep her inside either because she was a submissive pee-er and I knew we could never rehome for both those reasons. it was either debark or have her put to sleep. She seemed happy mostly outside with company and occasionally inside but I swore I would never have another backyard dog ever again. Shelties are the most debarked dogs according to vets and a lot of vet won't do it. Good luck
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