Dog barking indoors. Neighbours complaint

[HelpMeGetOutOfHere]

Hi. Looking for help. My neighbours have complained about the dog barking a lot.

I don't know what he's like when I'm out and have taken to closing the blinds so he can't see other dogs passing etc to hopefully stop any barking when we're out. However he's started barking a lot when I'm home and I don't know what to do.

He's exercised a lot 90 minutes at least on a morning, half an hour at lunch time and then another 1-2 hours on an evening. He's a small Labrador cross.

This morning h and ds2 have left for rugby and it's just me and dd. Blinds are open as usual and I was tidying the kitchen. Well as you can imagine Sunday morning is prime dog wailing time and we are on route to a lovely big field and lakes so lots if people walking past and some with dogs. He goes loopy, really barking and charging around and running out to the garden barking. (Cairn terrier just sits there looking at him like wtf?) and he won't stop for at least a minute or so. There are quite a lot if dogs near us and always hear one or another playing in the garden so yaps and barks and general dog noise.

When he barks I tell him to get to his basket which he used to do but now he's so frantic that he doesn't listen. Obviously if I shout he continues to bark as I believe that's dogs thinking ooh good they are barking to? I've tried calmly and quietly in a firm manner to get in his basket, everything up to physically pulling him away from the window and basically dragging him to his basket. But he will continue to bark until he decides to stop. This is usually at least a minute or so after he saw another dog.

Well the neighbours have said nothing to us but complained direct to the landlady. She says we have to do something about it or we won't have our contract renewed in May!

We had complaints before about the dog barking in the day and I used an app to record noise but either it failed or genuinely the dog didn't bark when I was at work. (I only work around the corner so since the original complaints I come home and let them out, take for a quick walk. Also three days a week my teen son is home in the day so they aren't alone for hours and hours) this has been going in for about a month or so now and it's driving me mad let alone the neighbours.

I don't want to rehome him but it's beginning to feel like the only option to send him back to the rescue. He's five and we've had him since 15 weeks old.

I am certainly no expert, and others might have good arguments against this, but a friend of mine used a shock collar for this sort of situation. Quick shock when he started barking then called him back to her and gave him a fuss when he did as he was told and came back. Worked very well for her (but you could obviously only use it when you were with the dog!).

(Btw - I really won't be offended if other people say this is a terrible idea!)

This is so obvious that I'm sure you've already tried it but could you not keep him in a room where he can't see or hear other dogs?

You're trying to cure a behaviour you could prevent. You need to prevent it first. Barking is a very reinforcing behaviour for dogs - it makes them feel good/better. In addition, each time he barks as someone walks past he is learning that barking results in them walking away, so it's a successful behaviour in his mind.

If he has a view out of the windows, either put blinds up or simply stick paper over the lower part of the windows so he can't see people passing. He shouldn't be allowed access to the garden as it's another prime place to learn that barking means people go away.

I'd recommend you record him in your absence because it's possible that he's barking for a different reason (eg perhaps he's distressed in your absence). You don't need an app - just set your phone to record and then go out. Filming him will be even more revealing.

You can train him not to bark as people pass but this takes time. Essentially you'd start in a corner of the garden well away from the road and have him on a lead. Aim to reward him for paying attention to you instead of barking, so do lots of easy things like sit/down/watch me etc to build his focus. It can be hard to get enough distance to start with when you are in the garden but not impossible. Try looking at the CARE for reactive dogs website for more detailed help on this.

You are a long, long way from having to rehome this dog, because it isn't an insurmountable problem, but there's hard work to be done and you will have to accept that for a period of time at least you have got to control what this dog can see from your house.

Penguin it's a terrible idea. If this dog isn't already scared of other dogs, it soon will be once it realises that they hurt it. Completely unnecessary as well.

It's a terrible idea penguinotterfoxbadger.

Shock collar is a horrible idea!

Good advice from PPs but can I also add that my teen DS can be in his room with his head phones on and completely ignore our dogs barking so this could be more of a problem for your neighbours than you realise. Also if the dog won't stop barking when you are there what do you expect your DS to do?

Step 1: Prevent dog from seeing out.
Step 2: Work on getting your dog's attention more focused on you so he will come away when called.

Please give these a try before you hand him back to the rescue as a noisy 5 year old dog will be much harder to re home than a cute puppy.

Have you got a room where the neighbours won't hear him so much?
My GSD rescue used to bark when I first got him, neighbours didn't complain but I know it disturbed them. Could hear them talking about "The bloody dog" through the wall.
So whenever he barked I'd say "enough" after the first bark. If he carried on would put him in the utility room, which was furthest from the neighbours so barking was muffled, and leave him there for a few minutes. Then when he was quiet would let him out. It took about a week to work.
He's fine now apart from when something super exciting happens, like a cat sits on the windowsill, he seems to understand that he needs to go into the utility room and sometimes takes himself there mid bark without being told .

If you want to learn why his barking you can buy internal cctv that works on phones and minister him that was it send alerts for sound and movement. We have one for watching our pregnant bitches. You can also talk back though the camera so if he stops on command you can tell him via the camera. I know a few people who use them just to check in on their dogs while out and about.

We're in a semi detached house. Downstairs is basically open plan (archways dividing rooms) so no way of stopping him getting into the front room. The blinds are pulled down virtually all week so I hate the idea of having them closed all weekend as well. He doesn't do it when h is here.

He is nervous of other dogs. He was attacked by another dog about two years ago and whilst his fear aggression outside of the home has improved and now he's fine with most dogs when walking. I wonder if this is part of his fears?

The app we had was for the iPad it was supposed to record any sounds but all it captured was the phone ringing and some playful yapping between the two dogs we have.

We will try everything to stop him doing this. We've been here over three years and really don't want to leave. Can't imagine we'd find anywhere else here that would accept two dogs, 2 rabbits and 2 guinea pigs. So it's in our best interests as well to find something that works.

The rescue said to use an air spray but surely that's then associating other dogs with so etching not nice happening to him and might increase his dear outside of the home?

Air spray is another dreadful suggestion - whatever you do don't send him back to them if they suggested that!

You may hate the idea of closing the blinds but do you hate it more or less than the idea of returning your dog to people that think frightening him is a solution? Honestly just close the blinds, stick paper up, or buy privacy film. Sometimes we have to adjust our lives for our dogs. Closing blinds is surely pretty small on the grand scale of things if you're looking at relinquishing your best friend of 5 years otherwise?

We have put nets up but even though it obscures the view he can still see dogs and humans walking past

You need to make the lower part of the window opaque. I'm not sure how tall he is or how low your windows are, but a packet of black paper is going to be a couple of pounds from a stationary shop and he won't be able to see people and dogs through that. Surely if you're looking at losing your house and your dog that is not too awful?

Try . Enlist the help of friends whenever possible to walk outside your window while training.

How about some window film on the bottom of your windows?

When we had a dog that was reactive to others walking past the house, instead of having blinds pulled down all day every day, we put up cafe-style blinds that only covered the bottom half of the window.

Lots of different styles here but I just shortened some plain cream tab-top curtains and hung them on rods painted to match the woodwork, so they were very plain, unobtrusive panels. An alternative would be to use some adhesive frosting. You can try the static cling stuff first to see if it works before applying something more permanent.

I would also be working on teaching him an effective cue for quiet. To do that you need to work on teaching speak and quiet as a paired cue.

With your house being open plan, would you not consider starting to settle your dogs in one of the bedrooms, with the curtains closed when you're not there? I know with Lurchers, so not the same breed, they are very often comforted by lying on their owners' bed while they're home alone and relax much more easily there than downstairs.

Thanks for all of the tips.

One of the terms of the pet agreement is that they aren't allowed upstairs.

We'll work through it. Our landlady is great. If she sees we are making an effort then she 'll be fine. But ultimately we do want him to stop his barking when dogs walk past. The window is quite low and the front garden is unfenced and about 12ft long but obviously uninterrupted view of anything or anyone walking past.

In some respects the barking is good as a deterrent for thieves. But don't want to pee the neighbours off and wish they had come to us instead of going direct to the landlady. We have neighbours either side so while it might seem logical that it's the attached neighbour complaining it could be the other side.

We used a temporary measure of covering the bottom parts of windows combined with training which, as i didnt know better, consisted of sessions where I'd sit with her chatting away petting and grooming her, which she loves, while pointing out squirrels and things that make her bark and soothe her. For the most part she can now sit and enjoy looking out. Occasionally she loses it and I go and sit with her and chat and soothe.

I have a little tin containing some baking beans that I slam on a hard surface when DDog barked, making sure he does not see me do it. This stopped unnecessary barking very quickly together with rewarding acceptable barking (fussing and praising him) - like someone knocking at the door. My house is open plan too so we have the front window problem but also reflections in the rear windows.
Ddog is not very big but has a bark that sounds as if it belongs to an enormous dog so do not want him to stop barking in the right circumstances.

That's the bit I'm struggling with as I do want him to bark on occasion to let people know he's here and deter anything untoward.

Will keep going with him. We did try a baby gate across the arch to the front room but he can jump over it and still see people anyway.

Using methods like slamming a tin down when they bark only temporarily stops the barking it doesn't treat the reason they bark so they may well start the barking again. It depwnds in why hes barking. If your dog was attacked by another he may be scared. If it were my dog I would try the look at me when you see other people or dogs pass the window and treat when he looks at you and doesn't bark. This must be done before he sees the dogs. Train him with the look at me before you try it at the window so he knows what's expected of him. He should then associate dogs passing the windows with good things and hopefully stop the barking. If he's excited this may work too as he'll be treated when he's quiet.

But you must block his view out the window. Don't allow him to continue this behaviour.

Excessive barking can be a tough one. My dog has the same issue (barking at the neighbors mostly). We've tried about everything. I'm finally seeing some progress by working on being the pack leader. She listens better, doesn't bark (as much) and we are FINALLY seeing improvements.

Through all my research (and personal experience) I have found that the most effective way to solve just about any dog problem is to better establish yourself as the pack leader in the eyes of your dog. Personal preference I suppose, but I always like to go with a humane approach when trying to tackle any dog issue. It may take a bit more time, but I feel better about it in the long run and I can only assume that my dog appreciates it as well.
Something else to keep in mind is that you need to get a better understanding of your dog's issue. You'll have to do some research to get to the root of the problem. You don't want to just keep covering up the symptoms.
It also really helps to try and see the world through their eyes. So often we forget that dogs don't perceive the world the same way that humans do.

There is a lot of great info at StopDogAggressionNow.com

There are articles on some of the top dog problems (including barking!) You can also pick up a free ebook and 5 free professional dog training videos.

Hopefully this gets you headed in the right direction.

Good Luck!

First off this thread is a month old.

Secondly, pack theory has been thoroughly and scientifically discredited and was based on flawed data/research in the first place. At best it will serve to teach your dog to behave in a certain way when you are looking, but only through suppression of their natural instincts and behaviours. Effectively you are controlling the behaviour without considering or dealing with the underlying cause. This can lead to frustration and/or miscommunication and at it's worst can result in a dog eventually snapping.

Dogs do not see us as pack leaders, dogs don't even see other dogs in terms of pack/dominance position. Kind, calm, consistent, reward-based training is the best way to build a strong bond with your dog and empower them to behave in a way that is acceptable to both you and society, because they want to, as it's the most rewarding way for them to act, not because they are fearful of the consequences of not doing it. Reward-based training is the best and only way to ensure your dog is both happy and well trained.