Barky puppy

[Notthecarwashagain]

My retreiver puppy is 13 weeks old and is always barking!

I'm trying to ignore him when he does, and also try to catch him before he does it and distract him.
It's mostly an attention bark, I think, although when I'm putting his food in his bowl he barks the whole time too.

It's such a loud shrill annoying bark too!

This doesn't mean he's going to grow up and be a barky dog does it?!
I got him because I hoped (when grown) that he'd be a calming influence on DS.

Never had a young puppy before, only older puppy and full grown dogs from rescue.

What should I do, if anything? Do all puppies bark a lot?

Grateful for any advice!

Should add, he doesn't bark at other people or animals, just in the house.

You can train him so you can control his barking.

One way is to teach him to bark on cue: not sure how you do that but someone on here will be able to tell you.

I just 'caught' my dog's silence. So when she was barking, I'd wait till she stopped and was calm and immediately treated and praised her for being quiet. I would say the word 'quiet' when I treated her, which then became the word I used to stop her barking.

It's a difficult one because you're basically treating and praising for something the puppy isn't actually doing, rather than something like sit that requires an action from the puppy, iyswim.

Anyway, it worked for me and my dog's breed is considered a very barky one and like yours can be high pitched and shrill.

Watching with interest as my puppy barks a lot. He is half beagle though so some barking is to be expected.

our Labrador never barks, but that's through luck with his temperament than anything else.

Are you going to puppy classes? Have they taught you/him how to sit/wait and for him to focus on you rather than the food/bowl? He should stay sitting and waiting even after you put the bowl down until he is told ok to eat.

I would calm everything down, take your time, and get him to sit and wait before touching his food bowl. If he starts barking put it down empty and get him to sit and wait again until he gets it. Do this consistently and he should get it within a few days.

We're not going to any classes yet, as I can only find evening classes, and due to family life I can't go in the evening- also he starts winding down around 7 ready for his crate at 10. (And also I'm a bit anal, and have him fed at 6 am 12pm and 6pm so I know when he'll need a poo!)

He's very well mannered otherwise, sits quietly until his bowl is on the floor once food is in,but he's just barking and barking before that, while the pouring is going on! It's like he thinks I don't know what to do without him instructing me
And he barks just randomly at me too.

Oops meant to say thankyou, and to pigs too!

Earplugs for you and me in the meantime Roseberry!