To use a bark stop on my 8 month old dog

[Horsegirl1]

We live on a farm and any little noise she hears she barks. Even during the night a slight noise means she yaps. She sleeps with me as she is like my baby girl so I'm forever being woken up with a start because of her yapping on . She is a jackapoo and I don't want anything in humane to use . I want a gentle way to get this barking to stop. It really makes you jump when she starts as it's so random and loud. I have bought a bark stop but I'm. Unsure if it's working as it's in audible to humans. I just got it today and she has barked a few times but doesn't act like this bark stop is upsetting her ? Aibu to use this and has anyone any advice for gentle ways to stop her barking

[pigsDOfly]

Thanks for that link WyldFyre.

It all sounds rather tongue in cheek. And rather than proving dogs are selfish it sound more like they just proved dogs are dogs and really aren't all that bright really. Unless of course there's a treat involved.

I think I'd be a bit freaked out if my dog started helping me look for my car keys or was there with a pen when I wanted to write a shopping list. Selfish she may be and perhaps not particular bright but I rather like her like that. :)

[LilCamper]

Feliway is the cat version of adaptil.

[WyldFyre]

Pigs. The research was by Portsmouth Uni

www.newscientist.com/article/2100755-selfish-dogs-would-rather-play-with-a-toy-than-help-a-human/

[kali110]

pigsDOfly is there a cat version or can you post in the doghouse for other animals?

[pigsDOfly]

Not sure that any actual research was required to show that dogs are essentially selfish, they're manipulative little blighters as well :).

Don't be put off posting Horsegirl. AIBU can be very nasty at times and there are a number of poster that hang around on there who post just to be spiteful.

Doghouse people are generally much nicer and you can get a lot of good advice on here.

[elderwand90]

You should definitely try Adaptil. It works wonders especially if she is nervous or anxious we always recommend this at my vets and positive reinforcement. Please don't listen to anyone saying stuff about being the pack leader stuff as it's a lot of nonsense lol!

[Horsegirl1]

Thanks wyldfire I am going to look at that page now . Iv been at an agricultural show all day today with my 2 daughters and the wee jackapoo . She has been very good today. My daughters were competing with their ponies so I was very busy and had to leave jackapoo in horsebox occasionly for 10min intervals. She only barked about 6 times which is VERY good for her xx

[WyldFyre]

I really can't believe people are suggesting that to cure separation anxiety you should shut the dog out of the room!

OP can I point you in the direction of one of the best non-mumsnet resources on the web - the Modern Dog Training and Behaviour Advice Facebook page. Many of the members are qualified trainers and behaviourists and it has an up-to-date, science-based force free ethos.

Dominance training and pack theory have long since been debunked. Even just last week a new scientific study showed dogs are essentially selfish - this totally plays into modern training.

The idea that dogs want a resource (usually food or a toy). To get that they please the human (by doing what they are asked). Clickers are great for marking desired behaviours (so the dog knows what is wanted).

Dogs do not understand what no means - usually because handlers use it in so many different scenarios and most of the time when they punish they are punishing a dog for being...well, a dog. Far better to encourage the behaviours you want through reward.

[Horsegirl1]

@kali110 thank you x

[Horsegirl1]

Thanks kali110

[kali110]

horse don't let some bad comments put you off.
I certainly ignore them

[Horsegirl1]

Vivkyyyyy no it is not an electric shock device. I suggest you read the thread before commenting as you would have known what the device does

[Horsegirl1]

Thank you Lil camper and to all who have offered me advice. I will probably not ask for help again on mumsnet as it seems to be full of cyber bullies and keyboard warriors. I honestly cannot believe some of the nasty responses ? I guess iv probably asked in the wrong place but as I'm new to MN you would think people would point me in the right direction and not be so mean.maybe I'm expecting to much ? But I was raised to not say anything, unless I had something helpful or nice to say. Anyways , thank you so much for making my experience of MN so welcoming.

[pigsDOfly]

Ah just seen the post from LilCamper. Good idea.

[pigsDOfly]

It might have been better to have posted this in 'the doghouse' OP. You probably wouldn't have had all the nasty unhelpful comments that you're getting on here.

You can train a dog not to bark, as some pps have said, without using unpleasant methods - lots of patience and lots of treats. I have what is considered a barky breed. My dog sleeps upstairs, sometimes in my room, sometimes in other rooms, but unless she needs to wee in the night - a very rare event - she never barks during the night.

If the doorbell goes, she's allowed to bark to alert me but stops when told it's enough. I've also trained her not to bark when the letter box makes a noise, so no barking at the postman/woman.

It's very possible to have a dog who will alert you to unwanted visitors but who's barking is controlled.

I wouldn't use the sort of thing you're using as you've no idea if it's causing your dog pain or distress. Positive training is much more effective and of course, it goes without saying, kinder.

[LilCamper]

OP I have asked for your thread to be moved to the Doghouse. You'll get better advice there. BTW my bull terrier sleeps with us....under the duvet, because that's what they do.

[Vickyyyy]

Have only read first couple of posts.

Aren't those bark stops the things that give your pet an electric shock for barking? It is cruel to expect a pet to sleep downstairs but not to zap them for barking? What an odd thread...

In serious answer to the OP though, I could never use such a cruel training method on any pet. I see it as, imagine everytime someone didn't want you to speak they shoved a cattle prod in your throat and zapped you...

[dudsville]

This is a weird thread. OP likes sleeping with her dog and referring to it with terms she finds affectionate and people are getting a little giddy about it. Sometimes this happens and it always leaves me glad that my RL isn't full of bruisers. OP has come looking for help with barking and with a product she's trying. If you know how to help with barking or about the product she's trying then I'm sure there are ways of communicating this in a way that would be helpful.

I don't know anything about the product and whether it's abusive, but I do know that if I saw someone doing something abusive and I went up to them in RL and spoke to them the way OP has been spoken to by some here then I'd likely end up in a fight or a shouting match pretty quickly.

Welcome to MN op, watch your step! Sometimes it's just wrong post/wrong day!

[elderwand90]

Don't know why everyone is being so mean op. You should try Adaptil you can get a collar and also a diffuser to plug in try that along with more training for her. Hope that helps.

[kali110]

I'd rather take the advice of my vet and specialist than randoms on the internet, but thanks

thyme glad it's helped your pet too! Yes the plug in worked wonders for ours after we had a new cat move in.

[sparechange]

I'm really sorry about the lose of your dad

I can see how the dog is helping with your grief, and it is something lots of dog owners can relate to.

However, you really have to admit that this is something which is purely for your benefit and not for the dogs.

The dog is massively stressed by this situation - a change in owner and routine - and is over bonding to you. You HAVE to do something about this, because it is cruel to the dog to keep this situation going.

Sleeping with you is not helping. In fact, it is more than likely making things worse.
The dog needs to learn independence, and that she is safe without you. She needs to lower her stress levels when she is around you and 'guarding' you.

Please, for the sake of this dog, you have to work on this, and that includes having the dog sleep somewhere else until she can cope with the stress and separation anxiety. The longer you leave it, the worse it will get and the more stressed and upset the dog is going to be.

[davos]

I don't really have an issue with dogs sleeping with owners.

However it's sounds like you dog has high levels of stress. Treating the dog like a baby, might not be the best thing for the dog in the long run.

I have a puppy and it's sleeps in a crate in another room. It's not cruel. She is happy. She doesn't get upset when someone goes for a wee or if I leave the room.

You seem to be creating more problems than you are solving and separation anxiety is not something you want.

You compare you dog to your kids. Would you have a piece of equipment that omitted a noise your kids don't like, when they show behaviour you don't want? Or would you consider that cruel?

[Peskykidsinmygarden]

I've got a very vocal small dog, and at 8 months she was an absolute nightmare so OP I do think you're probably living through the worst of it now. If I were you I'd set up a cosy small crate in the bedroom and cover the outside with towels or blankets so it's dark. You can keep her in the room with you, but it should help her settle to have a dark, confined space and I bet you'll find she's less reactive than when she's just loose on the bed.

Google crate training to find out how to introduce it - you don't just pop her in one night and expect her to love it (although that's exactly what my mum's terrier did - as soon as my mum set the crate up her dog refused to sleep anywhere!)

[WyldFyre]

Hi OP, can't see if it's been suggested but have you tried clicker training?

Might be a long slog, but (once you've "loaded" the clicker) wait until she stops barking, click and reward. She will soon get the hang of quiet=treat.

Adversive methods do not work the way their supporters think they do - and the science backs that up.
It can cause additional problems, and personally I am not happy with using fear to control my dog.

[LostSight]

If she is doing it during the day as well, you might be able to work on that. Arrange for someone to be outside during a designated training period each day, making noises that would normally stimulate barking. Be prepared with plenty of lovely dog treats that she likes (a friend of mine saves up a large percentage of her dogs' daily food portion for training purposes so the dogs don't become overweight). When the person outside makes a noise that would normally set her off, immediately distract her with the treats so that she learns that noises outside mean something good is going to happen.

Better still, if you can train her to perform some fun activities so that her attention is on you (and your treats) at the time the noises occur, then she will learn to remain calm and that those noises don't mean anything bad is about to happen.

Dr Sophia Yin's techniques work well for me as a vet. I haven't got dogs of my own, but my colleague has two very well socialised calm dogs and she uses these types of technique. Good luck OP.

drsophiayin.com/product/skills-for-handling-your-reactive-or-hyperactive-dog-part-1/