Chihuahua barks at everything and everyone on walks.

[shuz1980]

My 1 year old male chihuahua barks and every dog, cat, bird, person he see's. He has daily walks so it's not a new experience seeing other animals and people. He's so chilled at home then on walks he's like a different dog. Any advice on how to stop him barking at everything? Tia

It sounds like reactivity to me. As he seems to be barking at everything (as opposed to just one or two triggers) I would recommend getting the help of a behaviourist who can see the behaviour for themselves and find the best way to help you.

Reactivity is extremely common but it can be very hard to solve as you have to be really, really consistent. Mine is reactive to some dogs after he was bitten on the lead. Mostly I can distract him with food but if a dog comes out of nowhere (for example round a corner) he will still bark at them. I have to figure out his "safe distance" and I can then get him to sit and feed him chicken while the dog goes past!

But as your dog seems to have multiple triggers I think that kind of training would be impossible as your dog would be too overwhelmed and wound up.

Get him a citronella spray dog collar. Worked immediately on mine. He only wore it on and off for about a week and he learned fast!

The kindest way to teach them in my opinion.

@HeIsAVeryBadBoy

Get him a citronella spray dog collar. Worked immediately on mine. He only wore it on and off for about a week and he learned fast!

The kindest way to teach them in my opinion.

Do not do this

Aversive tools like spray collars can cause even more problems down the line. It's totally irresponsible to give out this kind of advice.

Reactive dogs are generally reactive because they're scared. if you were scared of something and every time you vocalised that, someone sprayed you in the face, would it stop you being scared?!

@HeIsAVeryBadBoy

Get him a citronella spray dog collar. Worked immediately on mine. He only wore it on and off for about a week and he learned fast!

The kindest way to teach them in my opinion.

He is barking for a reason usually because of how he is feeling. So squirting with citronella he may stop barking, but high chance he will not but he will still feel the same and probably give you a worse behaviour to deal with.

What will happen though is that he will begin to be wary of you and this will spread to many situations. I do not want any animals I have,to be wary and unsure of me.

On a short term basis increase the distance between the things that make him bark. If possible walk him at a quiet time and see what happens when he does not meet his triggers.

Also get in touch with a qualified trainer to start with and if they can not help a behaviourist - many trainers can deal with type of issue if qualified.

Honestly, he doesn't.

He's a chihuahua. He doesn't bark because he's scared, he barks because he's a bolshy little mouthpiece. Don't pity my dog, he's loved to high heaven. But he needed to learn to be quiet.

Believe me, he's a very happy boy. Don't listen to sensationalism OP, this isn't a pinch collar, it's a thing that sprays lemon juice onto their neck when they bark. It distracts them and teaches them that every time they bark, they'll be sprayed on the neck with lemon juice.

It's hardly worth the hand-wringing.

It's hardly worth the hand-wringing.

It's not hand-wringing to be against the use of aversives on dogs. But you do you. Personally I'd rather train my dog properly, not just spray him in the face when he barks

Chihuahuas are watch dogs. They bark at everything. Not sure it’s something you can easily train out of them, it’s pretty hard wired.

Personally I'd rather train my dog properly, not just spray him in the face when he barks

Well, you can try training him out of barking

You won't get very far. He loves the sound of his own voice. I've tried everything, nothing worked until lemon juice.

Lemon juice worked. He's happy, I'm happy.

I have a beagle - I know all about barking.

I still wouldn't spray him in the face to shut him up. I taught him a quiet command instead. Seems to have worked fine :)

@HeIsAVeryBadBoy

Honestly, he doesn't.

He's a chihuahua. He doesn't bark because he's scared, he barks because he's a bolshy little mouthpiece. Don't pity my dog, he's loved to high heaven. But he needed to learn to be quiet.

Believe me, he's a very happy boy. Don't listen to sensationalism OP, this isn't a pinch collar, it's a thing that sprays lemon juice onto their neck when they bark. It distracts them and teaches them that every time they bark, they'll be sprayed on the neck with lemon juice.

It's hardly worth the hand-wringing.

^ this.

The only time I have ever been bitten by a dog in my life, it was by a chihuahua. It ran up to me and bit me on the ankle. Bolshy is right.

Don't listen to sensationalism

Or, in would appear, actual real science.

There are numerous studies done on the risks and impacts of aversive training methods, regardless of how mild an aversive you think it is. I've yet to find a study that recommends them instead of reinforcement based methods, both in terms of animal welfare but also effectiveness.

Not sure about the collar idea.

We distract ours with cheese - basically she pays more attention to us than anything else now in case that gets her cheese.

Chihuahuas are barky little bastards.Mine is sleeping near me atm but visitors,postmen and dogs on walks all get the shouty treatment.

The only time I have ever been bitten by a dog in my life, it was by a chihuahua. It ran up to me and bit me on the ankle. Bolshy is right.

And antagonising an aggressive or fearful dog by spraying it in the face is hardly the right way to go about things

Where are we getting this 'sprayed in the face' business from. It sprays his neck, which is very different.

Chihuahua's are an entirely different type of challenge. Training one not to bark is like trying to train a cat to play the piano. For a lot of people, it's impossible.

They are, as a pp said, barky little bastards.

I live next door to one who sadly hasn't been trained properly. He's really naughty and ignorant to his elderly owners commands. He literally barks at everything and does what he wants.
They used to take him inside if we were in the garden during the summer but I thought it unfair to him so asked if I could try make him feel better about us being outside. Treats were used along with talking to him through the gate and later saying his name followed by a loud SHHH! when he was going for it then stroking him or a head scratch with his treats.

It did help
He now doesn't bark at me once he hears my voice or see's me but he is still yappy to my dh. He's happy to sit and inspect quietly what I'm doing.
He is a good little guard dog, I can hear him through the walls if someone comes in either garden and more loudly, I hear his owners screaming for him to stfu poor little fella.
So yeah patience and treats for good behaviour is what I'm suggesting.

Just saw this and it reminded me of this thread today...

the spray can of compressed air worked for us. not on him, just near him it makes a loud hiss and distracts and stopped it. you can get it in pets at home.

To be honest chihuahuas are yappy. I had one and he thought he was a little lion. He would boss my malamute about. He died 2 year ago as he had a heart condition. Everyone remembers him. He was a bossy little mouth piece.

I walk past a house ever day where four of them live.
On nice days they’re out in the garden barking, cursing & swearing at everyone & everything that passes where they can see them from behind the gate
On wet days they’re up in a front bedroom on the broad windowsill going nuts behind the glass at every one who dares pass by.

All the hand wringing these days about "aversive techniques" is why there are so many badly behaved dogs.

Just tell your Chihuahua "NO" firmly and consistently every single time he barks. Praise briefly, reward with treats when he stops barking. You are allowed to tell dogs no and teach them boundaries. It is not abuse.

@Highfalutinlootin

All the hand wringing these days about "aversive techniques" is why there are so many badly behaved dogs.

Just tell your Chihuahua "NO" firmly and consistently every single time he barks. Praise briefly, reward with treats when he stops barking. You are allowed to tell dogs no and teach them boundaries. It is not abuse.

Telling a dog "no" is a bit different to using a spray collar, don't you think?

. It distracts them and teaches them that every time they bark, they'll be sprayed on the neck with lemon juice.

Not how dogs brains work. What it teaches them is that when they see the thing they dislike/are scared of something they dislike happens therefore reinforcing that fear of dislike. Yes they might make the connection with barking too and stop but the bark is a warning, without that they could go straight to something worse like a bite

Sorry pressed post by accident. Meant to finish with - there's no hand wringing it's fact based on years of studies and science.

Just tell your Chihuahua "NO" firmly and consistently every single time he barks. Praise briefly, reward with treats when he stops barking. You are allowed to tell dogs no and teach them boundaries. It is not abuse.

Dogs are not born disliking the word no - so if you want it to mean something this will need to be taught. Otherwise, you've described a reinforcement based training method. No aversive in sight The irony, eh?