Barking at people

[Bonniesmummy]

Bonnie has always been a very vocal gal I have tried to teach her quiet and no, using the ah ah correction but it hasnt worked! TBH I probably havnt tried hard enough!

Well its got to a point now that I need it to stop!! I was talking to my friend while waiting for the kids to come out of school, a woman was coming towards us so I stood in front of Bonnie, got her to sit and was giving her bits of treat and saying good girl as she was quiet ..... Im trying to associate strangers approaching with good things! BUT when she saw the woman, who at this point was quite close to us, she started to bark. I walked off with her a few steps and tried to get her to sit, she was still going mad, then I realised why, the woman had stopped where she was and was looking straight at us so Bonnie was still barking at her! (normally if I do this she stops barking but as the woman didnt continue on she kept barking).

Well the woman was obviously unhappy that she got barked at! after she had gone and madame was quiet my friend told me that when I went to walk off, the way Bonnie was positioned she came around me and was in front of the woman so she was blocking her path while barking... I didnt realise this as I was just focused on walking away!

I really do not think for a second that she would bite but I guess no-one can ever say that for sure?? well my friend said she got a fright and thought she looked as though she could have??

She doesnt bark at everyone she see's, just some, but mostly the people who get quite close to any of us so I personally think she is gaurding. She barks at anyone who comes near the garden front/back. I think too that she does this in garden as there are kids across from us that wind her up, a few kids at the school have also 'wooo wooo wwoooofffed' in her face too (stupid kids!!!!) but the garden barking Im managing with a little help from Anni.... cheers Anni

Why oh why does she have to be soooooo LOUD lol

Well other than praising the good and walking the other direction when she goes off on one Im at a loss..... any other sugestions??????

[kita]

It could be her hormones for one thing, they can tend to get a bit more 'guarding' - especially if they think they have pups at home to guard!!!

I usually walk with the wall/fence, then the dog and then me, that way you can sit the dog and press the head against the wall with your body, that stops them blocking people's path and you can prevent them coming across the front of you to lunge at people.

It sometimes means that you walk them on your left though - but that is better than them grabbing someone!

Sue

The quiet command, you'll need to teach do it every day for her to 'get it' so she'll do it when you want. So when she's barking, Bonnie, speak! then click and treat when she barks. Should be easy if she's noisy! Then Quiet! again click and treat when she shuts up. Can't remember if she does Watch? Again keep re-inforcing.

I think it's also something they grow out of. Remus started barking and lunging towards other dogs but I just kept re-inforcing Leave! and now we can walk towards other dogs on a narrow pavement without incident. Zee is interested and will drift towards them, but I do what Sue does and keep her on the opposite side of where they are to cut off any potential lunge! I also get in first with Leave command.

Both mine are fine with people but Remus will go into stalk mode as we approach - head down ears forward, as in 'Gotcha!' I see the person ahead looking nervous I just tap his back with my finger and say Yep I've seen them too, numpty

[Bonniesmummy]

Originally Posted by Anni

The quiet command, you'll need to teach do it every day for her to 'get it' so she'll do it when you want. So when she's barking, Bonnie, speak! then click and treat when she barks. Should be easy if she's noisy! Then Quiet! again click and treat when she shuts up. Can't remember if she does Watch? Again keep re-inforcing.

I think it's also something they grow out of. Remus started barking and lunging towards other dogs but I just kept re-inforcing Leave! and now we can walk towards other dogs on a narrow pavement without incident. Zee is interested and will drift towards them, but I do what Sue does and keep her on the opposite side of where they are to cut off any potential lunge! I also get in first with Leave command.

Both mine are fine with people but Remus will go into stalk mode as we approach - head down ears forward, as in 'Gotcha!' I see the person ahead looking nervous I just tap his back with my finger and say Yep I've seen them too, numpty

Thanks again Anni, yeh she knows watch me. Its people she is barking at she isnt bothered by dogs really. I have been doing leave with her a lot more recently so Ill try that!

On a walk she always walks to the left anyway as she likes to be near the wall/fence/whatever so she can have a good sniff along the way! she does the stalk sometimes, not always then goes into the bark........... you know what, as I write down the way things are to explain it to you guys, some things just click into place! lol............ when she does the stalk its then I should be saying leave or reassuring her - duh!!!

[ClaireandDaisy]

Hi (new here!)
I would teach your dog the `Watch Me` trick. To teach it, hold a treat by your face, say watch me, give her the treat. Repeat until she glances at you automatically when you say Watch me.
This puts her focus back on you.
Then when you see she is going to react use your Watch Me to break her `stare` at the target and either turn away from the `threat` (best to start with) and reward your dog where she is calm, or put her into a sit - preferably facing away from the target.
I have a reactive dog and this works well with her.

[Bonniesmummy]

Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy

Hi (new here!)
I would teach your dog the `Watch Me` trick. To teach it, hold a treat by your face, say watch me, give her the treat. Repeat until she glances at you automatically when you say Watch me.
This puts her focus back on you.
Then when you see she is going to react use your Watch Me to break her `stare` at the target and either turn away from the `threat` (best to start with) and reward your dog where she is calm, or put her into a sit - preferably facing away from the target.
I have a reactive dog and this works well with her.

Hi Claire, welcome to the forum Thanks for the advice She knows the watch me one but she is a very strong willed wee lass and tends to do things when she wants to!!
She knows all of her commands well, we do them at home and have no problem getting them from her 1st time most times BUT when outside faced with distractions its a different matter distractions being people that get too close to us for her liking lol
She satrts training classes end of Feb so hope this helps with the 'strangers' being so close!

[zetstaff]

Originally Posted by Bonniesmummy

Hi Claire, welcome to the forum Thanks for the advice She knows the watch me one but she is a very strong willed wee lass and tends to do things when she wants to!!
She knows all of her commands well, we do them at home and have no problem getting them from her 1st time most times BUT when outside faced with distractions its a different matter distractions being people that get too close to us for her liking lol
She satrts training classes end of Feb so hope this helps with the 'strangers' being so close!

Training classes worked brilliant for Boris, he's soooo good. Tilly gets spooked at any tiny thing, but then she is a princess

I like what I read from Anni, makes loads of sense. Sorry I can't help but my 2 are of a breed that love people to death + hardly ever bark at all, not even if someone comes to the door

xxxx

[Bonniesmummy]

Originally Posted by zetstaff

Training classes worked brilliant for Boris, he's soooo good. Tilly gets spooked at any tiny thing, but then she is a princess

I like what I read from Anni, makes loads of sense. Sorry I can't help but my 2 are of a breed that love people to death + hardly ever bark at all, not even if someone comes to the door

xxxx

I was actually just thinking, Bonnie has to go in for her op on the 16th and the training starts on 1st march.... Will she be ok by then? How long does it take 'normally' to heal?

Annie has been super!!! sooo makes sense!
If our door goes it's bedlam but that's another that we are working on and making progress it's just the people we have issues with lol

[zetstaff]

Originally Posted by Bonniesmummy

I was actually just thinking, Bonnie has to go in for her op on the 16th and the training starts on 1st march.... Will she be ok by then? How long does it take 'normally' to heal?

Annie has been super!!! sooo makes sense!
If our door goes it's bedlam but that's another that we are working on and making progress it's just the people we have issues with lol

Oh mate, you remember my thread when Tilly Bumpkin was spayed, but I needn't have worried, she's back to being a princess again .

I think after my experience that it may be a bit soon, but all bubbas are different + Tilly Piddle did have a few probs, so gorgeous Bonnie may be ok. I think you just have to wait + see, speak to the trainer + I'm sure it won't be a prob if you join a week or so late, it wouldn't have been at my training club

xxxx

[Bonniesmummy]

Oh yeh thats right!! Poor bubba

I'm gonna call the vet in the morn and try get her in on the 11th, im off for a long weekend so could be at home with her then too and that gives her a bit more time!

The trainer seems really nice and doubt she will have a problem with it, Id hate for all the others to be ahead in terms of meeting and getting to know each other though, I know she is quick enough to catch up with any missed training but its the greeting id hate for her to miss out on oh well I know whats more important..... ill have to deal with it lol