Puppy barking phase?

[Jon]

Originally Posted by Fi1805

Me too! Very cute indeed!

I started teaching her 'speak' last night - and I think our first session went pretty well. I used the shovel because she barks at her reflection in it and actually she became less barky around it the more we worked on it. She was quite reactive when I first produced it but she ended up only really barking when I said speak! Gives me hope!

to be fair if you walked towards me with a shovel I'd do whatever you said too...

[Fi1805]

Originally Posted by Jon

to be fair if you walked towards me with a shovel I'd do whatever you said too...

lol

[Fi1805]

Have discovered that she is much less interested in other dogs if she has a ball in her mouth. Not that it stops her from barking if she really really wants to but she doesnt do it half as much!

Only discovered this halfway into a walk, am yet to test it out from the beginning. Just hope that she doesnt start resource guarding her ball instead!

[Stuart]

Please just be a little carefull if the ball is a tennise ball or of simular size,.. there are many people here that will agree that an excited dog can swallow these balls with terrible consequences,..[i.e. one that is trying to bark maybe].

If you think that she may be helped by carrying a ball, then maybe you can transfer the ball to a tug toy of some sort

[Moobli]

Originally Posted by LOVEGSD

I would reward all quiet behaviour....if you can see she's about to bark try and get her attention by making a high pitched noise cos she'll automatically look at you then you can engage her.

If she's off lead then you need to do everything you can to recall her as the barking can scare some people even if she is a puppy.....and you know how some people can be

If she's barking at people you know you can use them as stooges, get them to come round and when she barks say quiet and reward or even remove her if she barks and only bring her back when she's quiet, keep doing this until she realises that actually only being quiet keeps her with everyone.
xx

Excellent advice!

[Fi1805]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Please just be a little carefull if the ball is a tennise ball or of simular size,.. there are many people here that will agree that an excited dog can swallow these balls with terrible consequences,..[i.e. one that is trying to bark maybe].

Gosh really? I didn't realise that - thank you. The ball that I use at the moment is a kong rubber ball, it is a bit larger than a tennis ball but I do have some tennis balls which I was going to use with a chuckie when she gets older. I will have to rethink that plan. Thanks for your advice.