Barking?

S

Sparta

Forums Regular
So chances are this is a very silly question, but I know Shelties are known to be a loud breed, and what about the puppies? When do Sheltie puppies start to bark?

I'm asking because my 9-week-old apparently missed that part of the standard, or at least she hasn't gotten that far yet. She'll whine if she feels unhappy or ignored, and when my mother's dog starts up at noises or people outside, she's interested, but quiet. She vocalizes just fine by whining, growling (while playing), a bit of a yelp here and there, and a multitude of other noises. It's not that she can't - but in the week I've had her she has only barked a handful of times, and only when she's overly excited and trying to engage someone in play. In those rare instances, it's one or two barks, and she's done. I don't think it's a confidence thing either, not with the way she's bouncing around and pointing her tail in every single direction but down.

Do they usually start quiet and then pick it up? I know all pups are different, but what are your experiences?
 
Dickens at 12 weeks barked the first time we saw him, then hardly barked at all for the next two or three weeks. He picked it up once he got acclimated to his new home, and now, though he doesn't seem to get set off by too many things, can bark with the best of them. Every time Mama or I come home from being away, it's a complete madhouse, which usually ends with him howling like a wolf.
 
Be happy. Mine has barked from 7 weeks old on. He's getting better now at 12 weeks unless the other dogs bark and then he does too.
 
George #1: Barked like crazy at EVERYTHING. Was also a real "talker" with me-very vocal.
Georgie #2: Only lived 9 months but barked only when excited and doing zoomies.
George#3: (Seeing a pattern here?) Our first rescue. Very quiet for the most part but has a 2 minute barking zoom when my husband comes home. Does not bark for me. Has developed more of a language with me--I am his interpreter for what he wants. Has a happy bark when playing with the neighbor's dogs, but quiets when told to hush.
Gracie: Was a rescue, too, and I think she was debarked when young but now has a pretty normal bark. Only barks or vocalizes for needs and I can understand her language very well-she is distinctive about "out", "pee-NOW", cookie, pay attention to me. She is a royal little princess and I love her quietness. Both will bark to alert of someone at the door.
So I guess a lot of it is personality! Our two-sheltie home is pretty quiet considering how shelties can be.
 
Mine has a very low & quiet "woof" that she uses to alert me if something is in the yard ( seems to only apply to animals and not people). She will bark at the vacuum cleaner and the broom but not the phone, or the doorbell, thunder & lightning does not phase her one bit. She does not bark at the squirrels, or turkeys or deer or birds but the chipmunk will sometimes get her going. Overall she's a pretty quiet sheltie and I like it that way. Of course we only have one and I did notice that the breeder's dogs were not a noisy bunch so maybe it's partly how she got started in life.
 
Ruutu came to me barking up a storm. He started barking around 4 weeks, but he was with a big litter and the breeder has a ton of dogs as well. I taught my parent's sheltie how to bark though. He was about 4 months when I taught them. They thank me lots :biggrin2:. Honey also picked up barking quickly, but we had 4 other dogs when we got her. They usually pick it up from other dogs or by you barking at them.

But be happy and enjoy the silence :yes:
 
Shelby didn't bark much at first either. But after a few months she found her voice.

She definitely is not as much of a barker as Hollie was but she does her fair share. She too has different noises/barks for different things so I always know the reason. For her bark.

She will bark at the vacuum, the neighbors dog when he barks, whenever she sees kids playing, the neighbors because she knows she will get attention and treats from them. But she does not bark at the doorbell, phone, rabbits in the yard, or when playing.

As for thunder storms, she is not afraid of them but she does like to "chase" and bark at the thunder during the day. If it is bed time she goes right to bed and doesn't even bother with the thunder and lightening. Goofy dog she is.

I would say around he age of 1 year was when Shelby settled into the personality and little quirks that make her Shelby.
 
It's good to hear that she's not abnormal! :rolleyes2:
I guess I just expected more of it. Like I said, Sparta barks just fine, she just seems to have a pretty high threshold, which I didn't expect from such a young puppy. I had at least expected her to be set off by the dog we live with, but nope! Then again, the breeder's other dogs were very well-behaved and seemed quiet, so I suppose she was just raised that way from the start. It'll be interesting to see how that develops!
After a week and a half she's getting very sure of herself (although she was never shy in the first place) but still very little barking.
 
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