Excessive Barking

GlennR said:
Willow has exhibited a number of these behaviors from time to time. One helpful thing we had success with is to sit Willow and talk in a reassuring way, saying Just a truck, it's just a truck. Then with the okay she gets a treat if she's managed to keep quiet and hold her sit. For controlling dog interactions we sit her again and talk quietly to her. Again, once the other animal has passed by she gets a treat. It has been surprisingly effective. Willow loves a pretty large number of dogs we encounter but not all of them and for those not in her "pack" she wants to lunge and growl but we haven't had that in a while.
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When Piper was young this was also a big problem for him and I started doing the same as you Glenn.
It took time of course but eventually Piper (and later Finnie) would wait patiently until the other dogs had passed when I’d release them and they’d get a treat. Of course it helps that we can see the other dog coming before our dogs do. I used to turn around and go the other way (avoidance) but this did nothing to stop him. As the other dog passed by I just remind them..stay stay etc. eventually they forgot all about the other dog and just focused on the treat they were going to get:ROFLMAO:
 
GlennR said:
Willow has exhibited a number of these behaviors from time to time. One helpful thing we had success with is to sit Willow and talk in a reassuring way, saying Just a truck, it's just a truck. Then with the okay she gets a treat if she's managed to keep quiet and hold her sit. For controlling dog interactions we sit her again and talk quietly to her. Again, once the other animal has passed by she gets a treat. It has been surprisingly effective. Willow loves a pretty large number of dogs we encounter but not all of them and for those not in her "pack" she wants to lunge and growl but we haven't had that in a while.
Click to expand...

That's like the name-it technique that helps dogs when they are fearful or reactive for something. I used it for Della until she went deaf. Things that scared her are named and if she reacted I'd thank her for letting me know. The idea is, if it has a name it's not some scary unknown thing and my response is calm. When the dog over the back would bark I'd just say "oh, is that 'the naughty again', thankyou for letting me know". Or in a storm, "is that thunder, thankyou for telling me it's thunder"
 
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