Our 2 shelties, ages 7 & 8, are very protective of their space. They have a large fenced in yard in which to play. However, if neighbors are out or someone walks by the yard they non stop bark. I also have neighbors who do not follow the leash law and their dogs also cause them to bark. I end up taking Nauset and Michaelie in. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Protective/Barking
- Thread starter Carole
- Start date
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
I have the same issue. I have no magic solutions.
I have talked (shouted out) to the dog walkers asking then to control their dogs and not charge my fence. N some do, some just shout back.
I try to teach these inconsiderate people by doing exactly the same thing.....when my dogs bark they go back inside. Period. I've noticed small improvement lately by holding firm. More and more, people are holding back their dogs.
And I've had to go to my new neighbour once to tell her to control her dog. She has mostly tried. You just have to persistent and abit bitchy!
I have talked (shouted out) to the dog walkers asking then to control their dogs and not charge my fence. N some do, some just shout back.
I try to teach these inconsiderate people by doing exactly the same thing.....when my dogs bark they go back inside. Period. I've noticed small improvement lately by holding firm. More and more, people are holding back their dogs.
And I've had to go to my new neighbour once to tell her to control her dog. She has mostly tried. You just have to persistent and abit bitchy!
Mignarda
Forums Enthusiast
As long as there's a fence between them, I don't sweat it. Dogs bark; it's what they do. However, for my own part, I don't allow Dickens to charge dogs behind a fence when I'm walking him. That's just rude.
What a GREAT comment! There's a lot of stuff in the world I don't like, but much of it is beyond my ability to control. Besides, SOME of it may just be an attempt on the part of the Grand Planner to teach ME to up MY game.
Shelby's mom
Forums Enthusiast
If Shelby is barking and running the fence she comes in the house. I know some people are rude but I have resolved to the fact I can't change it. So instead I do what I can to keep the peace.
Now all I have to do is tell her she is going to go in the house and she usually stops barking.
Now all I have to do is tell her she is going to go in the house and she usually stops barking.
Yeppers, mine know if they bark, they lose outdoor time pronto. They can bark for notification, but continuous barking isn't allowed. Kaleigh will usually stop, but Savannah...she wants the last bark in every scenario, it is improving and I am hoping when she has her first bday, she is as well mannered as Kaleigh.
mimiretz
Forums Enthusiast
I love this!!!
Mignarda
Forums Enthusiast
This is one of Dickens's main forms of exercise, at least during the daylight hours. Even if he's comfortably inside, the moment he hears someone or something moving down the alleyway he comes running to me, jumps up excitedly onto the side of my chair and gives me that "you gotta let me out! Now!!!" look. If I let him out (usually after whatever it is has passed the yard) he goes tearing off the deck, sailing through the air, and barks his fool head off while running circles around the shed and back along the fence. Then, when whatever it is out of sight, he comes trotting back up to the door, with a look on his face that says, "I guess I showed him!"
I think this is pretty harmless stuff, BUT, I don't let him continue barking past a certain point, I don't let him do it at night or early morning, and I don't let him languish outside making a pest of himself.
I think this is pretty harmless stuff, BUT, I don't let him continue barking past a certain point, I don't let him do it at night or early morning, and I don't let him languish outside making a pest of himself.
Caro
Moderator
Fence barking is territorial aggression. It is hard, if not impossible to stop, you'll just have to manage it. Not sure how your set up works, when you say they bark when your neighbours are out, is that out in their yards? Because I can imagine that's annoying.
Limiting their access in the yard, esp unsupervised, is the only way to resolve this, unless you want to put on bark collars whenever they are out. You need to break the cycle and that cannot be done using the same routine. Set up certain times of the day when they can go out. You'll find there are times when it's worse so keep them in during those times. I keep my dogs inside 4-5pm because that's the peak dog walking times and I know they'll bark at those times. Leave on a collar and short lead (just shorten or cut an old lead) when they are outside. As soon as they bark they come inside, but don't yell or say anything, just do it quietly and don't speak to them when they come inside. You need to calm them down.
Limiting their access in the yard, esp unsupervised, is the only way to resolve this, unless you want to put on bark collars whenever they are out. You need to break the cycle and that cannot be done using the same routine. Set up certain times of the day when they can go out. You'll find there are times when it's worse so keep them in during those times. I keep my dogs inside 4-5pm because that's the peak dog walking times and I know they'll bark at those times. Leave on a collar and short lead (just shorten or cut an old lead) when they are outside. As soon as they bark they come inside, but don't yell or say anything, just do it quietly and don't speak to them when they come inside. You need to calm them down.