Question about barking when commands are given

[DoomsDay]

When I give roxy her command for down, she always seems to want to bark once or twice as she is going down. She doesn't do it for sit or come or even the free command. Out of all the dogs I have had over the years, she is my first sheltie/mix and frankly the first dog I ever tried to teach obedience to.

She seemed to take to obedience training pretty easily and during my training she never barked when I gave her the command for down. Well, usually when I give her the down command outside its because she has fixated on something and wants to go after it,usually rabbits or squirrels. When inside and I give her the command, she will sometimes bark but most of the time she will just drop to the down position. When barking inside on the down command she is usually pretty excited then to. Thinking that she might get to go outside. Oh, and we can't say or spell that word either, she knows what it means both ways lol. We are now using, visit the grass when we are talking about taking her out. Just waiting for her to catch onto that one to!

So I am thinking that maybe she is actually just over excited because she wants to herd up the critters running around in my back yard. What do you guys think?

 

[Shelletlover]

CeCe barks once when she does the down command and she'll sometimes bark once when we throw a toy for her to fetch. She does get pretty excited, but we figured that was just CeCe!

 

[GeeRome]

She is probably just patterning very well. Dogs recognize patterns, and humans are creatures of habit ... so we often "wreck" our dogs by setting them up like that.

Instead of using the down command when she is outside and you want her to stop chasing things, draw her attention back to you. So use a "here" or a "look" command to break her attention from the little critter she wants to chase and bring it back to you.

Then for proofing a silent "down", only reward when she does it quietly. Ask for a "down", if she barks then just ignore her and walk away. Once she shifts from the down position, give the command again. If she barks, ignore. If she downs without barking, YAY HUGE PARTY TIME! If you use a clicker, that makes it all the more easier. Only click for the quiet downs.

 

[mcguiregirl2248]

And here I thought my dog was just being as sassy as my kids! Marlie gets sassy when you let her out as if I need to go out with them! She will go out barking and then come back to the door and bark not because she wants in, she's just being a brat!

I like what you posted GeeRome, good advice!

 

[LaOsaLinda]

yeah real great advice geerome... The worst for me is letting my dog out, she runs out or stays next to me and looks at me like "HELLOOOOO aren't you coming with me to chase the birds" I hate that look. Sometimes it is too hot outside ahaha. Or if she starts barking at the neighbor b/c the neighbor is mean and for no reason started throwing rocks at my dog.. well she got it from us but anywho back to story.. we have to distract her by saying Look Destroy. Destroy is a squirrel in our backyard that comes all the time to eat my mangos.. mean squirrel. So she goes after him like crazy. So once we say destroy her attention goes to trying to find him and kill him lol. Hey we get her attention of the meany wench next door. I should report her though for abusing of her dog. her dog stays outside 24/7 rain or shine. Poor thing shivers and yelps and crys and barks non-stop all day long. and yet she has the nerve to throw rocks at my dog when she only barks at her and nothing else.

 

[DoomsDay]

She is probably just patterning very well. Dogs recognize patterns, and humans are creatures of habit ... so we often "wreck" our dogs by setting them up like that.

Instead of using the down command when she is outside and you want her to stop chasing things, draw her attention back to you. So use a "here" or a "look" command to break her attention from the little critter she wants to chase and bring it back to you.

Then for proofing a silent "down", only reward when she does it quietly. Ask for a "down", if she barks then just ignore her and walk away. Once she shifts from the down position, give the command again. If she barks, ignore. If she downs without barking, YAY HUGE PARTY TIME! If you use a clicker, that makes it all the more easier. Only click for the quiet downs.

Ok, by allowing her to shift from the down position, do you mean for me to give her the free command? My down for her is also a stay. She is not supposed to get up from that till I give her the free command.
So, would it be better for me to tell her no when she barks and force her to move and try it again or to give her the free command and then try it again?

 

[GeeRome]

I wouldn't necessarily use a correction word, like "no". You don't want to "punish" her for doing it incorrectly. But don't reward with a "free" either. So if your "down" also serves as a "stay", give another command that requires her to shift from the down. Something like "sit" or "come". Offer a low value reward (verbal) for the secondary command, then give the "down" command again. Big reward for getting the "down" correct.

 

[OntarioSheltie]

And here I thought my dog was just being as sassy as my kids! Marlie gets sassy when you let her out as if I need to go out with them! She will go out barking and then come back to the door and bark not because she wants in, she's just being a brat!

I like what you posted GeeRome, good advice!

Sadie occasionally barks when I give her a command, usually out of frustration when she really wants something like when she wants me to throw her tennis ball or when I want her to wait before starting agility, but its never been a problem with her.

She too can be very sassy, some times after I've given her the wait command and I'm pulling my hand away she'll pretend she's going to grab it, but she never does