danisgoat
Moderator
Then I wouldn't allow him to be free. I would tether him to me when he is around the house or in the yard.
Sheltie too demanding!!
- Thread starter Gail
- Start date
Then I wouldn't allow him to be free. I would tether him to me when he is around the house or in the yard.
Michele Parker
Forums Regular
You are unbelievable SheltieChe... punishment/inhumane with spraying a little water in a dog's face - really? It is only water, not acid. She tried other things without success.... it's another idea to deal with an excessive, determined, demanding, excited barker. Oh, I have used a shaker can too & it works too. I never make contact with it... I just use it as a startler. You act like I suggested an E-collar. Geez...
Michele
Caro
Moderator
It sounds like he is really excited and vocalising that. It's a common behaviour, mine do it when we drive to the oval, he just needs to learn a little more self control.
I'd recommend not letting him off the leash straight away. In fact I would discourage off leash time when he is still hyped up. He is already excited with what is going to happen and then he gets an additional adrenalin hit by the activities that follow. He is being conditioned for a really big adrenalin rush so it's going to be hard for him to stop unless you break the pattern.
Walk him around for a while, even get him to do some commands, give him time to settle. When he is calmer you can let him off lead. Between running or walking, if he is showing signs of getting too hyped put him back on lead and walk around a bit, or if you are hiking stop for a while and put him in a drop. This should also help teach him how to settle from a highly excitable situation so its a good learning experience for him.
Don't play fetch over and over - have regular breaks so you aren't keeping his adrenalin levels at a constantly high level. I read an interesting article some time ago about fetch. It isn't natual for most dogs to have a high level of adrenalin over an extended time, which is what often happens with fetch. When they are herding or working dogs tend to do it in spurts - they will run and then focus, run and then focus, so when we play a lot of fetch without breaks it's keeeping their adrenalin levels at an artificially high level, and the longer this goes on the harder it is for them to come down. Even when they are playing dogs wont do this for extended periods - they take short breaks between plays. If your dog is anything like my female, I actually have to put the ball away to stop her nagging me about it - when she has rested I get the ball back out and we play again.
I wouldn't worry he isn't playing with other dogs - many dogs lose interest in play as they get older and become much more attached to humans, that's how we bred them to be. It doesn't mean he isn't interested in being around other dogs, just he doesn't feel the need to play. My dogs love to see their doggy mates, they don't play with them they just like to see them around.
I'd recommend not letting him off the leash straight away. In fact I would discourage off leash time when he is still hyped up. He is already excited with what is going to happen and then he gets an additional adrenalin hit by the activities that follow. He is being conditioned for a really big adrenalin rush so it's going to be hard for him to stop unless you break the pattern.
Walk him around for a while, even get him to do some commands, give him time to settle. When he is calmer you can let him off lead. Between running or walking, if he is showing signs of getting too hyped put him back on lead and walk around a bit, or if you are hiking stop for a while and put him in a drop. This should also help teach him how to settle from a highly excitable situation so its a good learning experience for him.
Don't play fetch over and over - have regular breaks so you aren't keeping his adrenalin levels at a constantly high level. I read an interesting article some time ago about fetch. It isn't natual for most dogs to have a high level of adrenalin over an extended time, which is what often happens with fetch. When they are herding or working dogs tend to do it in spurts - they will run and then focus, run and then focus, so when we play a lot of fetch without breaks it's keeeping their adrenalin levels at an artificially high level, and the longer this goes on the harder it is for them to come down. Even when they are playing dogs wont do this for extended periods - they take short breaks between plays. If your dog is anything like my female, I actually have to put the ball away to stop her nagging me about it - when she has rested I get the ball back out and we play again.
I wouldn't worry he isn't playing with other dogs - many dogs lose interest in play as they get older and become much more attached to humans, that's how we bred them to be. It doesn't mean he isn't interested in being around other dogs, just he doesn't feel the need to play. My dogs love to see their doggy mates, they don't play with them they just like to see them around.
Calliesmom
Moderator
Using a spray bottle to stop barking can backfire in the long run.
How do you groom your sheltie? do you mist the fur as you brush?
Shelties can associate the spray with bad things and then it can become very tough to groom the sheltie if a spray bottle is used in that way.
SheltieChe
Forums Sage
Michele,
hmm,....do you consider spraying your dog with water a reward? It is rather black and white... either it is a reward or punishment...
Answer me this- all your spraying you did- was it successful? Let me answer for you- nope, because you are saying that all you have to do is touch the spray bottle and dogs stop barking.... So what you have created is behavior chain BUT barking behavior never got eliminated in the first place...
so yes, you keep using or threaten to use punishment to achieve your ends... I do not consider it a successful training or successful use of punishment. It would be different had you said "I used that spray bottle once and my dogs never barked in that situation again for 6 months"... then perhaps it was worth using... at least in my book...
SheltieChe
Forums Sage
I was very unfortunate to use said spray bottle on my oldest ONCE!
To this day grooming with the spray bottle is huge issue... tons of training that went into overcoming that problem is NOT WORTH IT.
SheltieChe
Forums Sage
I agree and am happy that he is focused on me. I request many things from Jesse. He always sits before I open the door and waits for my signal to go through. When we play fetch, I say the word "Ready" and he sits before I throw the ball. It's really cute because he sits with one front paw lifted, ready to go. I never give a treat without asking for him to earn it with some basic behavior we learned in agility. I love my puppy dearly, but he has a high pitched bark and it is very annoying.
"danisgoat" suggested putting him in a down stay position...however that means I have to catch him first! He knows when I want him to come because I'm frustrated and, naturally, he won't! You know how smart shelties are!!
"OntarioSheltie" suggested ignoring him...I've tried that for months with no success. I turn my back to him and he just runs around front to bark in my face again.
"dmeyer123" suggested the shaker can..I tried that to stop him barking in the car and all it did was scare him and he barked even more. I found the best way to stop him barking in the car is to make sure he's calm and quiet before I start driving and keep hold of his leash to give a tug when he barks. It has worked really well!
Thanks for all the suggestions and the only one I haven't tried is the spray bottle. Wish me luck!
Agree with Danisgoat, if you do not have great recall and he makes you play sheltie "chase me games" sorry but no off leash until he has recall. It is rather simple, either you control his reinforcement from running around wild or he enjoys his life to to fullest...
For the barking- try to figure out WHY is he barking... sometimes when in a car, pups will be better in covered crate so there is no arousal for moving/ bouncing... sometimes it is predictable pattern that humans do as lets say you ONLY take him in a car to great places like dog park so he has tons of anticipation whenever there is car ride... Some Shelties are barkier than others of course... I am not big on barking dogs so I do not have them
OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
Agree with Danisgoat, if you do not have great recall and he makes you play sheltie "chase me games" sorry but no off leash until he has recall. It is rather simple, either you control his reinforcement from running around wild or he enjoys his life to to fullest...
For the barking- try to figure out WHY is he barking... sometimes when in a car, pups will be better in covered crate so there is no arousal for moving/ bouncing... sometimes it is predictable pattern that humans do as lets say you ONLY take him in a car to great places like dog park so he has tons of anticipation whenever there is car ride... Some Shelties are barkier than others of course... I am not big on barking dogs so I do not have them
I agree, no off leash activities for him till he's listening, chase games are not acceptable. Till his behavior improves use a long line when playing with him. This way when he acts demanding you can put him in a down stay and you're also able to ignore him. It may be difficult at first but you have to take control of him. Don't give up, he's smart but you're smarter!
A covered crate in the car is a good idea. My parent's sheltie will bark and carry on any time he can see out the windows. Make him lie down and keep him from seeing out and he's much better.
Maybe this little one needs a job that utilizes her desire to herd. My understanding of shelties is that they are vocal herders. Is it possible that she is trying to herd you away from the others at the dog park? My daughter has been teaching her little vocal girl to bark quietly. She gets really excited and then "talks" a lot. Another thing that might work is shaping her behaviour. Try tossing her a few treats when she takes a breath. All dogs have to stop for a second or two between barking sessions. Try to time your reward when she is in that heartbeat lull to capture her quiet moment. Keep doing it without saying anything. If she starts to focus on what you are trying to achieve and looks to you without barking then start giving her the cue "Quiet" softly. She might just figure out that silence is GOLDEN.
Oopsy, just realized she is a he. My apologies to him.
Oopsy, just realized she is a he. My apologies to him.
Last edited:
I agree and am happy that he is focused on me. I request many things from Jesse. He always sits before I open the door and waits for my signal to go through. When we play fetch, I say the word "Ready" and he sits before I throw the ball. It's really cute because he sits with one front paw lifted, ready to go. I never give a treat without asking for him to earn it with some basic behavior we learned in agility. I love my puppy dearly, but he has a high pitched bark and it is very annoying.
"danisgoat" suggested putting him in a down stay position...however that means I have to catch him first! He knows when I want him to come because I'm frustrated and, naturally, he won't! You know how smart shelties are!!
"OntarioSheltie" suggested ignoring him...I've tried that for months with no success. I turn my back to him and he just runs around front to bark in my face again.
"dmeyer123" suggested the shaker can..I tried that to stop him barking in the car and all it did was scare him and he barked even more. I found the best way to stop him barking in the car is to make sure he's calm and quiet before I start driving and keep hold of his leash to give a tug when he barks. It has worked really well!
Thanks for all the suggestions and the only one I haven't tried is the spray bottle. Wish me luck!
It sounds like you have trained Jesse well in so many areas.
He is well trained in barking for the ball too...just not a positive behaviour for us two leggeds.
I would suggest keeping him on a long rope for walks for awhile then you can catch him and put him in the down stay immediately. He sounds like a very clever boy and his desire for the reward (ball) likely is over riding the consequences (shaker can etc.) I agree with danisgoat....take away the reward until you see the expected behaviours.... it probably wont' take long for him to catch on.