Silence is for Goldens?

2GoodDogs

2GoodDogs

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In class Tuesday night there were two courses set up in the main room. Our class is the Intermediates, and the Competition class was running the course next to ours. It was our turn and boy was doing great, except he was barking.non.stop. The dog (and we know them well, they are good friends) was also barking.loudly.non.stop. I sorta blew a gasket, stopped my dog and screamed at him to 'shut-up'

Opps... we finished the course, and of course, he was quiet and I think it was my friends dog that grated my nerves like nails raking on a blackboard...

My instructor just said, "agility dogs bark, get over it"

but really? Barking that loudly, x 2 = one harried handler!!!! Next time I take a chill pill instead of yelling, or I will simply remind him to be quiet...

Actually, I think if my timing were better he would not be barking at me because we would be too busy on the course!!!


What are your experiences with agility barking, yours and other peoples dogs? Does it bother you? How do you teach your dog to zip it?
 
I find that many agility people just accept barking. I prefer Merlin to be quiet, so I work on focus exercises. He doesn't bark on course, fortunately.

My trainer suffers acute migraines and really struggles with barking dogs, so we probably have one of the quietest agility classes going as the dogs aren't allowed to bark. It's all done with positive training, not negative:wink2:

I do find incessantly barking dogs at agility comps annoying, and it can unsettle Merlin. But I also realise I have to accept them as some people have no interest in quietening their dogs.

But to answer your question, it isn't necessary for your dog to bark its way through agility, but it can be a challenge to manage in a hardcore barker:wink2:
 
I put Missy in her crate, covered. If she can see, she's going to bark non-stop. She even barks covered, but she'll eventually settle down. She gets herself worked up barking like that, so if she's out, I'll make her do watch me or sit/down over and over. Sometimes all I have to do is put a treat in my hand and she'll just stare.. waiting.

Our agility class is at the instructor's house in her back yard, so she does request that you try to keep your dog quiet because of the neighbors. Missy barks while she's running, so I can't really do anything about that. But I try not to let her bark in her crate or while she's waiting.

I don't like barking in general. I'm pretty sensitive to high-pitched noises, so why I chose Shelties I have no idea. Luckily Missy barely barks inside. Some days I'm more tolerant than others. I've gotten used to flyball tournaments. I do get frustrated when I can't even talk over the dogs barking, though.
 
The only one of my dogs that barked during agility was Diva and that was only when I was late with the infomation.

Justice never barked period when working. Ember either. I always chalked it up to them being obedience dogs first.

Strangely Birch does not bark either, never has. I have never allow demanding over excited barking in life outside agility when we are playing so again I thought that was it. But then Irene told me Spruce does not bark either. It is not that Birch is not excited because he is. He vibates at the start line it is just not something he does. I am glad because barking gets on my nerves. I also personally think barking dogs are not thinking or focusing on their jobs as much as they should so I guess I do influence that.

Well now that I think about it. None of the dogs in my agility class bark. They are all obedience trained first and barking is not allowed. Maybe that is it.
 
agility dogs bark :D
T is bark bark bark, SO happy to do my job, OR wth is this crew person doing here!!? OR bark bark sheeeshhhh why are you NOT telling me where I am to go... he has different barks for different behaviours, lol

Toffee barks on course and I am ok with that but have been working on focus exercises and he is getting much better with the barking out of frustration. I don't let him bark when it is not his turn, or when he sees another dog run the course, that is just rude... That's when you do focus on me exercises and pop the treats galore :D Work up to being able to relax near other dogs running, I find being calm on your mat wait your turn has worked well for us, so that I can focus on instruction BEFORE we get to run the course

Spruce on the other hand runs completely silent when's he's working or focusing on going into the ring, as does his brother Birch and his Dad Grizz, it's uncanny actually LOL, so I wonder if it may even have some gene factor?

Regardless, if you blow a gasket during agility play time, you're NOT doing yourself or the dog any favours, the dog cannot experience negative stuff on the agility field, if you want him to have FUN and learn and do things fast!
So focus and games outside the ring and you'll get less barking, I believe
 
Avoid a flyball arena as agility is graveyard quiet in comparison :lol: Though Sca barks less than he used to and Spitfire is generally quiet unless he feels the need to act tough. Spitfire does grunt when running though so I imagine he would at agility as I suspect Sca would bark the whole time he runs.
 
during agility, mine only bark when I'm too late telling them what to do next....
during practice, whoever is watching while I'm running the other one is barking:rolleyes2:
at a herding seminar, I was told if they are barking, they are not thinking.......
so I try to keep them quiet but it's an ongoing struggle...
and of course, Cran barks during rally which is basically obedience and the one judge told us she had to deduct some points because of it........
 
I'm with your trainer. So long as the dog can focus on running and bark, who cares? Just ignore it. My Roxas barks most of his run. However he barks and runs and doesn't do stupid stuff anymore. I just keep running and ignore it. Not the end of the world.
 
I'll take along some ear plugs... seriously, it was LOUD when Will and Justus were both barking and seriously grated on my nerves... I'm not one to yell, especially at my dog. I think I shocked him into silence.

I'll focus on getting my handling in order, and try to build a little tolerance. If my friend's dog is on course, I'll go outside... :)
 
2GoodDogs said:
I'll take along some ear plugs... seriously, it was LOUD when Will and Justus were both barking and seriously grated on my nerves... I'm not one to yell, especially at my dog. I think I shocked him into silence.

I'll focus on getting my handling in order, and try to build a little tolerance. If my friend's dog is on course, I'll go outside... :)
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This sounds like a good friend of mine with agility Boston terriers lol, she HATES barking.. and I said, what barking?? I didn't even hear it (since it wasn't my dogs, I srsly do not hear it, lol) Apparently YAYYY for barking desensitization Toffee taught me LOL. My friend uses time outs for herself, if there are too many barky dogs in the class she leaves for a sound break for a couple of minutes if she needs and at trials IF it is bad which is not that often, come to think of it, she brings her head phones!

I think the obedience crowd probably have a different gold standard for focus and no barking, lol... I am in the who cares camp, lol, but then never have done obedience or rally, either lol
 
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