The more comfortable Cooper gets in his new home, the more I think he feels he needs to protect his new home and know what's going on around us. Everytime I take him in the yard he runs the fence and barks constantly. A big problem is that on all three sides, if he stands and barks enough my neighbors will come out and greet him. I asked them not to do that for awhile until I can get his barking under control (or as we all know, as controlled as it will be.)
So yesterday I went online and read that a mama dog would put her mouth over her puppy's nose and give a low growl to get them to stop barking. Not a bite on the nose, but simply preventing the pup from opening his mouth again. The suggestion was that you take the dog by the underside of his collar, put your other hand over his snout (not applying any pressure) and growl the word "quiet" and follow up the the word spoken normally. Praise for silence even a few seconds in length. So, I tried it. My yard is large and Cooper likes the perimeter, so I have to go all over the yard, but I do it without running or making a big scene. I just walk up to him, take his snout in my hand and growl "quiet." Then I say Quiet and praise him profusely when he responds.
I'm in shock because it was obvious that he completely understood what I wanted on the first try. I'm not saying he no longer barks when I say quiet, but he knows what I want him to do. I've been following through with this technique since early yesterday. It is working!!! In the house, I don't even have to hold his snout. Outside I think he may not hear me because of the noise of the world, but as soon as I do it once, the barking is substantially diminished. I think Meggie might be learning from him too.
There is a God!
So yesterday I went online and read that a mama dog would put her mouth over her puppy's nose and give a low growl to get them to stop barking. Not a bite on the nose, but simply preventing the pup from opening his mouth again. The suggestion was that you take the dog by the underside of his collar, put your other hand over his snout (not applying any pressure) and growl the word "quiet" and follow up the the word spoken normally. Praise for silence even a few seconds in length. So, I tried it. My yard is large and Cooper likes the perimeter, so I have to go all over the yard, but I do it without running or making a big scene. I just walk up to him, take his snout in my hand and growl "quiet." Then I say Quiet and praise him profusely when he responds.
I'm in shock because it was obvious that he completely understood what I wanted on the first try. I'm not saying he no longer barks when I say quiet, but he knows what I want him to do. I've been following through with this technique since early yesterday. It is working!!! In the house, I don't even have to hold his snout. Outside I think he may not hear me because of the noise of the world, but as soon as I do it once, the barking is substantially diminished. I think Meggie might be learning from him too.
There is a God!
)