surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA
Apr 1, 2004, 8:22 PM
Post #4 of 4
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Re: [gillian923] My Dog Barking, Neighbour Complain!!!
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Hi ... Thanks for answering the questions ... Chances are, the "barking" is a result of several elements ... (a) Best case scenario ... all that Ya2 needs is some time to settle down ... and if this is the only reason for the "barking" ... then the "barking" will probably naturally subside as Ya2 gets used to new environment and feels more secure. (b) Ya2 is an adult dog ... and many behaviourial patterns would have already set in. Depending on how Ya2 was brought up and socialised by her previous owner, a "barking" habit may have been induced into Ya2 ... but without seeing Ya2 cannot be sure ... A "barking" habit is slightly more difficult to deal with especially when the barking starts when you are not around. (c) Poms are ... well, they are generally lively and enthusiastic dogs ... and they love having people around ... and actually make good watch dogs ... which unfortunately also means they have a natural tendency to bark ... Check: www.dogbreedinfo.com/pomeranian.htm How you deal with the "barking" will depend on many factors, including taking into consideration the following: (i) The issue of temperament: If Ya2 has steady temperament, is secure and generally of calm disposition then it will be easier ... otherwise ... it can take longer. If Ya2 is not a confident dog, or a pampered dog - then your first step is to build confidence and independance in the dog ... the best way to do this is to build a strong bond based on "responsible leadership" (not based on dependancy) with Ya2 - And the best way to establish responsible leader ship is to spend plenty of time with Ya2 in healthy play and interaction; and to start a consistent/regular training schedule with Ya2 ... to begin with, train her recall, sit & stay ... Training your dog is a great way to instil confidence in your pet ... But whatever the temperament of your dog - the first few days in a new environment is always stress for all dogs ... so make effort to create a stress free environment for ... play and let her get to know you ... (Just remember to avoid too much pampering ...) (ii) The issue of "separation anxiety" ... and how to deal with this ... This topic has been dealt with extensively in the forum ... use the search function and check threads with the words "separation anxiety" ... Generally with seperation anxiety ... the key is to avoid creating stress of departure and return ... And to avoid pampering the dog ... All too often dogs (especially, with small/toy dogs because they are so cute) are too coddled and heavily petted ... and owners unwittingly/accidentially cause their own problems by creating a situation where the dog cannot bear to be parted from their owners (and the dogs bark incessently) ... You can check this thread for specific training tips on how to control barking ... akak.essortment.com/dogbarkcontrol_ohw.htm As you can see ... there is no short cut to the issue of barking ... no special trick that will solve the problem ... The issue of barking is handled by creating a secure environment for your dog, without making your dog overly dependant on you ... being aware of your dog's personality and learning how to deal with that personality in a healthy and positive way without physical punishment, screaming or shouting ... One thing to remember is ... when we shout or scream at our dogs, to them we are just "barking" too, and that in turn either encourages the dog to bark even more or make the dog so nervous that training becomes impossible ... so shouting and screaming at the dog will not solve the problem of "barking" - it will probably make things worse ... Cheers PS ... And yes ... you should try and deal with the situation now ... because your other dog is only 9months old and may very well pick up the barking habit from Ya2 if you are not careful ... Oh ... do go and get a good training book/manual from a book shop (check forum for recommended titles) ... The training book will be worth every penny ...
(This post was edited by surchinmy on Apr 1, 2004, 8:25 PM)
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