[joyadevivre]

Hello Friends, Our girl turned 6 months last week. A few days ago while we were outside in the yard, she started barking incessantly. I thought it was because a neighbor dog was out but that dog only gets let out for 10 minutes twice/day and I was outside in the yard with my pup and didn't see the neighbor's dog. The last two days my girl is barking at our kitchen door. She will not come when I call her. I go out and there's no one, no animals there. We live up a steep private road and there are no other cars or people going by. We do have deer and other forest and garden animals but I couldn't see any. She keeps doing this. I put her in her ex-pen and she's very sad, even with enrichment games.

I think I need to work more on recall so that she comes no matter what the distraction, but I don't have any idea how to deal with the incessant barking.

Thanks for any tips.

I have a second one coming tomorrow who is about 9 weeks, same age that she was when we got her.

Wish me luck!

 

[krandall]

Many puppies bark more during adolescence. And remember, even if YOU can’t hear or smell something, their senses are MUCH more astute than ours are. They are rarely wrong when they say “something is there”.

As to “not coming when called”… 6 months is EXACTLY the age when they start to test that. Do not EVER call her unless you ar 95% sure that she will come. If you are not sure she will reapind correctly, she needs to be on a line. She is MUCH too young to have a reliable recall at this age.

These are a couple of the reasons that most breeders suggest that people not get two puppies so close in age. You’re going to have your hands full! That said, it CAN be done. You just need to be very thoughtful about your training.

 

[LWalks]

Hello Friends, Our girl turned 6 months last week. A few days ago while we were outside in the yard, she started barking incessantly. I thought it was because a neighbor dog was out but that dog only gets let out for 10 minutes twice/day and I was outside in the yard with my pup and didn't see the neighbor's dog. The last two days my girl is barking at our kitchen door. She will not come when I call her. I go out and there's no one, no animals there. We live up a steep private road and there are no other cars or people going by. We do have deer and other forest and garden animals but I couldn't see any. She keeps doing this. I put her in her ex-pen and she's very sad, even with enrichment games.

I think I need to work more on recall so that she comes no matter what the distraction, but I don't have any idea how to deal with the incessant barking.

Thanks for any tips.

I have a second one coming tomorrow who is about 9 weeks, same age that she was when we got her.

Wish me luck!

Others will probably have more suggestions, but I’m wondering if it’s fear based—-when my girl was around 7 months, she went through a fear period, where things that had never bothered her before suddenly were terrifying (and she barks when there’s something scary, so we had the same behavior). I vividly remember one night when she decided the toilet was the scariest thing in the entire world, was growling and barking at it, and wouldn’t go near it. The laundry basket also elicited a similar response one day. So I wonder if there is something ‘normal’ in your yard that she sees that she’s suddenly finding scary?

The way we dealt with the fear was desensitization— at first, she’d get a treat (thrown in the opposite direction from the scary thing) just for looking at the thing. Then, for moving closer to it. It’s important that the treat is thrown away from the object so they aren’t going beyond their comfort level just to get food— rather they’re making the choice to go closer each time they’re rewarded. It takes time, but works very well, as long as you keep them under threshold (ie start from a distance where the thing is not a thread, and take it slow.)

If you’re having trouble getting her to come, maybe take her out on a leash so you can get a bit more of a handle on what’s going on to trigger the barking, and not have to worry about recall.

 

[Pucks104]

Issac did the same thing about that age. I would walk over to him and quietly tell him - shush, no barking. If he stopped I would tell him “good quiet, good boy”. If he didn’t stop I would touch him and say “quiet, no barking” in a calm, firm tone. If he quieted I praise him softly. If not I picked him up and carried him back inside. He is getting much better about listening but I still follow the same strategy if he barks. My neighbor has a dog that barks incessantly when outside. None of mine will be THAT dog! My older dogs do not do bark like that and the puppies will learn that mindless barking is not permitted as well. It requires this period of highly engaged management until the pups understand. Also I do think a fear period plays a role in that things they didn’t pay attention to suddenly seem to elicit barking.

 

[krandall]

Issac did the same thing about that age. I would walk over to him and quietly tell him - shush, no barking. If he stopped I would tell him “good quiet, good boy”. If he didn’t stop I would touch him and say “quiet, no barking” in a calm, firm tone. If he quieted I praise him softly. If not I picked him up and carried him back inside. He is getting much better about listening but I still follow the same strategy if he barks. My neighbor has a dog that barks incessantly when outside. None of mine will be THAT dog! My older dogs do not do bark like that and the puppies will learn that mindless barking is not permitted as well. It requires this period of highly engaged management until the pups understand. Also I do think a fear period plays a role in that things they didn’t pay attention to suddenly seem to elicit barking.

I agree completely about the mindless barking! For some dogs, barking itself becomes self-rewarding. Not for my dogs! I DO have a problem where I live, because we have a big flock of turkeys that taunt the dogs, right outside the fence. Even with them, though, prolonged barking is not allowed. They know that if they continue barking, they are going to get called inside and yard time will be over…

 

[LWalks]

I agree completely about the mindless barking! For some dogs, barking itself becomes self-rewarding. Not for my dogs! I DO have a problem where I kive, because we have a big flock of turkeys that taunt the dogs, right outside the fence. Even with them, though, prolonged barking is not allowed. They know that if they continue barking, they are going to get called inside and yard time will be over…

Yes— they definitely learn quickly when the thing they want to be doing (being outside, looking out the window) is taken away!

 

[joyadevivre]

Thank you all for such thoughtful and compassionate responses. 🙏 I plan to spend the next few months on dog 🐶🐶 training and dog loving 😍, knowing there will be many frustrations. I hear you Krandall on getting 2 so close together and we thought a lot about it. It's the same breeder, same sire, related dams, and I think we can do it. ;-). I'll keep you posted. 💫 I recently completed the 2 week Puppy Blueprint series which was very eye-opening, but at the time I didn't have a barker so didn't pay attention to the bark presentations, but I'll go back now and check them out.

I'm very grateful for all of your knowledge and appreciate you sharing your experience and wisdom.

 

[joyadevivre]

Many puppies bark more during adolescence. And remember, even if YOU can’t hear or smell something, their senses are MUCH more astute than ours are. They are rarely wrong when they say “something is there”.

As to “not coming when called”… 6 months is EXACTLY the age when they start to test that. Do not EVER call her unless you ar 95% sure that she will come. If you are not sure she will reapind correctly, she needs to be on a line. She is MUCH too young to have a reliable recall at this age.

These are a couple of the reasons that most breeders suggest that people not get two puppies so close in age. You’re going to have your hands full! That said, it CAN be done. You just need to be very thoughtful about your training.

Thank you for this wonderful feedback and info. The part about DO NOT CALL HER UNLESS YOU"RE 95% she'll come is very helpful to my husband and me. Also yes, perhaps we will put her on a line.

 

[joyadevivre]

Great thoughts about fear, and ways to handle it. Toilets can be scary! ;-) No seriously, I can't imagine what it's like for a puppy to have all these new things, sounds, sights, etc. in its environment.

 

[joyadevivre]

How old is Isaac now? Beautiful dog.

 

[krandall]

Thank you all for such thoughtful and compassionate responses. 🙏 I plan to spend the next few months on dog 🐶🐶 training and dog loving 😍, knowing there will be many frustrations. I hear you Krandall on getting 2 so close together and we thought a lot about it. It's the same breeder, same sire, related dams, and I think we can do it. ;-). I'll keep you posted. 💫 I recently completed the 2 week Puppy Blueprint series which was very eye-opening, but at the time I didn't have a barker so didn't pay attention to the bark presentations, but I'll go back now and check them out.

I'm very grateful for all of your knowledge and appreciate you sharing your experience and wisdom.

I did it with two who were 6 months apart, so not QUITE as close as your two, but almost... I wouldn't recommend it, but it was the right puppy at the wrong time and we made it work! There are definite disadvantages, and you REALLY have to pay attention to what you are doing. but it can be done!

 

[Pucks104]

How old is Isaac now? Beautiful dog.

Issac is 8.5 months and Pepper is 15 weeks. It’s busy but so far going really well. I have 3 puppy pens set up and 3 grated potty trays which Pepper uses occasionally typically when he first wakes up or right after he eats if we aren’t quick enough to get him out. We both are at home most of the time. There is a lot of time spent playing outside even with all this year’s rain. I started Issac in puppy classes in the summer and he is now in a beginner class. Pepper is in puppy class. It helps with exposure to more people and dogs in a very controlled setting. I take them separately to other places. Pepper just got his 3rd Parvo/distemper shot yesterday so soon he can go out to more places with us when we walk our other dogs. Enjoy both your pups. They grow up fast!

 

[joyadevivre]

🐶🐶 Same thing here timing vs. the right doggie. We'll work hard on making this work. I've read reports of challenges with this age difference and also some success stories.

 

[joyadevivre]

Issac is 8.5 months and Pepper is 15 weeks.

Oh I didn't realize you had two pup also. I like your set up. We have one other dog and several playmates for when the time is right. I am either brave or crazy! Or a bit of both!!! I'm retired and my husband works part time at home so they are with us all the time. We have a very large 6' fenced area outside and a several ex-pens of different sizes inside the house, and 4 crates for 3 dogs. I took up all my nice wool Turkish area rugs for um, maybe up to a year??? ;-) And we have a lot of gates and barriers around the house.

 

[joyadevivre]

Others will probably have more suggestions,

You have great suggestions. Thank you.

 

[krandall]

🐶🐶 Same thing here timing vs. the right doggie. We'll work hard on making this work. I've read reports of challenges with this age difference and also some success stories.

The most important thing is to be aware of the pitfalls and work to avoid them. It is DEFINITELY doable. You just have to be thinking about it all the time. There is no "just letting the puppies grow up".

 

[krandall]

Great thoughts about fear, and ways to handle it. Toilets can be scary! ;-) No seriously, I can't imagine what it's like for a puppy to have all these new things, sounds, sights, etc. in its environment.

My son, when he was very young used to be terrified of the toilet flushing. He was really pretty funny. In the beginning, he wasn't flushing the toilet, and we thought he was just being lazy about it. So we started being more insistent about it, and "checking" and sending him back in. He would quickly flush and run out as fast as his little legs could carry him with this little squeal under his breath! Poor little mite! LOL!

We compromised that if he needed to go to the bathroom at NIGHT, he had a pass and didn't need to flush until the morning! LOL!

 

[krandall]

"I took up all my nice wool Turkish area rugs for um, maybe up to a year??? ;-)"

We seem to have been in a state of "young dogs" either of our own or visiting for so long now, that we have just KEPT them up in most of the first floor. We still have a lovely one in the family room, but that room is gated off unless we are in there with the dogs. Not for potty training issues, but because of the leather couches. Too much wildness on the couches leads to them getting scratched up. So they are allowed in there when we are in there, to sit with us while we're watching TV, or visiting with guests, or sometimes to train. But there is not need for it to be part of their "pay circuit".

And the same with the upstairs. Orientals in every room and hall runners, but the dogs are only up there if we are.Girls in heat, dogs puking, puppies, old dogs... it doesn't matter. And the BIGGEST "upstairs problem"... Panda removing all the pillows from every.single.bed in the house!!! LOL! So no dogs allowed upstairs without supervision!!!

 

[Melissa Brill]

... And the BIGGEST "upstairs problem"... Panda removing all the pillows from every.single.bed in the house!!! LOL! So no dogs allowed upstairs without supervision!!!

It's funny what they'll obsess about. Cousin Zadie (standard poodle so able to reach things that Perry can't) is obsessed with pulling down the dish rags - we usually hang them over the side of the sink when they're drying and she will immediately walk over to them and, if you don't catch her in the act" pull them off the sink. She doesn't want to chew on them or anything - once they fall down, she's done with them, but sh e definitely wants to pull them down. every. single. time.

 

[Johanna]

This post reminded me about a book I ordered several months ago by a Trainer/Behaviorist that is well respected around the world. I bought the book and then things got busy and I totally forgot about it. I'm going to have to pull it off the shelf and read it now! The author is Turid Rugaas and the book is called "Barking: The Sound of a Language". It addresses barking behavior and steps to understand it and manage it. I was first introduced to her years ago with her book "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals"... that book was so informative and life changing for me on understanding and communicating with my dogs that when I found out she had a book on barking behavior, I knew I wanted to read it. If for nothing else, then just information. The books are short and easy reads (maybe 100 pages). Her books are available on Amazon and I would definitely recommend reading them!