Little Mr. "Perfect" is becoming a barker!

[lindamarie]

OH! This sooooooo ticks me off! Bogart has become a barker!
Whereas he is perfect in Service and Therapy and never a peep out of him.....he has become SO territorial in the house and yard!
We have decided to make him PLACE on his mat everytime he barks at another dog outside when he's inside......and it the yard, I have to give the NO BARK until I sound as bad as he does!
Then, the other day, he was in the house and this one dog walked by with the owner. This dog always gets him going. Bogart knows him from walks and the dog sets him off as he gets alpha with Bogart.
So, I was having breakfast and that dog walked by. Bogart was on the couch (his covered spot) when he went into this ferocious bark! I had something in my mouth and couldn't say PLACE clearly. I wound up grabbing his collar to get him to PLACE and I turned my finger backwards!
I am now wearing a splint! OUCH!

He never barks anywhere else! On walks, church, malls......anywhere but home! Umm..........after the finger incident...we have some work to do. He was always sooooooo quiet! The terrible TWO'S?????

[Jac]

An experienced trainer told me that Labradoodles don't fully mature until 3 years of age. She advised one of our service dog owners not to push him too far, too fast...and to remember that even though he is big, he is a puppy until 3 years old.
Bogie may be going through a puppy phase.
I just ordered a book that I am anxious to read...you might want to get it too...it is called "Control Unleashed" by Leslie McDevitt. It is highly recommended by the owner/clicker training group that I belong to...it teaches you how to get your dog to focus and avoid stressful situations. It is aimed at dogs in agility training (because they get so excited that it is hard to get them to focus on the training with all of the other dogs around...)
On the back cover it says: "Who needs Control Unleashed?" And then it lists:
Dogs that are unable to work off lead around other dogs
Dogs that are easily distracted and have difficulty concentrating
Dogs that are reactive or easily aroused
Dogs that are anxious or stressed and shut down
Dogs that are unable to control their impulses when excited

Soooo, it might help!

[lindamarie]

Thanks, Jac! I wonder if they have that at Borders?

I keep forgetting Bogart is only 2. He is so darn good, that it skips my mind.
Tonight, we took him to the Easter Vigil. Almost 3 hours long and he was soooooooooo good! One time, the choir hit the cymbals and a high note and his head shot up so fast! .............but he never got up or showed fear OR barked!

After the Vigil......a special needs boy came running over to him. This little boy was soooooooo cute! He looked like a little elf! He was 12 years old and only about 3 ft high. He had Bogart in a headlock and was kissing and licking him! SO, of course, Bogart kissed and licked back!
I soooooo wish I had my camera! This went on for 15 minutes or more. People were taking pictures and oohing and awwing. SO CUTE!!
Then, we get home.....and Bogart barks at the window w/in 10 minutes!

[Jac]

What a cute story of Bogie and the child! Those are the types of children that our Doods really do connect with. They have a way of communicating with our dogs that we don't even understand yet.

Very sweet Easter story!

I have to laugh at Bogie and the cymbals...I nearly scared my puppies out of their skins today...we were all sitting in the bedroom (the puppy nursery) and the pups were all circled around their dinner, chowing down, and I had to sneeze...well, I am NOT one of those dainty sneezers! I sneezed a loud one and you would have thought I dropped a bomb in the middle of their food bowl! They scattered in all directions! I laughed and laughed...and they recovered quickly and came back for more food...but it was so funny! (I think that my sneeze and the cymbals were the same effect!)

[MaxandMe]

LINDA in a way maybe his barking is his release/play thing he does when Bogie isn't working
HOWEVER
you can teach him to HUSH and THANK HIM and he might stop.......it works for me w/Max and Peanut

only time it doesn't is when Dave or my son drive in driveway but i make them then sit and be quiet

I used treats ...I'd call them when they barked and say HUSH. They come to me and sit i'd hold my finger Say HUSH and wait about 5 seconds
if they stayed Quiet i'd give em a treat. I do this constantly all day and night long as school buses, bikers and mailman, UPS

Soooooooo perfect time to say THANK YOU (as they're doing their job alerting me ) and say HUSH, wait a few seconds if they don't bark they
get a treat. I'd also do this in house call them and say HUSH again holding finger to my mouth and treat them. Eventually their ONLY TREAT is
MY PRAISE and a HUG.

About 3 days later they really listen ............I DO thank them for barking and they quiet down as they are doing their job
telling me someone is in driveway.

NOW remember at 2yrs old Bogie isn't fully mature yet.


PS every few months or so i do a refresher

[lindamarie]

LOL, JAC!!
Thanks annmarie..........it's getting better with the command to PLACE. But I will try your method.