Watchdog!

[Snooze]

Jake has been with us just 7 wks now and suddenly for the first time this weekend has been displaying watchdog behavior - barking when someone walks past the house or lingers too closely to the house. I like that he does this but want to be careful not to encourage him to become a barking idiot. With my last Rottie, when he did this I would get up to see what was outside and encourage him to look with me (through the window) and then tell him, ok, things are ok - that's enough now. Should I praise him for barking or just look and say, good - enough now?
PS - Jake is about 8 months old
Sue

[SonnyRott]

Is he inside or outside when he barks?

If my dog and I are outside enjoying the sun on the front porch, I do not allow him to bark and make noise at passerbys. Standing up and looking is fine, but there is no need for him to hollar at people when I am right there and there is no threat.

If we are inside and he hears someone walking past or there is someone at the door, it is perfectly acceptable for him to bark and let me know someone is there.

[Snooze]

he only barks indoors when someone is too close to the house

[Patty1231]

I do not discourage alert barking. I do as you did - give a "good boy" and then say "okay enough". And I reinforce the stop if they don't. Personally, I prefer people know they are around - and that I know THEY are around.

[damp]

It is quite normal, that big pups/young dogs start to bark. They feel they are BIG boys/girls, but still insecure and still to immature to handle the situation.

I use to tell the “teenagers”: Ja, ja, ja, I heard you…go lay down!... if they bark in the middle of a night, when the wind shakes the trees outside, when some human teenagers have fun on the footpath Saturday night or what ever they hear, that I don't hear!!!

[derektjeep]

I don't mind them barking. They're being Rottweiler. I wouldn't want to take away their traits. I had a stuff stolen from my yard once. Now having Rottweiler, even Com Ed guy is scared to come in my yard. It's actually funny.

[GuySusanDurnil]

Maynard, age almost 7 months has started barking at everything, too - whether he's in the house or yard. If he can see somebody move, he barks at them. He learned this from our 1.5 year-old shepherd mix, in part. I've been using the suggestions I've heard here - go look to see, then tell the dog it's okay, that's enough.

[rottgirl]

Paradise usually barks indoors if she hears sometime outside, I really don't mind because it lets people know we have a dog. I will check out what's going on and if everything is ok I'll tell her good girl, it's ok and that's enough. I usually discourage barking outside because we have a few dogs in the neighborhood that bark at everything and it's so annoying.

Michele

[craftylady]

I like the fact that Sativa lets me know if someone is outside....we live so far in the woods ( husband works night shift so we are home alone at night) they are either coming to the house or lost or something....she starts out with just a couple of woofers if she hears something but will deffinately let you know if a car is there. She stops once I tell her it is ok. We have lots of deer walk thru our yard and when we first got her that was a problem....she would bark ....now she just lays down and watches them.....It did not take her long to catch on.... caught her laying in the yard watching a cat the other day! But cars or people in the driveway are deffinately alert worthy in my book and I like the fact that she lets me know someone is around. She is not an outside barker.....unless someone comes down the lane to the house....then she lets us know. Makes me think her inside whinning crap when I am gone is just her playing me.....the brat!

[Platzz]

My 10 mo. old female did her 1st solo gaurd bark the other day to a door to door salesguy. The older(non-Rott) dog would normally bark and she would chime in without muchof a clue why.

We have rules ignore people on the street. Bark at people approaching the house and keep barking until told to stop. Then be quite.

[Snooze]

Originally Posted by Platzz

My 10 mo. old female did her 1st solo gaurd bark the other day to a door to door salesguy. The older(non-Rott) dog would normally bark and she would chime in without muchof a clue why.

We have rules ignore people on the street. Bark at people approaching the house and keep barking until told to stop. Then be quite.

Jake doesn't bark if someone comes to the door - he just barks at noises around the perimeter of the house!

[Platzz]

I think Elsa finnally put it together. She's got a pretty deep bark for a girl dog. The funny thing is you can hear the uncertainty in it.

[Snooze]

Originally Posted by Platzz

I think Elsa finnally put it together. She's got a pretty deep bark for a girl dog. The funny thing is you can hear the uncertainty in it.

Yes same with Jake, it's a series of high pitched yips - whereas his growl is downright terrifying. He hasn't learned to refine it yet and it comes deep from his belly, he rarely ever growls and the first time I heard it, it made me sit up and notice!

[Delminico]

Like many others I've never discouraged on my property alert barking. They're allowed to bark a Woof Woof or low growl at unknown autos and people. That's their job. It began as 1 year olds approximately with most of my dogs.

This weekend visiting a lake with a friend, we were alone in very lonely surroundings where there have been bandits at times. My boy went still as we were laughing and swimming off the dock. He turned quickly around and began ferociously barking at movement in the trees which I knew were 3 men I'd spotted walking around earlier. He was off lead, my boy. My female stood alongside him very still and alert. I heard whispering and skulking. I called out, The dogs aren't leashed and won't be so watch it now! The 3 strangers skulked off and stayed away. My work friend and I were glad we had my dogs. Two women alone at a lake house after summer season could be dangerous here. Which is why I take my dogs and why I have the Rottweiler not the Maltese breed.

[RottieMom51503]

Why would you call out to people that have every right to be walking around to watch out for your dogs??? That's your job not their's. Your dogs could have attacked them which would further the bad reputation of Rottweilers. A couple of guys standing around laughing isn't a threat and unless your dogs are trained protection dogs I wouldn't assume they are.