Fear barking?

[smileygirl]

We use the "thank you" approach here too. When the dogs are set off, we investigate, come to them...thank you...then enough if the ruckus continues. Zena is a "squirrel snorter" and I do not acknowledge her for the behavior. However when Isis has an issue I investigate...thank you...and it is over. I dismissed their concern once about a week ago and found out later that week that our little post office( about a block away) was broken into at that time on that evening. I thought with the warmer weather the skunks were trying to borrow next to the door....Tina

[Zumie05]

Well I finally enrolled Gary into another obedience class. I know that we are so overdue...he finished his puppy kindergarten oh maybe when he was 4.5 months old and has been out of classes more than two months now. It doesn't mean that I haven't been continuing with his socialization though!

We start this Thursday at a place called The Academy of Canine Behavior, and I am going to talk to my trainer about building up Gary's confidence to hopefully help him not feel the need to bark at strange things. He also is really hyper (I know it has nothing to do with this thread lol) when people come over. Not to the point where he is jumping, but he just invades personal space my coming over and putting his head in your lap and then he doesn't stop licking your hands...it's really annoying (all I do right now is tell him to stop, and if he doesn't I put him on his bed and make him stay), so I am going to ask about that too!

I have heard that agility works wonders in confidence building, so maybe after this class I can get him into a puppy starter agility course, if they have anything like that.

Thanks for everyone's advice!

[smileygirl]

You are on the right track! My squirrel snorter, Zena, was directed by our trainer to agility to improve her confidence and wear off some of the ENDLESS energy! At almost four...much more confident...diagnosed OCD with licking BUT a WONDERFUL part of our family! Good Luck...Tina

[princessmom]

Where do you find agility classes? I don't trust the ones that the pet store here has. Is there a common listing or something?

[Zumie05]

Originally Posted by princessmom

Where do you find agility classes? I don't trust the ones that the pet store here has. Is there a common listing or something?

The place I am going to isn't a pet store. It is a big facility. I haven't been there yet, but as soon as I go and see the place I will let you know what the agility section looks like and what not.

I just noticed when I was signing Gary up on their website it had said they offer agility classes.

Here's a link to the place's class info.

Classes

[Zumie05]

Well I just got back from my first night of classes at the new place. Gary barked a lot more than I would have liked, but I can't really blame him. So many of the other dogs were way excited and barking, so he was barking too (although this time I don't think he was scared and barking, so that is good at least!).

They had water bottles filled with water mixed with vinegar to help stop the barking once the instructor began to talk. Ever since he was 10 weeks he liked being sprayed in the face with water, but he loves the vinegar in the water too apparantly. *sigh*

As far as the rest of class, it was all talking and Gary was quite an embarassment. He couldn't sit still. He was barking, biting at his leash, rolling around all over my feet, and would not calm. He was panting the whole time, pulling out to the end of his leash.

I brought treats and was telling him leave it and watch me, which he would, and once the treat went away back at it he was. The only real way to have had him be good for the entire class would to have been literally feed him a treat every second.

I'm ready to pull my hair out! Some days he is fearful, other days out of control (tonight) and hyper.

[smileygirl]

Don't get discouraged! Gary will get it! Maybe feed him his entire dinner bit-by-bit while in training! If he is anthing like Zena with the boundless energy, the calories won't hurt him. I just make sure the treats are beneficial..salmon..cheese..no grain product treats.Tina

[alice's mommy]

Ahhh, Zumie05, I feel for you! Arthur and I had our first class at our new place on Thursday and it went fairly well, although I can't stand it when other owners of smaller dogs can't keep their dogs beside them and they come to Arthur (there's a no-socialization rule with the dogs) and I have to somehow haul his huge butt back to me! lol
Maybe one of your main goals for Gary during these classes will be to get him to focus his attention on you. Heck, if you're main-lining him treats steadily through the entire class and he's paying attention to YOU and not barking, I think that's wonderful progress! And remember, he's surrounded by brand new dogs/people/sounds/smells...it's understandable he'd be all over the place at first! I bet by week four he'll be much easier. :)

[Zumie05]

I can only hope so. Gary used to never bark. Gradually it has become more frequent. Especially since last night, now he barks whenever he hears the door open! He used to only bark at the door ooh maybe 30% of the time I'd say...now its bout 95%. I hate barking with a passion!

Anyways, next Thursday Gary is getting no dinner and if I have to stuff treats into his mouth for the entire 1.5 hour session, then whatever. Last week was hard because like I said, we didn't do anything. We literally sat there for 1.5 hours and listened to the instructor talk. Next week when we actually work I have a feeling that Gary will be a little better...I HOPE

I really can't stand this barking thing though. When I correct Gary for barking (using water mixed with vinegar in a spray bottle now) he hates it and spits out the flavor...yet he barks again. I swear this knucklehead does not care one bit about getting a correction.

I wanted to add that I'm not freaking out and yelling at him for barking anymore, as the instructor made me realize that by me telling him SHH SHH all the time it was to Gary as if I was barking with him and he had to match my level of intensity which is why he kept barking more and more after I told him not to. So I really am relying on the water bottle thing but am afraid it is soon not going to be an option anymore.

I'm considering a cintronella spray bark collar for his barking (I don't want to have to shock him, unless it gets really out of control I will do what it takes to get him to hush). Anyone ever have any experience with that collar or other types?