Quit Dog = No Speak

[Brooke&Ryan]

Hey All,
Julius is almost 6 months now and barks once in a blue moon. He barks when someone comes to the door and MAYBE at a toy and/or our cat if he can't get to him/it. I would say on average we hear a bark a week. My aunt which trains has a German Shepard that can say "I Want It" & "I Love You" on command and it actually sounds like the phrase! Has anyone with as quite of a dog as Julius ever taught their pup to speak? I have read a couple posts on teaching dogs the speak command and I can see Julius getting bored with me before he would ever get frustrated and bark out of frustration. We have not gone into extensive training with him on the speak command (yes he is in obedience), but have tried a couple times. Anyone have luck?

Sorry, the topic meant to say "Quiet Dog=No Speak". Oops!

Thanks!

Ryan

[Rott-Wiley]

Yeah, rotties can be really quite. My last two were extremely quiet. I have taught Bailey to speak when I open and close my hand, like my thumb and four fingers opening and closing. She'll do that on command for food, no problem. But other than that, I'm not even sure she does speak on her own maybe once a week if that. Maybe if I get her fired up she'll talk back but she really isn't very vocal.

I used to have dobermans so this is a refreshing change.

[Luvs]

Akasha is very vocal. She will speak if I use the hand signal that Rot-Wiley described or if I give her the verbal command. She was really easy to teach to speak and has been doing it since she was 10 weeks old. I got a toy that she wanted really bad and when she started getting exicted about it and started barking I gave her the command with the hand signal and she picked up really fast what I wanted. She is the first rottie I have had that is this vocal.

I have had alot of fun with her being so vocal, although sometimes it can be a pain lol;) When I ask her, "Do you love me?" she barks and when I ask her, "How much?" she barks even louder. She barks when I tell her to say please and thank you:D

Our male Keil is not very vocal at all and we have had a hard time getting him to speak. Every now and then something will get him going and we can get him to speak but he soon stops. He is the total opposite of his sister, but then that's one of the things we love about him. ;)

[Brooke&Ryan]

I would LOVE to get Julius to speak. There are times in the middle of the night when he will bark at something outside while he is in his crate. We are surrounded by student housing on both sides of our house so someone is ALWAYS out & about. At that time we cannot reinforce the speak command. Really that's usually the ONLY time he'll do that.

Later on in our training class we're supposed to learn how to do tricks....I think. We did ask the trainer & she told us what I've read on here. To take one of the dogs favorite toys & not give it to them & finally the dog will bark in frustration. I realllyyyy don't see Julius doing that. I think he would much rather just flop on the floor & watch me playing with his "favorite" toy.

:)
Brooke

[Rott-Wiley]

Another way to teach him to speak is to get yourself a nice piece of blood red roast beef and let him smell it. Next tell him to "Go Woof! Come on, Speak!" at the same time give him the hand signal. Repeat as needed. He'll get it, just be patient with him. And don't give the reward if you don't get the behavior. When he does speak, pretend he just did the best thing he could have possibily done in his entire life. That helps the learning process.

[LynnS]

we taught Bella to speak by issuing the command and barking at her LOL we have also taught her to sing by howling in unison until she joins in (totally obnoxious to anyone who can hear us I am sure) - she is not too fond of eithr request though.

Speak usually gets of a very quiet woof (more like grunt) and sing typically gets us a whine and a pissed off look -