Changes in barking, behavior around strangers

[StealthDog]

Winnie came to us after spending 8 of her first 10 months of life in an outdoor kennel, so she's always been a little bit of an odd duck when it comes to socializing with people. She's always fine greeting people outdoors, but indoors she's usually really wary of strangers, particularly in our house (not as much when we are out at a store, at school, etc). She used to just hang back and not go over to see people until she felt comfortable with them, but lately she's decided that anyone that comes into her house is a threat that should be first barked at, then growled at, then she'll decide if she knows you or not, and then she'll either get excited that someone she knows is home, or continue barking if there's a stranger inside. Her growling has never been an aggressive move... it's more of "pre-barking", just another vocalization, but it does sound really threatening and scary to people who don't know her.

She spends most of her time in my room, and I've been trying not letting her see who's at the door until she's quiet... Any other tips for getting her to hush up? It's usually not a big deal to put her in her crate and ignore her until she quiets down, but we'll be moving into an apartment in May, and I don't think our neighbors will appreciate a five-minute-long barking spree every time someone visits. I'd like a way to interrupt the barking so that I can have a chance to praise her for being quiet.

I also can't figure out why the sudden change. It's like her sensitivity was turned way up... She used to rarely bark, and now it's the first thing she does when she hears a car pull up, or someone start to open the door, or a new voice in the house. *sigh* She is a strange dog, suddenly losing old phobias and picking up new ones...

[RedyreRottweilers]

She is at that age when territorial behavior begins to peak.

I would set her up with people to visit. As many as you can get to come to your door, 5 minutes apart. Each person should arrive with DELICIOUS treats.

Keep the dog on lead, ignore any undesireable behaviors, have the people knock on the door, come in, feed the treat without eye contact, and sit down.

They can come faster than every 5 minutes if you can get the treats in her mouth that fast.

You can have 3 or 4 people set up, and after 2 are in the house, then one can leave as the other arrives so that you can flood her with people knocking on the door and giving her treats.

Each time she is given a treat and she is quiet while munching it, give her a verbal command of QUIET.

If you can do this once or twice a week for a while it will desensitise most dogs from going off each time someone comes in or knocks on the door.

Keep some real tasties handy, and give these out ONLY when people knock on the door or come into the house.

As always, I recommend training class, and getting your dog out and about for positive socialization opportunities.

Do you know what breed this dog is?

[Spiritus]

I also can't figure out why the sudden change. It's like her sensitivity was turned way up... She used to rarely bark, and now it's the first thing she does when she hears a car pull up, or someone start to open the door, or a new voice in the house. *sigh* She is a strange dog, suddenly losing old phobias and picking up new ones...

It's because she has now associated the sound of a car, the door opening, new voices, to strangers in the house, and she has also decided the house is hers to guard. In most situations, I would consider this a good thing, but with you moving to an apartment, it is not so good.

To interupt, try using a sharp, quick ah-ah. If she stops, tell her good girl, then tell her to settle. Start teaching her that either "settle" or "enough" means to be quiet. The best way to do this is to interrupt her barking with the command, and then praise when she stops to look at you like you're nuts ;)

Good luck.

[StealthDog]

Winnie is a Pembroke Welsh corgi. We got her in May, when she was 10 months old, and she is now about 1 1/2 years old.

Each person should arrive with DELICIOUS treats.

My problem is that she is so ridiculousy not food-motivated... Her very favorite treats will be ignored (even cat food, the holiest of holy) when she gets focused on something else. She has some problems with anxiety, particularly centered around loud men (my brother can send her into fits of shivering when he's just conversing normally), so we think she former dad was not very nice to her. Thus, her growly-barkiness is mainly at strange men, but she will still bark at strange women occassionally.

As always, I recommend training class, and getting your dog out and about for positive socialization opportunities.

She comes to vet school with me three or four times a week, and has improved tremendously through that (will approach strangers to say hi, doesn't try to climb up my leg when someone wants to pet her, etc), but we're now on Christmas break... perhaps just a week and a half without that socialization outlet is enough to set her back? Her barkiness did get worse once break started.

She is smart but stubborn, and the anxiety on top of that is making her a training challenge... I will keep trying to find a treat that she absolutely can't refuse. Toys also get ignored as soon as someone comes to the door...

and she has also decided the house is hers to guard.

Ha, yeah, that is the truth. She will occassionally wake up out of a dead sleep, stare at the back door, and let out a lowwwww growl. Creepy as *#$@!