Inappropriate barking

Our new pup, Chester, barks at you when he wants your attention.

We are ignoring him and only paying attention when he stops barking, but is there anything else we can do?

He was with his litter pals for quite a while before we got him and I think suffers from a bit of separation anxiety...he's quite a vocal little fellow.

Maddy does the same too sometimes. Just keep ignoring him. And praise, praise, praise when he's being clam

You're doing the right thing. Just be consistant and absolutely ignore that unwanted behavior....no payoff and like Skyhigh said, reward the desired behavior..and within a couple of weeks you should see some changes.

he's better already, after only a couple of days...bright little button.

One good thing, though, he kind of does a little throat-bark when he needs to potty!! YAY!! It's made toilet-training an exercise of sheer delight....... lol

One of my dogs, Jose will make a sort of bark/whine/gurgle/growl at me. But it's one of his ways of playing and he is really, truly talking to me. He sticks his rear up in the air and wags his tail, takes a few steps backward, sort of pounces and does it again. It's play and I don't discourage that. I think it's cute and playful and his way of talking. I actually talk right back to him in a silly voice. I'm trying to teach him to do it on command, so I say, "Talk to me" in a squeeky, baby voice. LOL.

So, I don't know exactly how your dog is barking, but if it's a demanding type thing and really annoying, then I would also want it to stop. But what Jose is doing is not excessive. He doesn't do it every time he wants attention. It's just when he's in a certain, goofy mood. So, I guess it's really an individual thing and there are lots of variables.

the hardest part for Victor was not barking when we played the flashlight game..he would get so excited, but one bark and it was turned off for a few minutes..i was beginning to think he would never put two and two together but he finalllllllly did. Now we can enjoy our play for much longer periods of time.

It's not annoying - it's kind of a `Hey! Pay attention!' type bark. He'll also do it if he's trying to get up on the bed or lounge or whatever and I won't help him out. He can do it on his own so he's just being lazy...lol.

He did bark at one of the cats the other day, though, which is a definite no no (it was only a little bark but I don't want to encourage that at all) and occasionally when he is really playing with one of his toys he'll get this cute little whiney/growly thing which I don't stop because he's just communicating!

Hows he going with Ruby?

Hmmmm not too good. She is FULL ON - wants to play, but ends up chasing him into a corner while he shrieks and yelps and whines as if he's about to die. She just doesn't get it - hasn't been around enough other dogs in her early young life to understand how strong and intimidating she can be.

We are really working on some remedial training in socialisation, and I have contacted everyone I know with adult dogs to organise play-dates so she can have a chance to get to know other dogs better in a more controlled environment.

I just bought a huge piece of lattice fencing and put it over one doorway, so they can both be inside together, but she has the run of the house, and can sniff and look at Chester as much as she likes without being able to get at him. Plus, he can then get used to her as well, so not every experience he has with her is one of pure terror.

I'm sure once he's bigger, not so new, and sure of himself, things will be better. She is having her spay on Friday and I'm just hoping that will settle her down a bit, too.

But any advice on those two would be greatly appreciated!!

When the puppy is cornered and yelps does the other one let go or back away? They say that if when the one that is getting hurts yelps and the other backs off that is a good thing. At our house when Cocoa gets the best of the new puppy and he yelps she'll stop but then of course the new puppy goes right back for more.

Unfortunately, no, she does not back off.

However things are going much better - we let them sniff and carry on through the baby gate, and their tails are both going mental. He barks a bit at her which makes her jump, but I guess they're just sorting stuff out.

She sticks her butt in his face, he sniffs her all over, they lick each other's noses - it's really cute. After her spay we will let them be together (supervised of course) without a barrier, but for now it's the gate or nothing!!