BARKING BARKING and more barking

[Time_To_Remember]

Ok, so this is the newest update...
I had the pleasure of being yelled (and sworn at) by the neighbour because my dog has a tendancy to bark at people, but once he gets within 2 feet of them he is wiggling and completely shuts up and wants to be loved....yet the distance is an issue with him, he is a sheltie so yes he LIKES to bark,....
This is where it is werid, I show him i take him to busy places he never barks or even cares to, he is completely content, yet I take him for a walk down the street he sees one person what does he do but BARK his little tail off until they are close then shuts up...its THE MOST EMBARRASING and FRUSTRATING behaviour, and im completely frustrated, I have used "watch me , witha treat (MOST of the time works)" , bark collars, tug on the leash inturrupting the barking, changing directions, nothing..he still does it...
So, does anyone have anny suggestions, videos, anything that i can do to make walks much more enjoyable, because rigth now they are horribly annoying and I cant stand them. his barking is just completely pointless and unnecesary....what else can i be doing????

IM DESPERATE

[Denaluvscorgis]

My Corgi Chloe does that also and I understand what you're going through!! It's very frustrating for sure!! I'm still working with her. I wish I could be more help.

[Renee750il]

Some of the trainers can elaborate more fully, or tell me I'm full of it, lol . . . but it sounds to me like the barking and then getting to interact with people when they get close up is the "reward" for the barking, so the behavior is getting reinforced with the payoff.

Maybe if the barking behavior results in you turning and taking your dog AWAY from the approaching person -- removing the payoff -- and interaction is only allowed if there's no barking, you can start to change the behavior?

[lizzybeth727]

Sounds good, Renee.

I'd also suggest reading the book "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons. The book is about reactive dogs, usually reactive to other dogs, but the training protocol can be used when your dog is reactive to humans, as well. Basically the idea is to click (do some searches on clicker training if you have never done it) when the dog looks at the thing he's reactive to, BEFORE he starts barking. As long as you've taught him what the clicker means, he should immediately turn around to get his treat when he hears the click, which gets his attention off of the thing he's reactive to, thus distracting him before he barks AND teaching him that looking at people gets him treats.

There are some shelties in my agility class that bark more than ANY other dog in the class.... And we have several "noisy" breeds represented! I think part of their problem is that the owners say, "they're shelties, shelties bark." That's true, if you want a quiet dog don't get a sheltie... but still, it's not fun to be barked at for doing nothing, and it's not fun to take instructions from your agility teacher that you can't hear because of excessive barking. So I hope that you will work to make progress on this issue. Good luck!

[Time_To_Remember]

when he does bark and such at people i never let him touch the person or get attention from them because i dont want him thinking its rewarding, he only stops being silly once hes a few feet away from them, even if they ignore him.
i have honestly never tried using the clicker before, but it is something he would definiatly respond to well, so i think ill try that thanks