Losing all hope..Barking at everyone

[PappiLuv]

I socialized Della A LOT when she was a puppy. Basically everywhere I went she would go and all her interactions were good ones. She was always excited to see people, until about three months ago.

When I take her for walks and she sees a person she starts barking very aggressively and growling. The weird part is once she gets near to that person she wags her tail and seems happy. I can't find any way to stop her from barking. I've tried distracting her with treats and that doesn't seem to work. It's become a HUGE problem, I can't take her anywhere because she barks and howls and growls non stop at anyone she sees.

Also, I live in an apartment complex and I have neighbors who constantly walk up and down the stairs and into their apartment. Whenever she hears any noise she barks and howls extremely loud until the noise stops. I don't mind her alerting me once that she heard something, but the constant barking has got to stop. I've tried to teach her to bark on command but that doesn't work (strangely enough) and so I don't know how to teach her to stop on command. I'm really at my wits end.

Please help! I can't take her anywhere because I am so embarrassed about how out of control she is.

 

[squirtsmom]

Hang in there, someone here will be able tohelp you. Maybe she is very protective and that is why she acts that way towards other people. I don't know.

 

[Charliesmommy]

When she barks and you "distract" her with treats, you are actually reinforcing her barking. She barks, she gets a treat. That is reinforcing.

With my dog, when he barks at something I don't want him to, I completely ignore him. don't even look at him. just continue with whatever I am doing and even look away from him.

If you're on a walk and she barks at someone, just keep walking, paying the dog no attention whatsoever. She will soon figure out that barking is not the appropriate response.

 

[Doberluv]

Get the book, Click to Calm, by Emma Parsons. She'll take you through a systematic desesatization program. Basically, you need to reinforce good behavior, but you need to set her up to succeed by working from a comfortable distance at first. I highly recommend that book.

 

[Dekka]

Depends on your breed Charlie. JRTs can (and have) barked for hours solid, they don't care one whit if you are paying attention or not.

The cookie method works well IF you get the dog to do something for it. Either give cookie when they are quiet for a split second. Or distract dog, ask for sit, give cookie. Unless it is fear based (which this doesnt sound like) then you can offer cookies at will, cause its not a consious behaviour under stimulus control, but an emotional one. (ie 2 year old child terrified of storms, is not going to get any better if you ignore thier screaming. How ever if you take them out of bed, make them a cup of hot chocolate and tell them stories about how thunder is only noise etc etc)

edited to add as we were posting at the same time, click to calm is a great book.

 

[PappiLuv]

Thank you for your advice guys. I have tried ignoring her, and that doesn't seem to help. I think I'll need to get someone (like a trainer or someone with more experience) to come to my house and help me with her. I have had dogs before, but none of them barked like this. She just doesn't care what I think of her barking, and sometimes it almost seems like she can't control it. Other than this problem she's perfect, and It's not the worst kind of problem I'm sure.

 

[Doberluv]

She just doesn't care what I think of her barking,

You hit the nail on the head. She does not have the ability to analyze what you think about something, what is going on in your internal make-up.

and sometimes it almost seems like she can't control it.

She can, but it will take training and ignoring won't work because it is a self-rewarding behavior. Dogs like to bark. They bark for all kinds of reasons.

Again, I reiterate my recommendation for the book I mentioned.

 

[SisMorphine]

Where are you located? Someone on here may know of a trainer in your area who can help you.

Unfortunately I am dealing with a similar problem myself (but mine is only with people who stand outside of her safe circle and stare her down . . . idiots), so the advice I was given was to feed feed feed feed and eventually people staring her down will mean look at mom, she's got food. I do not feed her WHEN she is barking, but when I see someone setting themselves up into that outer circle I am supposed to take out my food and get her before she starts barking.

Now I just have to remember to bring food with me everywhere . . .

 

[Fran27]

Tips is the same way, except out of the house he only does it with dogs, not people... I feel your pain. And it's not by lack of socialization either

 

[Brattina88]

Did anything happen 3mos ago that made her bahavior change?? Just wondering . . .

 

[BlackPuppy]

When my girl gets excited and starts barking at another dog, I make her look at me and sit and then down and then "Good Girl!". By then the other dog is gone and we're both happy.

 

[Jynx]

my sister's pap is one barking little machine *vbg*...he picked it up from her labs, because he was pretty quiet when he first came to live with her..he has a motive to his barking tho,,to alert the household when someone comes to the door *vbg*..otherwise he's pretty quiet..

diane