# Cutting back on barking



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Ok, I have until February 18th to get my dogs to cut back on their barking. My roommate says they're "borderline annoying" and won't let me get my Doberman puppy unless I can get them to keep the barking to a minimum. 

Here's the problem: if someone comes to the door, they go crazy running down the hall and barking their heads off until the person has come in the door and said hello to them. They also like to run to people passing my back fence and bark at them too. 

I am open to any and all suggestions to make this happen and plan on working my butt off on this task, I just need to know how to go about making it happen.


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## g00dgirl (Nov 18, 2009)

Victoria Stilwell has several episodes of "It's me or the dog" that deal with barking at the door and sitting still when visitors come over.
Here is a short clip, I need to go study for a test right now. But you can also search for it's me or the dog zulu (zulu is the name of the dog) and you'll see a whole episode unless it's been taken down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V5upirZrPI

I have a feeling that when your roommate says "borderline" annoying, they probably mean annoying and are just being nice about it. It's good that they brought it up though and now you can work with them to sort it out. You may want to involve them with the training to so they know what to do when they bark (don't just yell at them).
Good luck!


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

rannmiller said:


> Ok, I have until February 18th to get my dogs to cut back on their barking. My roommate says they're "borderline annoying" and won't let me get my Doberman puppy unless I can get them to keep the barking to a minimum.


How many dogs do you have? PLUS one more that you WANT? 

Did you start out having all these dogs, or just gradually added them? And was the roomie part of the decision making process?

I'm bringing this up because it seems like there's an underlying issue here.

Pax,


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

SubMariner said:


> How many dogs do you have? PLUS one more that you WANT?
> 
> Did you start out having all these dogs, or just gradually added them? And was the roomie part of the decision making process?
> 
> ...


I have two dogs (25 lbs and 45 lbs) and I want this doberman puppy. I actually lived in this house first and have about $300 - $400 on the deposit plus the original $300 pet deposit I paid, whereas this roommate has only $200. Then I moved to SLC and he moved in, and then I moved back about 5 months later last Thursday. So we've never actually lived together before this point but I got him into the house in the first place when I moved out. 

I've just be through an extremely difficult process in my life where my life is basically turned upside and I've lost so much already. This puppy is the one thing that I can still have that I had hoped and expected to have. She is my dream dog and I've already gone through a lot to get her, so it means the world to me for me to be able to bring her home. 

His thing seems to be, that he managed to get rid of our other roommate's obnoxious dog because it would sit in his room and howl all day long. So now he seems to think he's like, ultimate controller of the dogs and their behavior in the house.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

What happens if you bring in the pup anyway and he doesn't want it? What can he do? Anything more than move out? Would that bother you if he did? I think what I am asking is why do you need his permission to get the pup?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Roommates are easy to come by if he doesn't like you getting the puppy. I guess in this case it really is a situation of "Its me or the dog" LOL :wink:

But it is a good thing to try and work with your dogs about barking less...I am currently, and unsuccessfully, working with my dogs to bark less. So I don't think I could be much help in this situation!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I used to have 2 Goldens that barked at people walking on the street in front of the house when they saw them out the window. I would go to the window to "investigate" and tell them something like, "Oh, thats Mrs Blank. She lives up the street. It's OK for her to be there. Come on lets go in the den." Then I'd take them with me to the den. All the time I'm acting like its no big deal. In time they learned that people in the street are OK. This process took a lot longer than 3 weeks. More like 3 months or so but they soon got the idea and if they barked after that, I could just yell "quite!" and they would stop. Except for my dearly departed, love of my life, Skylar ... I would yell "quite, Skylar!!!" Then she would bark almost in a whisper so you could barely hear it. :biggrin: Damn, I still miss that girl after 5 years. She was the smartest dog I have ever lived with. My heart dog.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

^^^ Holy crap!!! You yell?!?!?! LOL :biggrin:


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

danemama08 said:


> ^^^ Holy crap!!! You yell?!?!?! LOL :biggrin:


In the house we lived in at the time, the living room was little used. I would usually be either in the den or computer room so I would yell from where I was. I wouldn't walk into the room and yell. :smile:


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

i tell my shelties "enough" which means stop barking. but they do not stop barking. they both whisper bark! its the cutest funnies thing!


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

RawFedDogs said:


> What happens if you bring in the pup anyway and he doesn't want it? What can he do? Anything more than move out? Would that bother you if he did? I think what I am asking is why do you need his permission to get the pup?


Well the main problem so far is that he JUST signed onto the lease and I'm currently off of the lease (since I moved and all). I don't know what he'd do if I got the pup without his "permission." Kick me out maybe? I've thought about offering to pay more money in rent so that his gets lower but that seems very manipulative of him to me. I dunno. I'd like him to enjoy the dogs too and I'd rather not ruin our friendship over this. 




ruckusluvr said:


> i tell my shelties "enough" which means stop barking. but they do not stop barking. they both whisper bark! its the cutest funnies thing!


well so far the best progress I've made is I'll let Penny (the problem child who encourages Milo) get about 2 barks out then I tell her "That's enough" and take her away from the door. As soon as she's quiet I praise and praise her for being quiet to reinforce the behavior but I don't know if that's doing it right. She just keeps doing it when I'm not there so I guess training my roommates would help keep it more consistent.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

rannmiller said:


> Well the main problem so far is that he JUST signed onto the lease and I'm currently off of the lease (since I moved and all). I don't know what he'd do if I got the pup without his "permission." Kick me out maybe? I've thought about offering to pay more money in rent so that his gets lower but that seems very manipulative of him to me. I dunno. I'd like him to enjoy the dogs too and I'd rather not ruin our friendship over this.


I wouldn't offer him anything. He will take anything you offer and then still may give you grief later. I don't know what the answer to this problem is.



> well so far the best progress I've made is I'll let Penny (the problem child who encourages Milo) get about 2 barks out then I tell her "That's enough" and take her away from the door. As soon as she's quiet I praise and praise her for being quiet to reinforce the behavior but I don't know if that's doing it right. She just keeps doing it when I'm not there so I guess training my roommates would help keep it more consistent.


I think you are doing about the only thing you can do. It will just take time. I think 3 weeks is a little faster than can resonably be expected but who knows? It might work that fast. What about putting the dogs in your room when you aren't home? Would that make matters better or worse?


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

well they still bark in my room, but at least they don't run down the hall barking. I tried to do that the other night when we had to take my brother's dog to the Humane Society and for some stupid reason, he took my dogs out of my room and put them in his room while I was gone. But who knows? maybe they were whining and barking the whole time I was gone and they were locked up.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

move to vegas. 
problem solved. 

:biggrin:


okay, I have NOTHING to offer this thread, I admit it. Mine just don't really bark.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

rannmiller said:


> I have two dogs (25 lbs and 45 lbs) and I want this doberman puppy. I actually lived in this house first and have about $300 - $400 on the deposit plus the original $300 pet deposit I paid, whereas this roommate has only $200. Then I moved to SLC and he moved in, and then I moved back about 5 months later last Thursday. So we've never actually lived together before this point but I got him into the house in the first place when I moved out.
> 
> I've just be through an extremely difficult process in my life where my life is basically turned upside and I've lost so much already. This puppy is the one thing that I can still have that I had hoped and expected to have. She is my dream dog and I've already gone through a lot to get her, so it means the world to me for me to be able to bring her home.
> 
> His thing seems to be, that he managed to get rid of our other roommate's obnoxious dog because it would sit in his room and howl all day long. So now he seems to think he's like, ultimate controller of the dogs and their behavior in the house.


So who's name is on the lease? Does he have the power to say "stop the barking or get out"? 

I can understand the need for the dogs to be taught not to incessantly bark. Even if they were mine, that would start to drive me crazy. It sounds like the roomie might be at that point, especially since you say there was another dog who "would sit in his room and howl all day long". It's not really fair to him either, don't you think?

Regardless, you & the roomie need to sit down & have an honest discussion about the whole arrangement, *especially* about the dogs.

Pax,


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## t0nnn (Apr 1, 2009)

As said above, I think you and the roommate definitely need to sit down and talk. He doesn't sound like a dog person to begin with so a talk is something you should consider.

As far as the barking, I do pretty much what rawfedogs does. Corso's are gaurd dogs and let me tell you ...any sound, movement she sense's she up and alert. Even when she's laying down sleeping. If she hears any noise she's up on all fours and ready to attack lol.

Anyway, anytime she hears something like that we give her "It's OK" and praise her until she lays back down. Same with barking out the window (most of the time for no reason at all) we go get her and say "it's OK" come on, and bring her in another room.

So far it works pretty well, but we can't beat the fact that she's a bred guard dog, it's what she does...

I'm not sure what you can do when your not there. I think the talk with the roommate should involve him possible helping out when your not there. He can easily give a "it's OK" command and show some praise, unless he wants to be a total dick about the situation.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

SubMariner said:


> So who's name is on the lease? Does he have the power to say "stop the barking or get out"?


Technically yes since he's on the lease and I'm not now. Though I'm the one who found the house and originally lived in it and has more money on the deposit than anyone else and has already paid for 3 dogs and a cat to live there... Fair eh? 



SubMariner said:


> I can understand the need for the dogs to be taught not to incessantly bark. Even if they were mine, that would start to drive me crazy.


Oh i totally agree and it's something I've been meaning to work on with them. But they don't incessantly bark. They bark when someone comes to the door and if they see someone on the other side of the fence at the back of our property. 



SubMariner said:


> It sounds like the roomie might be at that point, especially since you say there was another dog who "would sit in his room and howl all day long". It's not really fair to him either, don't you think?
> 
> Regardless, you & the roomie need to sit down & have an honest discussion about the whole arrangement, *especially* about the dogs.
> 
> Pax,


I agree that it isn't fair to have a dog in the house who will sit in the room and howl all day long, it isn't fair to us or the dog to have to go through that. And that roommate really didn't have the time for a big dog like that in his life since he works nearly full time and goes to school at least part time and has no car so he has to walk everywhere. 

Also, as an experiment I left my dogs in my room today while I left and when I came home, they didn't bark/weren't barking at all. So I don't think it's the same situation. 

We're definitely going to sit down and talk. In the mean time, the housing market here is just abysmal so I may take advantage of that instead.


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## slc841063 (Jan 8, 2010)

*Fyi*

Something that I haven't seen addressed on this thread is the number of allowable dogs per owner. The ordinances' in the City and County where you live only allow for two dogs per owner.

I don't want to discourage you from getting your new puppy, although I would encourage you to investigate further because your roommate could have a legitimate beef if three dogs are running around and the rommy is already stated that they're “borderline annoying”. This would also be true of the neighbors too.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Psh, my neighbors have the most annoying dogs on the planet! they sit in their dog run and just bark day in and day out. Poor dogs! 

Anyway, I moved back to Reno where I'm allowed 3 dogs and 6 cats per property (much reasonable numbers, I think :biggrin: ) so I dunno. I talked to him about it last night and he apologized for making the pups and me feel unwelcome and said I could have my puppy if i thought i could handle it. I really would like to cut back on their barking though, and since that's the main reason I started this thread, I'd really love more advice on that if anyone has it :smile:


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

When is it when they start barking? When they see people? Or maybe they have separation anxiety?


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

No, it's when they see or hear people outside the house.


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## g00dgirl (Nov 18, 2009)

did you watch the link I posted? Did you check out the other "It's me or the dog" video? Victoria gives great advice on her shows.

I am assuming the landlord allows three dogs and a doberman at that? I love dobes but I know that landlords often don't allow them.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

Have some friends help you out. Ask them to come walk up to your place, and you could work with your dogs. Ask them to ring the doorbell, and if your dog's start barking say "quiet." When they are quiet reward them. But only when they are quiet. I would work with them for a few days. Ask your roommate to help you out.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

g00dgirl said:


> did you watch the link I posted? Did you check out the other "It's me or the dog" video? Victoria gives great advice on her shows.
> 
> I am assuming the landlord allows three dogs and a doberman at that? I love dobes but I know that landlords often don't allow them.


Yeah I watched the video and it was good too. I just need to find people who have time to help me! Yeah the landlord knows about the dogs, I'm still gonna look into buying a house though, I hate having to ask permission to have things like dogs when I'm an adult!


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I am reading all the posts here and I have no solution to the barking but I can tell you my dogs do this also! They bark all 4 of them sounds horrible when they hear the door open or they hear the ups guy drop off a package at the door any door activity (the front door that is) even if we do this well if we open it from the inside my one yellow lab barks why NO IDEA! And ha my dogs bark along the fence when they hear someone walking in the back of it that is the only time though! So I am here just in pity for you because I go through the same thing! I have tried the No Bark and that works well for one time then its back to barking ha! And with a pack its really annoying for me haha! 
I hope someone has a great solution I want to find out one too! Sorry to hear your roommates being not nice about it! Tell him to help you out not hinder you with no solution!


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## sawyer (Feb 18, 2010)

My dog goes nuts when people come to the door, too. Worse yet, when people actually come inside, she's all over them (but getting a bit better... at least when it's me or my girlfriend). What's worked for us (if you can call it "working") is to just stay calm and praise her when she's calm, too (which is pretty much what others have said).

Regarding the roommate... sounds like he's just not really a dog person. Maybe he likes the IDEA of dogs, but not the reality of living with dogs. I think you'd be wise to start looking for other options (buying if that's realistic for you). I don't think I could deal with roommate issues regarding my dog.


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## Beans. (May 14, 2010)

How/when would I start to train my 8wk old pup about barking. And how would I go about doing that as well? 

I obviously understand that barking is okay. I'm asking about the excessive/unnecessary barking.


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

Beans. said:


> How/when would I start to train my 8wk old pup about barking. And how would I go about doing that as well?
> 
> I obviously understand that barking is okay. I'm asking about the excessive/unnecessary barking.


I started with my dogs as soon as they started training for everything else. When they 'alert bark', I will look at what they are alerting me to and if I feel its nothing, I will tell them 'Thank you, but its ok. Thats just....' Or I will say, 'thats enough, I will get it.' I never discourage alert barking because I want to know when something is going on. I will discourage random barking for no reason, or just because they want something that they can't have... or sometimes, they will bark AT me because they want to play. I don't allow the 'yelling' bark either, because they don't tell me when to play like that, they have other ways of asking that are less rude.  
If they do start with the 'bad barking', I tell them to stop... if they don't I toss them in the back 40 with the cows and let them take care of it!!! :biggrin: 
Just kidding about the cows!  I do tell them to stop though.


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