# Barking at the door and going insane when seeing other dogs



## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

When someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell, whether it is someone in our family, friends he knows well or otherwise, he goes nuts barking his head off. He'll bark like this if someone is knocking at the bathroom door, bedroom door, someone taps and it sounds like knocking etc. Even when we come to the door he still keeps barking. He also barks if he sees dogs that go by. If I get in between him and the window and tell him "no" he'll stop, but only if it's the dog situation, not for people. 
When I take him for a walk, if he sees another dog he pulls like mad and whines and goes nuts. It's a pain in the butt. He's practically ADD during walks. Like I'm not there.


I want this to stop, but I don't know how.


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## dogmom (Aug 14, 2010)

Paws&Tails said:


> When someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell, whether it is someone in our family, friends he knows well or otherwise, he goes nuts barking his head off. He'll bark like this if someone is knocking at the bathroom door, bedroom door, someone taps and it sounds like knocking etc. Even when we come to the door he still keeps barking. He also barks if he sees dogs that go by. If I get in between him and the window and tell him "no" he'll stop, but only if it's the dog situation, not for people.
> When I take him for a walk, if he sees another dog he pulls like mad and whines and goes nuts. It's a pain in the butt. He's practically ADD during walks. Like I'm not there.
> 
> 
> I want this to stop, but I don't know how.


Wow - do you have Tucker at your house? It sure sounds like him. I don't know how to fix this, I always thought it was the determination of the Jack Russell, or maybe the terrier breeds in general. I know I've taken Tucker out before and been off guard when he saw a bird or lizard and nearly had my arm pulled out of joint. To be so small they're sure mighty. He also stands at the glass door and if he sees something and can't get to it he barks and cries like crazy. You're right, they're almost ADD. Maybe someone with training experience can help you - we've just learned to live with it.

Brenda


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

Anybody?



dogmom said:


> Wow - do you have Tucker at your house? It sure sounds like him. I don't know how to fix this, I always thought it was the determination of the Jack Russell, or maybe the terrier breeds in general. I know I've taken Tucker out before and been off guard when he saw a bird or lizard and nearly had my arm pulled out of joint. To be so small they're sure mighty. He also stands at the glass door and if he sees something and can't get to it he barks and cries like crazy. You're right, they're almost ADD. Maybe someone with training experience can help you - we've just learned to live with it.
> 
> Brenda



Certainly sounds like Spike! I've literally nearly had my arm pulled out of my socket before when he's seen a squirrel. Very strong and determined little dogs.


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## Eurobox (May 17, 2010)

I would start practicing NILF training. Nothing in life is free. It has worked wonders in our household. I used this method of training with my first dog, before I even heard about the method. It just makes sense. This is a longer article, but it is well worth the read! 

NILF Training


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Paws&Tails said:


> When someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell, whether it is someone in our family, friends he knows well or otherwise, he goes nuts barking his head off. He'll bark like this if someone is knocking at the bathroom door, bedroom door, someone taps and it sounds like knocking etc. Even when we come to the door he still keeps barking.


It's very difficult to teach a dog to NOT do something, particularly when what he is doing is a normal dog behavior. It's much easier to teach him what to do in a certain situation. Teach him what you want him to do when he hears a knock on the door. Teach him to go to a certain spot and sit quietly when he hears a knock. I usually suggest a towel on the floor near the front door. When he hears a knock he is to go to the towel and sit quietly. 

You will need someone to help you teach this. Put a leash on him and have someone knock at the door. Early in the training, they don't even have to be outside the door. Just at the door, knocking on it. Take the dog to his spot and have him sit. When he is reliable at that, start over with the teaching, only this time have the person outside. I wouldn't worry a lot about barking as this is pretty much going to happen. Worry about getting him to his "place" and sitting.



> He also barks if he sees dogs that go by. If I get in between him and the window and tell him "no" he'll stop, but only if it's the dog situation, not for people.


This is an entirely different problem than the first but again, it is normal dog behavior. When he is at the window barking, go stand with him and ONE TIME, say something like "it's ok, thats Ms. Smith from up the street. She can be there." in a normal tone of voice. Wait for 2 seconds of silence and shove a treat in his mouth while praising profusely. After you are getting the 2 seconds fairly regularly, wait for 4 seconds ... then 8, then 15, then 30. By the time you get to 30 seconds, you pretty much have the problem whipped.

When he does go to the window and bark, you should investigate because it's normal dog behavior to warn the pack that there is something that needs their attention.



> When I take him for a walk, if he sees another dog he pulls like mad and whines and goes nuts. It's a pain in the butt. He's practically ADD during walks. Like I'm not there.


This is still another problem, different from the other two and it's difficult to get a handle on. Take tons of treats with you. When you see another dog coming, don't wait for him to react to the dog, immediately praise and start giving him treats. Try to keep his attention on you instead of the other dog. When you recognize that he is about to loose control, stop and walk away from the other dogs for some distance until your dog calms down. Try to do this before he reacts. GRADUALLY and I mean VERY GRADUALLY you should be able to get closer and closer to other dogs until he doesn't react at all. This is a difficult problem to solve and you may end up having to get a trainer to help you.


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

Eurobox- I'm going to try the NILF training for a lot of his problems.

RawFedDogs- Thank y so much for the advice. I'll be putting it into practice. One problem though. When I take him on walks he won't eat_ any_ treats (and he's on an elimination diet right now, so I'm trying to find something to use as treats). Even apples or carrots and he LOVES those. He acts like he's completely deaf and blind and has no idea I'm even there.

Maybe a whistle to get his attention? Or maybe bring his favorite toy with me?


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Something that could help is teaching him 'watch me'. I've taught my dog this and it comes in really quite handy when I want her attention on me instead of some other distraction. Start by holding a treat up by your eyes and saying 'watch me' and as soon as he looks at the treat give it to him. Then gradually move on so he has to look at your eyes before he gets the treat. Once he knows the command, make him do it before you give him anything, dinner, going outside, toys. Sometimes you can be standing there for ages but don't give in until he looks at your eyes. I've found this, combined with lots and lots of tiny treats will work with distractions outside, as long as you start outside their reaction distance. If it doesn't work, then walk away to a distance where he will listen to you. Be very patient, baby steps!


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

MollyWoppy said:


> Something that could help is teaching him 'watch me'. I've taught my dog this and it comes in really quite handy when I want her attention on me instead of some other distraction. Start by holding a treat up by your eyes and saying 'watch me' and as soon as he looks at the treat give it to him. Then gradually move on so he has to look at your eyes before he gets the treat. Once he knows the command, make him do it before you give him anything, dinner, going outside, toys. Sometimes you can be standing there for ages but don't give in until he looks at your eyes. I've found this, combined with lots and lots of tiny treats will work with distractions outside, as long as you start outside their reaction distance. If it doesn't work, then walk away to a distance where he will listen to you. Be very patient, baby steps!


How do I work him up to looking me in the eyes?


One time when I tried to get him to sit before going outside for his walk I was standing there for 15 minutes before he obeyed. It will definitely take a lot of patience because he is VERY stubborn.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Yes, really high value treats and the patience of a saint. Don't let him get away with anything, if you tell him to sit then no matter how long it takes, he needs to sit. It does work but you need to be very consistant. Try not to get frustrated. And although sometimes you must feel like you want to throttle him.......don't! :smile:
Can you tell I've got a stubborn one myself?


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## Tarielle (Oct 22, 2010)

I have the same problem with my jack russell Abbey. She always barks at the front door when someone comes. She doesn't have any visual beforehand so she does not know who is there. Also, she seems to love the sound of her own voice and she has a very loud bark for a little dog.

I had a trainer in about a year ago and ever since all the training I have done with her is with a choke collar and longer than normal leads. I have found that it works like a charm with her.

I also bought a device called a Dazer (got it from Amazon from memory). It basically is a hand held ultrasonic device that emits a high frequency pitch that she can hear but I can't. I bought this especially to train her to stop barking when I tell her to.

I do not mind that she barks when someone knocks at the door because that is what I expect her to do - be the guard dog of the house and let me know that someone is there. 
What I do mind is that she continues to bark when I have told her it's enough.

Now when someone comes to the door I let her bark until I have opened the door and then I tell her "no barking" or "quiet" or "enough". All these words she understands given the situation we are in.
If she continues then I use the Dazer on her and tell her again "quiet" or "enough". 
She pretty much shuts up straight away. I then make her sit and stay while I talk to the person at the door or let them in.

In the beginning I had to have her on the lead so she wouldn't run out but we are past that now and she stays when I tell her to.

As for people who knock on other doors in the house, yep it's no surprise that you will get the same reaction from the dog. The only thing I can suggest is to knock quietly or partly open the door and knock on the inside of the door or don't knock at all. Depends on the privacy issues in your home I guess. If you do get a Dazer then you might have to carry it around a bit with you if you really need to knock loudly. Command first "your word of choice" and then the Dazer if he isn't listening to you.

With Abbey, I don't have to use the Dazer much anymore. Just her seeing it in my hand is enough to keep her quiet and this was the aim of using it in the first place.

As for the dogs going by, I would try a distraction technique of some sort. I would just do it with tiny treats (cheese works really well). Don't scold your dog or make a fuss, just distract him and call him to you. At first you might get the dog to move just a little bit away from the window but over the weeks of repetition he should come to you even if you are metres away. The aim is to make the dogs outside no big deal to him.

These are things I have tried and had success with.


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