Advice Please....barking.....

Hello,

 

I have not been on the site for a couple of years.............moved house.......difficult time etc.

 

We own a Great Dane Bitch, eight years old, she was a rescue dog, we have had her for five years.  We also have a Black Labrador bitch, 3 years, they are the best of friends.

 

When our Dane came to us, she was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO nervous,  frightened of everything, even her own shadow, honestly!!!!  with much patience, love and our lives devoted to her, she became a much more confident  happy dog, she didn't know how to play, had zero vocabularly, for the first three years of her life with us, we lived in a house, surrounded by a huge garden, massive lawns, all of which was within a high wall.  Gradually our girl gained confidence there, and would happily zoom around the garden, one way then just for the hell of it go madly the other way, a really happy girl!  Out walking, was fine for the first month, until one day, whilst walking past a garden gate, a West Highland White Dog, ran out, barked and barked and barked, jumping up at my dog.

 

I bought a dogmatic and life became much easier.  If she saw another dog, hackles up,  and barking, I tried everything to make our walks more pleasant for both of us.  Eventually, I found the only way to quieten her when out was to, as soon as we saw another dog, I would hold a biscuit it in my hand and she would nibble frantically until the dog had gone.

 

Two years ago, we moved to our present home, where we have five acres in which to enjoy, allow my donkeys and six pet sheep to live and for my dogs to play.  Everyone gets on well with everyone else.  

 

The problem, I now have..................along one side of one of my fields is the lane, not a lot of traffic, yet the perfect and popular place for dogs and their owners.  If my Dane is in the field one someone goes along the lane, she goes at 100mph up and down the hedge, barking noisley, totally ignoring any words of command.  I have tried to take her in the field with her lead on, still she barks, and pulls to get to the edge of the field to be up close to the people.  Yesterday, I tried to put her in the next field, one away from the one next to the lane, still she did her noisey running bark act.  When in the house, she lies on her sofa, if she hears someone on the lane, she barks like crazy, sitting up to look through the window.  I now close the blinds so she cannot see out, so that is much better.

 

Last week, the gate at the end of the drive was left open by mistake, she was in the garden, saw a man walk past, he did not have a dog, yet, she ran after him barking all the time.  When she got to him, she just sniffed and ran back to me.

 

When in the car, she barks and barks if someone walks near the car.  The other dog doesn't.  She does not listen to any words of command.

 

She is perfect in everyway apart from becoming totally anti social, especially when seeing another dog................advice please and thank you for reading this weary some tale!!!

 

Thank you

 

Very worried owner, feel at a loss!!

Hi Dora...Sorry to hear of your problem.

My Harlequin was a rescue and he was showing dominant tendencies to other dogs

Sounds like your dog feels threatened and takes it upon herself to sort it...you need to show her that you are in charge....we overcame our dog's issues by taking a plastic bottle with a few marbles in it when we went out and if he showed any signs of aggressiveness we would shake the bottle hard and say NO!

 

How soft are you within the home environment?

 

Our Dane does not go upstairs or on any of the furniture...we walk through doors first,greet people first and eat first.

We never give him any food from the table and we give him fusses when we decide...he has come on leaps and bounds and he has thrived knowing there is a structure in place

 

I understand how frustrating and worrying your situation is

 

Best Wishes and good luck

Thank you so much for your reply...........I am on way to find plastic bottle and marbles, thought I would thank you first.

 

We are definitely in charge in the home.............she dominates, to a point our other dog, though never stealing her food, they are fed together, they have two huge beds facing each other in my utility room, they each respect each others 'side'

 

Yes, she goes on the sofa, know is should not happen but it does..........she tried to be bossy with my sheep, so I let her be close to them......they reminded her who was the boss!!!!

 

She communicates so well with us, sounds actions, etc. Never fed from the table EVER, not allowed to be near the table when we eat. That has never been a problem.  

 

I will go and find bottle!!!

 

Thank you again, just so much, it is usually something quite obvious that works isn't it?

 

Much appreciated!!!

You are more than welcome

 

I know how much desperation is involved when things go awry...I just hope you have the same results as I did

 

Please keep us abreast of developments

I'm going to (politely) disagree that if a dog is already of a nervous disposition then I don't think using aversion training i.e loud noises to scare them from doing a behaviour will have the desired effect, fear may just be displayed in other ways which could be worse. 

 

Distraction and redirection would be much better tactics, more time consuming but may give you a much happier dog as a result. I would also look into clicker training, you can use it to teach 'Speak' and in turn 'Quiet', the idea being that if a dog isn't asked to speak then they will be less likely to do so, and if they still do then the Quiet command can be used to stop them. It takes time to pair to behaviour to the command and they need to be highly positively reinforced until then but based on my own experience it works very well.

 

A 'Leave it' command will also be a good one for people walking past - a good way to teach this is to use a high reward treat (cheese, smoked sausage)... have 2 bits ready and keep one in a closed fist and hold your fist out to your dog, let your dog sniff, lick and nudge it but as soon as they move their nose away say 'Leave it' and give them the other treat (it must ALWAYS be the other treat so they are not receiving what you are asking them to leave) Once they start to understand you can open your fist a little more, then hold the treat on your palm - if they aren't successful then go back a step. Once this is paired thoroughly (don't expect too much too soon) you can use it on people walking by, keep treats handy - once she realises someone is there and the ears go up try and catch her asap with the Leave it command and offer very high value reward and praise when she does. 

 

Do you often have people walking past? Could you look at maybe having a 'bottom up' blind which enables you to close it over the bottom half of the window and still have the top of the window to let in light, it also gives you way more privacy!

 

Good luck

Thank you so much for your in depth, informative reply to me, so very kind of you.

 

My dog, has always been frightened frightened of noise, when she first came to live with us, she was just so scared..we couldn't lift our arms up, even to scratch our heads, she would run into another room bent down with tail between her legs, she would only eat outside, as long as I  didn't watch her!! She was frightened of her lead, of the vacuum, of traffic, the tv, Formula 1 racing was pure agony for her, the noise she couldn't accept, etc etc.

 

We have come along way, though it has taken five years!!! to overcome so much.  Even now, when out walking, she is frightened, fortunately, it is such a very quiet rural spot we are in, nearest neighbour quarter of a mile away and that is just one house on its own.

 

I have trained her to pooh and 'wee' on demand, this is a milestone! She would only go to the toliet at home, if we were away from home (always she is with us) she would hang on for 24 hours.  So, I decided that to pooh on demand at home, may help when we are away, it does, hooray!

 

Her main anxiety problem now is, people and dogs walking up the lane, next to our garden and field.  I think that part of it is now naughty..........as I can call her back to me, as I see people coming close to our boundary, she bounds back to me, sits, I give her a reward for her obedience, before I can grab her collar, she returns to the fence and runs up and down barking.  I now only take her into the field, on her lead.  If someone goes past, I make her sit, talk to her, all the time she is 'grumbling' trembling, if I hold a biscuit she nibbles it like mad until the person has gone.  The stretch of lane is approx 200 metres, so she has plenty of time to become upset/annoyed/naughty/frightened.

 

I saw a dog behaviourist on TV working with a Dane with similar problems, he advised a quick snatch of the lead would rectify the problem, it did for the dog in programme, not for mine.

 

Whenever we visit the vet, she panics as the car park for the vet is someway from the entrance, so heavy traffic uses the road, she is a bundle or nerves by the time we arrive in the waiting room, where she behaves, even when other dogs are there.  She not keen on yappy little dogs.

 

I will continue to try, without causing her any stress, yet also without her getting the upper hand and becoming naughty.  It is a fine line to decide when she is suffering from fear or anxiety and when misbehaving.

 

I thank the two people that have taken the time and consideration to read my problem and reply so kindly.  The Forum never lets me down.

 

Best wishes to you all.

Hello,,and good morning,

Well having had Sir Alfred (Alfie) rescue I can relate to lots of your problems.

He was approx 2 when we took him on, and passed away aged 9 with the dreaded bloat.

He was always an anxious dog, wary of strangers, he actually chased our donkeys and made contact! So after that we never truly trusted him, and knew what he was capable of.

We were lucky enough for the rescue to send a behaviourist who showed us what to do.

Me through the door first, no treats unless earned, basically put to the bottom of the pile!

It was so hard, but he had slowly gone through the honeymoon period, and become what he thought the "Pack Leader"

I bought a tin of Corrector Spray, similar idea to the plastic bottle of stones, or even water squirter.

But it sounds like a hissing goose and interupts unwanted behaviour...he actually got quite good at responding to this and all I had to do was show him the tin, often empty!

I used the word 'Leave' I worked hard with Alfie and he did turn a corner. But we never really trusted him, I always felt big dog big bite.

Sorry for my ramblings but just to say your not alone, and I wish you luck. Only you know your dog.

Good advice from all above too.x

Lizzi.

Xx

Thank you Lizzie for your message.

 

So kind of all that have replied to my problems.

 

Introducing noise to my girl, does not work, she becomes more aggitated.

 

Using the word Leave, when barking is something that I have not done before (?????) yet I use in the home and she obeys that, must be a problem with me, for not thinking of applying to this situation.

 

She is a bit of a Jeckyll and Hyde dog, in the home much more relaxed than when outside of it.  Take her out in the car regularly, to try to familiarise her with the world.  When she first came to us, she was petrified in the car, really really frightened, motorways were a no no, we travelled everywhere on quieter back roads.  Now we can travel on a motorway without her being upset.  As I say, we have come a long way......................the main problem being the barking, as soon as she steps foot outside she looks towards the lane to see if there is anyone/dog there.  Is she looking for an excuse to bark? Is she genuinely frightened?  protecting us? naughty? a combination?

 

At the moment I am responding to her every grumble saying Leave, not for instance, carrying listening while hanging out the washing, she has my attention 100% of the time, it makes doing other things difficult, I will continue to try..............

 

Thank you again to all who have replied................I love my dog to distraction..............I want her to be happy and feel secure, yet I do not want her to be disobedient!!!

 

Enjoy your dog, everyone.

Update..................Barking.......

 

To those of you that took the time and trouble to reply to my problem...............barking dog!!

 

Well...................my dog and I continue to work on the problem............introducing a bottle containing anything that made a noise.............made her dissolve.........dropped to the floor, trembling, ears flat to head, gazing at me, as though to say, don't 'you' frighten me Mum, please!!

 

I bought a can of the Dog Corrector Spray, this, she can tolerate, she does not drop to the floor, she turns to look at source of noise, does not bark, but grumbles loudly, still looking at person walking along the lane, sometimes running to the hedge, where a quieter bark developes, definitely not as 'keen' to cause a Breach of The Peace.

 

I was talking to a 'dog all her life lady' only with a historical experience, with her own dogs.  She advised, as soon as my dog, starts to bark, be close enough to her, to grab her jowels (side of face) do not inflict any pain whatsoever, just bend to stare right down into her eyes,nose to nose,  speaking in a VERY firm manner, saying 'No' or 'Leave' whichever has been introduced into the dog's vocabularly, not letting go until she has totally focused on the command.

 

Result........................so much better, we are not there yet, but improving.  If I am in the field with her, as I see someone, I move closer in, ready to grab her, this of course she now expects, so does not bark!!!!  Yiiipppeeeeee!!!! if however, she is at the other side of the field to me and a person walks along the lane, she begins her 100m.p.h,.regime, towards the hedge, I shout 'No' she is much quieter, does not charge at fence, moves towards it, only a quite bark not as much aggression or whatever it can be named.

 

She almost puts her head in my hands for the eye to eye contact, knowing what comes next...................see person........Mum plays eye to eye......I stop barking...........Mum gives cuddle and praise...............all happy,

 

My goal, is to be able to be at the opposite side of the field to her, someone walk along lane and she ignores them...............if I ever achieve that, I will be so pleased........she has improved, no doubt..............I continue to work with her.

 

Thank you again to everyone who has generously given advice.

 

xx

So pleased things are turning, although I'm a little worried about this ' grabbing the jowels' if I had done that to Alfie I feel he would at sometime decide he didn't like this sudden shock of 'grabbing HIS jowels' and bitten me.

Please please be careful, it's seems quite an odd thing to do, especially to such a large powerful breed!

Something I wouldn't even attempt on a small dog. But if it works for you then I wish you good luck.

Kindest regards,

lizzi

Xx

Hello,

 

Thank you Lizzi for your your reply and advice to me regarding grabbing the jowels!!!!

 

I understand totally what you mean................especially a 'Rescue' when you have no idea what went before.................???????????

 

All I can say, is, that by grabbing hold of her face and looking 'eye to eye' this is helping.  The clever, cheeky, girl, is now, turning her head to me, at someone walks along the lane, as though she is saying  "Oh! this is now the part of the day that we gaze at each other at close quarters!"  I am forever mindful of the power of  a GD and the size of their teeth & jaw!!!  As opposed to grabbing jowels, now, I place my hands firmly on the side of her face/mouth, yet still gaze at close quarters into her eyes, saying "No."

 

I thank you, most sincerely for your concerns/advice/help.  The Forum has never let me down, thank you so much.

 

 

Kindest regards,