Hey everyone, I have a 3.5-month-old beagle/sheltie mix who just won’t stop barking. I’ve made sure he’s fed, has water, gets exercise, and has plenty of mental stimulation. But even with all that, he keeps barking excessively. I’ve been working on redirection, but it only stops him for a second or two before he starts up again. Any advice on how to handle this?
Sounds like he might be bored or looking for attention. Have you tried teaching him the ‘quiet’ command?
PupProGuide4 said:
Sounds like he might be bored or looking for attention. Have you tried teaching him the ‘quiet’ command?
Not yet, but I’ve been working on ‘leave it’ and ‘drop it’ commands. Can those help with barking too?
PupProGuide4 said:
Sounds like he might be bored or looking for attention. Have you tried teaching him the ‘quiet’ command?
Yeah, ‘leave it’ can work for barking too, but it takes time. You also need to use it in different situations so he learns.
Have you tried a barker breaker or a vibration collar? Those can help interrupt the barking without being harsh.
TomHenry said:
Have you tried a barker breaker or a vibration collar? Those can help interrupt the barking without being harsh.
No, I haven’t tried those yet. Do they really work? Are they safe for puppies?
TomHenry said:
Have you tried a barker breaker or a vibration collar? Those can help interrupt the barking without being harsh.
They’re pretty safe if used correctly. I’d recommend a vibration collar over anything that shocks—it just gets their attention.
It might also help to train the difference between ‘speak’ and ‘quiet.’ Once he understands both, you can ask for quiet when needed.
WoofWisdom1 said:
It might also help to train the difference between ‘speak’ and ‘quiet.’ Once he understands both, you can ask for quiet when needed.
That’s interesting. How do you even start teaching those commands?
WoofWisdom1 said:
It might also help to train the difference between ‘speak’ and ‘quiet.’ Once he understands both, you can ask for quiet when needed.
Start by rewarding him when he barks on cue for ‘speak,’ then teach ‘quiet’ by rewarding silence. It’s easier than it sounds.
It could also be separation anxiety if he’s barking when you leave. Does he do it when you’re home too?
Lucypiper said:
It could also be separation anxiety if he’s barking when you leave. Does he do it when you’re home too?
Yeah, he barks even when I’m home. He’ll just come up to me and start barking for no reason.
Lucypiper said:
It could also be separation anxiety if he’s barking when you leave. Does he do it when you’re home too?
Could be attention-seeking then. Try ignoring the barking and only giving attention when he’s quiet for a bit.
Consistency is key. Keep working on the ‘leave it’ command and make sure to train in all the places he barks.
Braint said:
Consistency is key. Keep working on the ‘leave it’ command and make sure to train in all the places he barks.
Good point. I’ve mostly been training inside, but he barks outside too. Guess I need to practice there as well.
Braint said:
Consistency is key. Keep working on the ‘leave it’ command and make sure to train in all the places he barks.
Definitely! Dogs need to generalize the command, so practicing in different spots will really help.