I have three dogs, ages three, seven, and eleven, who all behave extremely well individually. But the second we’re all outdoors and one starts misbehaving (continues barking at the neighbors despite being told that’s enough), they all join in and refuse to listen to me. They may even get violent with one another during these times. The three-year-old will, if she is not extremely hyper at the moment, but the older two act as if I am not even around. How can I encourage them to listen as a “pack”?
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What you really need to do is work through training scenarios with them one at a time until they have them down pat. Rather than simply telling individual dogs to’stop barking’, try teaching them to do something else instead, such as come over to you and sit quietly for a treat. (Most dogs learn better when we train them to do something rather than simply eliminating a behavior without providing an alternative). Then work on the same action with two of the three dogs, and lastly with all three.
I agree. What works best for me is to train one at a time, followed by varied combinations of two at a time, and lastly with everyone together. The good news is that it works both ways: they can certainly rile one other up, but when one or two dogs consistently do the “right” thing, others typically find it easier to follow.
Start with short, controlled group training sessions in a low-distraction environment. Gradually increase the level of distraction as they improve.
When one dog starts misbehaving, interrupt the behavior with a command they know (like “sit” or “come”) and redirect their attention to something positive.
If they become too unruly, separate them for a short period to calm down, then reintroduce them gradually.
The best thing is to consider seeking help from a professional dog trainer who specializes in group dynamics.