[dabrubru]

Hello All
This is our first time posting on your forum, and we need some help with a problem that we have run into with our two year old belgian malinois (very similar to a german shepard). We live in a condo in downtown seattle, and have run into a very puzzeling barking problem. when ever somebody comes to our door he barks at them, this by itself would not be a problem but our dog has very good hearing and has taken to barking at the neighbors when they come in and out of their doors as well. these are really the only times he ever barks but we are afraid it may annoy our neighbors. does anyone have any hints or suggestions on how to fix this problem? will it come down to trying to train him not to bark at the door at all? and if so what is the best way to do it, should we consider a bark collar?

steve and jeannie

[poodleholic]

I had this same problem with my male rescue, who came to live with me at the age of 16 months. I desensitized, and counter conditioned him. What worked well for us was to have friends and family spend a couple of hours on the weekend coming to our door and ringing the doorbell. I allowed two barks, said "GOOD BOY! that's enough." If he began to bark again, I put my finger up to my lips with a SHHHHH, followed by a treat for being quiet. Outside the door was a bowl with treats for the "visitors" to take as they came in. Once in the door, they asked for a "sit," and tossed him a treat.

He was also a "window terrorist," and reactive to loud sounds from outside, bikers, skate boarders, people walking their dog(s), which I solved pretty much the same way, in addition to "acting goofy" (dancing around, flinging my arms about and shouting out "YAY! Good Dog, Way to GO! or some such nonsense, something dogs seem to find rather interesting and fun, which brings their full attention back to me, and off the evil intruder. I have no dignity at all (but I do have well-behaved dogs with excellent manners who respond to my direction with enthusiasm)!

You will need the help of at least one other person to do this. With you inside to redirect your dog, have the other person drop a book down the hall, tap lightly on the walls while walking along, drop the book outside your door, and to speak softly, loudly, give a little shout, and so on.

Hope this is of help to you.

[RonE]

Poodleholic's approach is probably a lot more effective than the one some neighbors use. When we're out for a walk, and the dog inside is barking (somehow sensing that there is another dog intruding on their private sidewalk) I can count on hearing the owner screech at the dog,

"Shut the **** up right now!"

Yup, that'll settle him right down. The screeching is MUCH worse than the barking.

[Curbside Prophet]

A freshly baked batch of cookies will help to temper your neighbors and give you an opportunity to explain that you're working on the problem.

I would start by teaching your dog to bark at a door knock or door bell ring. This means the door knock and door bell ring will be on cue. Ding Dong! Dog barks, give him a treat. Once he starts barking at every door knock, you now have the opportunity to teach him the ever important shush! Ding Dong! Dog barks, you shush! Dog quites down, you give him a treat. Teaching shush will be much more practical if you can teach your dog to bark on cue first. So, practice, practice, practice.