Puppy Forum and Dog Forums banner

A multitude of problems...collies bark and one still has problems w/ men...

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Dogstar 
The barking is called alert barking....letting the rest of the pack and in particular, you, know about a possible intruder. She's doing a good job but, now you have to do yours...you've been alerted....now, you have to go out and investigate/intercept the 'intruder'. You show her that her job is done by stepping between her and the problem....showing her that you're taking over/you'll handle the situation....her job is done.

You thank her for the alert and ask for quiet. Now, the hard part....teaching her what is normal activity ie; doesn't need alert barking. I use Yawning...yes, Yawning...dogs understand that body language. That tells her that this situation isn't important....a false alarm. With practice, they start to distinquish the real threats from the false ones.

For the issues with men, you need someone who will cooperate/help with the lessons. He needs to sit quietly without looking at her, reaching for her or talking to her and just toss treats....showing her that good things come from those scary guys. With practice, she should start to move closer to him. That's a breakthrough....her confidence level just went up. Eventually, you'd like her to take a treat from an open hand...still with no petting, talking or direct eye contact. That's the second breakthrough...getting really close. The last step is actually being touched/interacted with.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top