Help with dog barking at neighbours. Please!

833 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Bear2010, Aug 23, 2012

Sol_Bad

Discussion Starter · Aug 23, 2012

Hello DogForums

This is my very first time posting on the forum and need some advice for my dog. I tried searching but couldn't find what I needed help with, if I missed anything I do apologize. I intend on going through all the stickies and looking through all the training tutorials in my quest to solve this problem.

I have had my dog Bonnie for nearly a year. She is a American Staffy and about 2 and a half years old. She is an extremely friendly dog towards my friends and family when they areat my house,very loving dog that loves hugs.

Where I live there is a "battle axe" house behind me. If you are unsure of what this is, it just means that there is a driveway that goes down one side of my house which links up to the house behind our house.
Whenever my neighbours walk down or up this driveway Bonnie goes absolutely nuts. The fence is a wooden plank style fence so she can see the neighbours between the gaps of the planks. Bonnie runs back and forth along the fence extremely fast and continuously barks aggressively. When the neighbours get to their house Bonnie will try and jump the back fence in to their backyard, the back fence is a 6 foot high metal fence. She can't reach the top of the fence so can't get over.

It's concerning that she does this and is even trying to jump the back fence. I am worried that one day she will jump over the fence in to the neighbours yard with their dogs.
When this happens she does not listen to me at all until I stand in the way of her running path. Sometimes she will stop running and listen to me telling her to get inside. Most of the time I have to pull her away by the collar.

I am unsure how to use positive rewards treats for this situation. If I give her a treat when she listens and goes inside will she associate it with good behaviour for going inside or good behaviour for barking and protecting her territory?

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

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georgiapeach

· #2 · Aug 23, 2012

I'm more concerned that she's aggressive towards your neighbors (trying to get at them), than with the barking. Have you taken her to obedience classes? This would get her used to being around strange dogs and people. I would call her to come inside immediately when she starts barking. If she comes to you, I'd treat her for following your command. If you have to drag her, then no. Have you tried introducing Bonnie to these neighbors and letting them give her treats? It might be worth a try. Maybe she won't find them so threatening then.

A friend of mine with a very barky jack russell terrier got one the the anti bark things at Petsmart. It looks like a birdhouse and emits an ultrasonic sound dogs don't like when they start barking. You just hang it in your yard near where the offense takes place, at the back near the fence, in your case. Might be worth a try. Her JRT hates it and runs for the house when he sets it off!

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Sol_Bad

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 23, 2012

Thank you for the reply.

I haven't tried introducing her to the neighbours yet no. I most likely should be doing this so that she gets used to them and knows who they are.
Should I be asking them to give her treats though?

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Bear2010

· #4 · Aug 23, 2012

I have alot to say in which some may not agree,I will get tarred and featherd I am sure.I am for postive training but this calls for faster measures.Being a staffy owner and pitbull owners for 40 years this is a serious problem that a few treats want fix.You could try the introduction to neighbor theory and it may help(if you are around)if you aren't around I wouldnt be to sure it will work that way,Amstaffs are very loving and also very protective of their owners and yard,they are usually very DA..this can all be worked on with obedience training,training is a must with these dogs ecspecially the recall command.Being that your dog is already 2 1/2 this is not a puppy in training I would go to a little stronger measures...a shock collar will teach her this is not acceptable...each time she lunges at the fence or try to climb you will need to give a quick shock...doesnt hurt them hunters use them on beagles for recall and hunting training and there are also bark shock collars and underground fence shock collars..so no more then what those are.You cant afford for her to actually get over the fence and bite the neighbor or kill a dog..a small,quick shock would be better then loosing your dog to being putdown for aggression.Work with a verbal command as you release the shock.. maybe quit or No or something(short,oneword) that lets her know whatever she is doing at that moment is unacceptable,this can help you in other situations as well if you teach her a certain command.We personally use the word "quit" Dakota knows this means stop what you are doing right away.Good luck and the best to you and your girl..Staffies are wonderful dogs but there is alot of training that has to go into them because of the type dog and background they have.

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