Guest Rockie's mum Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 I have a problem that first started a few weeks ago and wonder if anyone can help. I was dropping the kids and 2 friends off and Rocky was in the car (as has happened many times before with no problem). When they started to get out of the car Rocky got very excited and wouldn't stop barking despite being reprimanded. I gave him a row when they were gone and he returned to his normal good natured self. When it happened a second time I knew reprimanding wasn't working (it's almost impossible to get his attention when he's like this) so I stopped taking with us when the kids were going anywhere, but it has got now that he barks no matter who's in the car and who's getting out of the car. Anyway the other evening a friend of my husband was visiting and when he got up to leave Rocky started barking and lunged at him. Now I know we have to stop this behaviour before it escalates any further. Thanks, Any advice would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 Sounds like Rocky is trying to control the situation because he doesn't like people leaving. Can you set something up so that people get out of the car and will come back and sit in it if he stops barking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rockie's mum Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 Thanks for the tip, I'll try it next time I get the chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INU Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 When they started to get out of the car Rocky got very excited and wouldn't stop barking despite being reprimanded. but it has got now that he barks no matter who's in the car and who's getting out of the car. a friend of my husband was visiting and when he got up to leave Rocky started barking and lunged at him. Will you elaborate on the first issue? Does Rocky bark at the kids because he wants to go with them? Is it because the kids usually go with him when you take him to park or play? There has to be a reason why he's getting excited. And what is he doing when other people are in the car and getting out of the car? Does he act this way if you are the only person in the car? When he lunged and barked at the friend, was he in more agressive manner? what was the friend doing? I think more details would help us understand the situation better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 I agree with Inu (need more details: Rocky's age, how long you've had him, etc.), but you can start by crating Rocky in the car and at home when you have visitors. That's called "management". It will prevent or limit the behavior you don't like while you are trying to figure out where it comes from and how to train your way out of it. Reprimanding is not likely to help. You're basically reinforcing his behavior by acting the same way he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 From the information given, I'd guess Rocky might be reacting to people leaving as MaggieDog said. My Violet used to do the same thing to my husband, only instead of barking she'd follow him around the house in the morning before work nipping at his ankles. Luckily I am blessed with a very patient husband. He just tried not to make a big deal of it and would correct her by saying "anngh" as she started for his feet. And we trained her to do other things that she couldn't do and nibble on DH at the same time - like putting her on a sit or down stay across the room. Maybe in Rocky's case you could try teaching him to bark on command, and then teach him a quiet command as well. Then you'd have control over when he barks. And I agree with Alaska that he should probably be crated when company comes, since people who don't live with BC may not understand some of their little idiosyncracies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rockie's mum Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Thanks for all your input, to elaborate a little, it seemed to have started in the car for no reason, well no reason discernable to humans anyway and it has reached the stage now where when anyone leaves the house or the car and no matter who it is, even if it's DH who Rocky is VERY close to he just goes absolutely bonkers (that's the only way I can describe it) Even if we're just going somewhere and one of us gets out to get petrol he carries on like this. I will think about getting a crate when we have visitors but he also does what paintedponies Violet did and it's almost impossible to get his attention when he's like this. Maggiedog said that he might be trying to control the situation and that makes sense. Rocky is four and a half and we've had him since he was eight weeks old, this is the first time we've came across a problem that we've not been able to solve. We tried a clicker and that seemed to excite him more. Is this just a problem we're going to have to make the best of rather than cure it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 it's almost impossible to get his attention when he's like this. Vi is the same - once she's "in the zone" she's totally focused on whomever she's trying to control. The key is to intervene before the dog goes into its trance. For example, could you do something with Rockie to distract him while the other person leaves the house, like asking him to sit, or playing fetch with him? I'm surprised he just started doing this at the age of four, though. Vi's been like this the whole time I've had her - of course, I got her as an adult and for all I know it was this behavior that caused her former people to abandon her. Vi has gotten better with time, although she will occasionally revert to her controlling ways. At the NC BC picnic recently, she decided juliepoudrier's young dog, Pip, desperately needed controlling and proceeded to "work" him, completely oblivious to the two dozen other dogs and all the people around her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 This sounds like a case for the "Dog Whisperer". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddevil Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Hi Folks. We have a similar problem with our Piper. He was 6 months old when we found him at the Humane Society. My wife later met the breeder while walking him in our local park. He had been with them (the breeder) until he was almost 5 months old. He was with the people who purchased him for only a few weeks before being picked up as a stray by the HS. We're not sure if there was any abuse from his former owner but, every now and then he will react as if that may have been the case ... ie. cringing a little when you try to pet him. He's now three years old. What's most disheartening is he gives a slight growl when he's petted while lying on the floor next to you. Started about a year ago. He's very apprehensive about coming to you to be petted except when I'm getting ready to take him for a walk. I'll be trying to put my shoes on (sitting on a chair bent over) and he will burrow his way between me and the shoes to start a big scratchy rub-fest. He gets really snuggly with me at that time and, he'd do it for half an hour I'm sure ... forget about the walk. But once we're back from our walk and he's reclining on the floor next to the sofa, he will growl if anyone attempts to pet him. When he first came to us, he would come snuggle on the floor and was much more affectionate. After about a year, that seemed to disappear overnight. He also does the barking frenzy when someone leaves the car or house. And he sometimes does the growl in the car if back seat passengers try to pet him. He's not aggressive nor mean but can be very frenetic. I'm not sure if this behavior is a dominance thing or out of fear. Apart from that, he's a great little guy. He's the best frisbee, companion, football chasin' kinda guy you could want. If anyone has any insightful tips, I'm all ears and very appreciative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rockie's mum Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Hi reddevil I've taken on board the advice I got here, I think it was painted ponies who mentioned distracting him just before he went into "the zone" which I've managed to do, maybe unfortunately with treats but hey so far it's working!!! It's now 2 days that kids and DH have left the house and no barking, also tried it in the car tonight and again it worked. Now I'm all bouyed up with confidence I am going to try teaching barking on command. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4pack Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Why "unfortunately with treats"? Start off rewarding a lot, then randomly....once the behaviour you WANT is well established you could intermingle other things for rewards. Food helps dogs change how they 'feel' about things, which is why it is so effective. It doesn't have to be done forever... but it's good to be praised/rewarded all the time for doing 'the right thing'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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