a quick dog behavior/training Q

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Is there a possibility that there WAS something out there that he initially saw and barked and growled at that you didn't see?

My aussie will bark a very high pitched bark if she see's the 'bad dogs' I call the coyotes. She won't stop and she will pace at the slider.

If I look out and it is indeed a coyote, I will let her out to go run to the fence to bark and scare the coyote out of the back pasture, telling her what a good dog she is.

If on the other hand, it is the neighbors cat slinking into our side of the pasture looking for mice or a deer, I will tell her no barking the cat is ok the deer is ok. No barking at cats or dogs expecting her to stop barking. I don't let her out or would I drag her out there because I would think that would just reinforce barking at things she shouldn't be.

Your dog is young and you are a green dog owner. You will soon learn the different barks and what they mean.

 

[welsummerchicks]

It's really surprising sometimes when they do that. Something looks just not right to them, due to objects being moved, light or shadow changing, etc. Usually some larger roundish darker object, my friend's dog barked hysterically at the trash cans EVERY time she put them out on the curb.

That's the trouble. Most dogs don't have a really refined sense of what is dangerous and what is not. They can bark as loud at a stationary trash can as at a skulking robber. I have met only a few dogs that are good at differentiating this sort of thing, and they did it by looking at their owner's reaction, not on their own.

If I wanted the dog to be a guard dog, be protective, I'd probably allow the dog to bark and alert. But since that's not what I want from the dog, I tell them to be quiet. They get a biscuit for stopping the barking on command.

My dog barks at cars in the driveway. The car can be there for some hours, and all of a sudden he starts barking. 'Help! Help! There's a car in the driveway! Sound the alert!'

If I thought the dog was really genuinely afraid (hiding) I'd probably take the dog out to see the object. I'd bring some treats and feed the dog near the object and praise him for approaching it even a little. So I guess how one handles it depends on one's situation. A person living alone or alone often with little kids, or often working alone in a store full of jewelry at night in the city, might really LIKE a dog that barks ferociously when things look different to him.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yup. This really seemed to be a warning/threatening bark (danger Will Robinson!). Yet I swear to you that there was NOTHING there. I looked out the window within about 5 seconds of him starting to bark, because I thought it probably *was* a stray dog (which would be very rare on our property, between our location and multiple layers of fencing) or coyote, and there was for sure NOTHING visible except sheep, not even a cat or squirrel. And when we walked out there he was being all odd about the leaf pile. And things *did* look a bit different than he's used to, what with leaves recently off trees and a lot of the tall weeds removed from blocking the view of the barn's driveway paddock where the sheep were.

I think Russell just doesn't show any early aptitude for a career as a vertebrate taxonomist

Thanks for all the advice on what to do in future, folks! That definitely helps! Hopefully this will not become a regular feature.

I don't especially need him to be a guard dog, although if he wanted to bark when a coyote or stray dog (specifically) came onto the property that would be okay. I really do *not* want him barking anytime anything looks funny. Human intruders he would just joyously befriend, so he's useless for that anyhow

Much appreciated,

Pat

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:

 

[RiverOtter]

BTW, this is perfectly normal.
At 8 months old, he is mentally beginning (LOL, can be a long process with Labs) to go from Puppy to Dog. Puppy can be blissfully oblivious, his job is to play and grow and be happy. Dog has a job and a territory and a pack to defend. Even from suspicious looking leaf piles.

He is 8 months old. He doesn't know that every year leaves will fall from trees and the whole world will look and smell different and everything that moves (even the wind) will rustle through those leaves and make noises. AND he is starting to realize that he is Dog and he has a place in his pack that should maybe involve Doing Something.

What I would do - what I am doing, my own pup is just a teeny bit younger and at the same stage - is go check. When my Deacon barks at something in the tall grass (I can see that it is one of my hens, but the hen is now the same color as the grass and dogs don't see as well as humans) We go towards it together, I exaggerate sniffing - because Deacon has already learned to pay attention to me and he will eventually cotton on - and when we are close enough that he knows it is a hen I relax my body language and go inside.
I don't drag him forward or hold him back.
He will look to me for cues and eventually learn.
One time it may be the fox in the tall grass.

This is more raising then training. This situation doesn't call for training really, just bonding with your dog. With Deacon, I watch him and he watches me. When I see him watching a big bird overhead, I softly approve and also watch the bird, he will learn that big birds (hawks) need watching. When it is a squirrel in a tree, I make a big show, I sigh, look away and ignore - he learns that while he finds squirrels wildly exciting, I don't need to know about every passing one.
Russell will learn too.

How's he doing with New People?

 

[patandchickens]

Hey RiverOtter, this is like the second or third time (on different threads) that you have written eloquent, clear and absolutely spot-on advice to me. You ARE spying on Russell, AREN'T you!

That sounds *exactly* like where he's at right now.

And I really really like your advice to actually directly *model for him* what things should be paid attention to and what things should be ignored, which I'm not sure I've read anywhere else (at least not in a way that got thru my thick skull).

You should write a book. I don't care if it gets published LOL, just for *me* to read

He's doing great with new people, because he is a lab and while on a scale of 1 to 100 "food" rates "100", PEOPLE rate about a "657"! Hopefully that's permanent. And he's getting *much* better about keeping his brain plugged in while meeting people, or being philosophical and just sitting there while they walk past not meeting him. He still has quite a ways to go of course but now is not such a joyous menace to life and limb

Thanks muchly,

Pat

 

[gettinaclue]

Quote:
That is a fabulous explination (please for give my spelling).

I agree, you should write a book. I would read it....or maybe Pat could share a copy of her personal book me. LOL ...I'm serious.

 

[RiverOtter]

Aww, where's the blushing smiley?


Anytime you guys need me, here I am. I don't train for other people anymore - too heartbreaking - but am happy to give a little help to a friend.

 

[teach1rusl]

BTWay...didn't see it mentioned, but he's still in the age range (especially since he's a breed not considered fully grown/mature until around 2) where's it perfectly natural to be spooked by new or different things (such as piles of leaves). I've done exactly what you did, let them see that it's nothing to worry about. I was told in training (and in reading) to put them through a command they know (sit, down, whatever) followed by praise to help them feel confident when they come across something that spooks them.
PS: Just yesterday I walked my 6 mo. old over to my SIL's porch so he could see that her Halloween decoration (a little pumpkin head man) wan't a boogie man. It's been on her porch for over two weeks now, so why he chose yesterday to get spooked by is unknown...

 

[ca]

It is my dogs job to alert me to things that are suspicious. So I actually reward that behavior with some attention. When I check things out and determine they are not "dangerous" I tell my dogs to shut up and leave it. Labs can be pretty stubborn though. It would be helpful if you had a good training relationship with your animal. My lab started listening to me A LOT better since I am doing agility training with him.