They won't stop barking! Advice please?

[Horsefly]

Well my neighbor called for the first time last night to have us shut our dogs up. I figure we should work something out so they quit barking at night. They usually bark off and on at night but it was hours strait last night. They each get to play in the yard half the day and then get switched, one in the 10x10 kennel and the other out in the shock fence. We have to switch them out because they play rough together and will chew the $100 shock collars off each other and break them. During the day they will bark at each other and at the neighbors going by and other dogs passing through. It isn't a big deal because we are the only ones home and they alert us if something isn't right. At night they both get locked into the 10x10 kennel together. They usually bark for awhile in the middle of the night but usually everybodies dogs are barking and they settle down when everyone elses dogs shut up. With all the crickets and frogs they have been going berserk the last few nights barking for a long time for no reason. They play and move their crates all over the kennel and make a mess in there. Sometimes during the day I have enough and will tell them to be quiet (usually they don't react) and if they don't I go and put them in time out in their crate for a few minutes. Usually they are better after that but will still want to bark and will start up again in 10 minutes.
So this needs to stop now that the neighbor has complained. Maybe they are bored at night? I try giving them toys but they know how to shred them to efficiently and they are gone in 5 minutes tops. I give them milk jugs and they shred them to dollar sizes prices all over the yard. Right now they just have a bucket of water, a tennis ball, and 2 crates in their kennel. Should I get them some bones maybe? I also thought of maybe getting a training shot collar but I don't really want to use that or spend to much now? Any advice is welcome they are 2 yrs old brother and sister lab mixes (heavy on the lab). They are healthy weight and get fed 2xs a day and are trained to sit, down, shake, stay, and a couple cute tricks ( I can't seem to teach come to them).

 

[alicefelldown]

I use one of these: "Kotulas Ultrasonic Dog Repeller Trainer Aid - Keeps Dogs Away" that I got pretty cheaply from the pet store. It has helped a lot. (You click when they bark, same principal of the collar, just cheaper!)

http://www.google.com/products/cata...PiALjmvGXBg&ved=0CCoQ8wIwAw&biw=1259&bih=856#

 

[punk-a-doodle]

From a glance (I may very well be completely wrong, not trying to make assumptions), it sounds like these dogs need some socializing and training. Especially with active, high energy dogs, they need to be trained on how to be calm, and it needs to be reinforced. No bark collars may work well as a quick fix (which, I commend you for taking your neighbor's complaint seriously, and working to fix it as quickly as possible), but at least on the surface, it sounds like that would be a band aid, that other problems would still exist. There is a really, really helpful trainers (free info) forum I'll link you to when I get home, and I'll also add in what has helped with me for barking dogs. One of the most effective ways I've seen and used, is teaching a dog either that it is allowed only one bark, or several, very, very quiet barks. It still allows them to state their business that way, and the second way becomes a game for some dogs, and they see how quiet they can bark. Depends on the dog though.

 

[dkvart1]

I too commend you on taking the complaint seriously, I only wish more people were as concerned and responsible where their pets are concerned.

I didn't hear any mention of the dogs being walked, which in MHO is necessary for healthier, happier dogs. Granted they do get exercise playing in the yard, but that's not always enough, especially for high energy dogs, which yours certainly sound like. Walking is not only good exercise, but helps establish pack leadership as well, if you make them walk beside or behind you. And for high energy dogs it can help drain that energy as being made to walk calmly takes effort on their part. If the walks alone aren't enough, get them "saddle bags" for dogs and let them carry some weight, that will definately drain some energy. I'm not sure how obedient they are, but having them run along side you as your ride a bike is another wonderful way to drain some of that energy. This I wouldn't try with animals that don't respond to basic commands however as an uncontrollable dog on a bike can be dangerous.

Another thing to consider is what the dog was originally bred for. Often times unless these dogs have a job to do they can develop behaviour problems as well. Perhaps some training classes directed specifically at their breed.

I'm not a fan of shock collars of any type, but that's just me. There are many ways to correct bad behaviours, but key to any change in behaviour is consistency. Every time it occurs you must be willing to correct it until the behaviour is changed, by whatever method you choose, be it correction collars or verbal commands, etc.

Good luck.

 

[PotterWatch]

One of our dogs is a big barker and we will no longer keep him outside at night. He wakes me up, so I know he must annoy the neighbors. We started keeping them in kennels in the house but they now just have the run of the house at night (they have a couch in the living room that they sleep on and rarely leave it during the night unless it's to come let us know they need to go out). Using a bark collar would probably have been the only other thing we could have done to stop the barking.

 

[ChickenFanaticAB]

They are going to bark at night at other dogs and critters moving around during the night. We used to have 2 terriers that would sometimes start up at night, and it seemed like once they got started they wouldn't stop. They aren't bored, they should be sleeping, but other animals are going to wake them up and they just think they are keeping them away. If your neighbors are complaining it's time to get some crates and just bring them inside to sleep. At least one of them...you might be able to bring one in and leave one out and they won't be keeping each other up, or you may find that one of them barks more than the other. If you have a separate laundry room, or your garage doesn't get too hot, you can do that as well. It really is the best option. They will get used to the routine of coming in at night and going straight out in the morning (especially if you feed in the morning!), and you will find that the quiet nights are well worth it.

 

[Horsefly]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I agree with y'all they need more training, I really try but I can't seem to get to them. They listen really well if I have food or they are on a leash but have very selective hearing when loose and having fun. The girl has done dog training classes and has had socialization and stuff but the male hasn't. I have trained him on my own at home and of the two he is most food motivated and listens more of the time off leash but is the more aggressive of the two. I have been wanting to get him in some training classes but he has had a couple of episodes of leash aggression while coming in contact with other dogs at the vets so I am leary about bringing him around other dogs. Someone mentioned me not walking them and they don't get walks. I don't live in a neighborhood really so it's not practical to walk them. It's more of farm type setting but each of our plots of land are long and narrow so the houses are without hearing distance of each other. We go out and play with the dogs with balls and sticks almost every day and spend alot of time with them out there so they are getting interaction. Also their yard is pretty big, the size of a standard dog park maybe?
I got some doors out for their crate is they start up again tonight I will lock them up. They never are shut in their crates so I am kind of worried about how to start locking them up. Should I leave them for like and hour a day and gradually work up the time they are in them? Thanks agin for the tips keep them coming I want the well behaved dogs everyone else seems to have but me.

 

[PineappleMama]

Mine are three yappy little buggers. Human walking by... bark. Dog walking by... bark. Cat... Squirrel... The Freakin' Wind. Anything will set off the yap attack. But when in the back yard at least it does have to be something... frog or bug won't do it. Has to be a bigger target. Lucky there I guess. Until a cat, possum, etc IS back there and then they just will NOT let it go. On and On and ON until the thing goes away or they kill it. Those times, to avoid bad relations with neighbors at the least possible fining at the worst, we bring them in... even if we have to drag them kicking and screaming into the house.

But then ours are house dogs. Donno that that would work for you. Any change you could put them in the garage?? Still on guard to anyone sneaking in the back, but no so sensitive to every leaf that rattles?

 

[4 the Birds]

Not a big fan of the bark collars but some people swear that they keep the barking way down. The spray collars are pretty much useless. Alot of excersize during the day will make dogs sleep more at night. You can also add side tarps to the kennels to block their view. As a last resort, you can crate them in a garage at night as others have mentioned. Our dogs are mostly quiet at night in large outdoor pen areas. A passing coyote or rabbit in the field will stir them up somewhat but they mostly head to the dog houses when they are put away in the evening (we live on several acres of farm land). Another thing that works well is the super soaker. When I walk outside holding the soaker the dogs get quiet. They know that if they bark they get a squirt of water in the face.

 

[hikerchick]

My dogs sleep in my bed with me and don't bark at all. Dogs should not be left outside.