They won't stop barking! Advice please?

[FarmerChick]

that is true FourPawz
guarding a home doesn't happen outside in a kennel locked up, but free inside the home, that dog can 'work' if an intruder enters.

 

[jeepchick]

We have a border collie and 2 german shepards.....I find when I leave them out they do some of the same stuff.....bark at everything and nothing, beat the snot out of each other and dig holes etc. Some things that help with ours are figure out what they are barking at and block the view. My neighbor has a ornimental windmill they bark at so I park my car so they can't see it. Also I find that they do most of the runing a muck when I've been slack on my doggie mommy duties....walk walk walk! Play catch with them anything that tires them out. Just like a toddler themore they play the better nap they take hehehe. I figured out that when Im not interacting with them they do bad things like dig and chew and bicker and bark mindlessly. Advice I can give.... walk them and play with them as much as you can. Some dog owners think going for a walk is just to go potty but thats not the case. It gives your dog time to excersize and bond with you....VERY important even if you have dogs that have their own "yard". Second it is my very strong opinion they EVERY dog should be kennel trained. You will hear nay-sayers tell you its mean and what not but it really is not. Dogs are den animals. Having a "den" is natural for them and gives them a safe place that they feel secure. Alot of times when a dog barks and barks its not that they are doing the guard dog thing it is because they are insecure and thats what their response is. It's very simple. You crate the dog at night and let them out of the crate in the morning. When we are in the house with the dogs they actually choose to lay in the kennel because its "their spot" in the livingroom. Another plus side is that a dog will not potty where it sleeps....no more messes in the morning! As for dogs that live outside I don't really have anything helpful to add because I have never had an exculsive outdoor dog. I don't see anything wrong with that I just don't have any experience

As for the shredding toys issue....the best thing I get my dogs is soup bones! You get them at the supermarket at the meat counter....they arent very expensive and you will find that they keep them VERY happy and they are very durrible

once they eat the meat off the outside it takes them forever to get the marrow out of the middle. Where your dogs are a larger breed try and get the bigger bones...if you don't ask for the larger ones sometimes they will give you really small ones. Give them a try I think you and the dogs will be happy you did!

What kind of crates do you have? The wire ones might be leaving them feeling vunerable at night and the plastic ones might just feel like toys to them. If you can you might try putting an actual wooden dog house inside for them. They are heavier and will be harder to drag around and will give them the secure feeling of having walls around them. I know a lady that has outdoor dogs that has a wooden "doghouse" in the kennel that actually has a door on it that she closes at night....kind of like putting the chickens in the coop at night. Might be a good substitute for kenneling them in the house if you don;t want to go that route.

Also a little food for thought...if you give them "time out" in the kennel that might be making them associate the kennel with punishment instead of their safe spot. Dogs don't associate the punishment with the crime the same way people do. Make them feel secure, make them tired, give them bones and walk walk walk! Good Luck

 

[Horsefly]

Some nights have been good, others not so good. I really think they are barking because it is so light and they can play with each other. They will also bark if all the neighbors dogs are barking or they hear a strange noise which is okay to me. This kind of barking doesn't last to long and they either settle down or keep barking directing their attention to each other. I like having them out there becaus they let me know if any of my animals or chickens start making a weird noise or sometime is out roaming. I was hanging a sheet up on the side of their kennel and it was working good until they pulled it through the chainlink and shredded it. Anyone have a solution to that one? They have done the same thing with tarps. I would try crating but I don't know how to start with that as they aren't used to being kept in a small enclosed space. They ride in their crates in the car and are good with it then but I don't know about just leaving them in them when we aren't right there. Also I dont think they would be very happy inside. They have never been inside in their lives and will balk at the door if given a chance to come in.
Edit* I forgot to say that the kennel is a 10x10x6 chainlink dog kennel with a tin roof we put on. Their dog houses are 2 hard plastic crates with the doors removed. I also forgot to say that they love being in their crates and sleep in them during the day. When they go in time out it punishes them from barking because they can't see out of the crates at each other or whatever else they were barking at. The crates don't have doors so it isn't really keeping in there they just know I will get on them if they come out before I tell them it's okay.

 

[Wolfwoman]

I have blockades around my dog pens too, but they are wood...lol I have used old 4x8 pieces of OSB and blocked the bottom 4' and it seems to help some.

 

[Brindlebtch]

It actually sounds like they may be bored, since they are going to the effort of shredding the tarps and sheets. Boredom will cause barking.