Barking

[poiuytrewq]

I got my old collie at 9 years old. She never barked at her previous home, with the exception of someone at the door etc, the kind of barking that’s useful!
When she came to ours the barking was pretty soul destroying! She mainly seemed to be barking at the other dogs, if one of them so much as looked in her direction. If they played, moved anything she’d bark at them.
Its a high pitched repetitive yap.
Once she’s started it can go on and on.
It’s *usually if I’m not in the same room which makes correcting difficult. Right now they are wet and muddy so I’m their beds to dry off and she’s barking every 30 seconds or so.
She’s not at all bothered about being alone, I’m fact she chooses it so it’s not separation anxiety. She’s at her quietest by herself curled up on the sofa. Sometimes they just randomly come from no where (and nearly give me heart failure!)
I noticed she had stopped when recently she went off her legs a bit, however with anti inflammatories from the vet she’s much more her old self.... and the bark has returned!
Im pretty tolerant but it’s really annoying!
Any ideas? I’m sure I won’t get advised it here but a few people have told me to shout at her or even smack or use a bark collar. I’m not up for any of those suggestions! She’s an old lady but I would love her to stop ?
I’m also a bit worried puppy may copy her when he arrives.

 

[CorvusCorax]

With the best will in the world, what do you think you are going to change in a dog with an ingrained habit at this age? It's a bit unfair to let her do something for so long, then suddenly decide it's annoying/it will impact on your new dog.
The normal way to do it is to use an already established signal that the barking is not what you want, wait for 3-5 seconds of silence, mark and reward then once they know that, layer in the new command (eg. quiet)
It may also be linked to loss of other senses and/or dementia if she is very old.

 

[poiuytrewq]

With the best will in the world, what do you think you are going to change in a dog with an ingrained habit at this age? It's a bit unfair to let her do something for so long, then suddenly decide it's annoying/it will impact on your knew dog.
The normal way to do it is to use an already established signal that the barking is not what you want, wait for 3-5 seconds of silence, mark and reward then once they know that, layer in the new command (eg. quiet)
It may also be linked to loss of other senses and/or dementia if she is very old.

I didn’t mean it to sound like that.
We have always tried to stop her, generally distraction of some sort has been my best attempt. A friend said to call her to me and offer treats. Sounded a bit like rewarding the yap but did seem to help.
I just wondered if there were any other techniques I could play round with.
I think it’s where she stopped completely and then started again with a vengeance.
Also, I’ve been reading about dog behaviour and realise she’s not in any of the barker categories. I don’t really understand why she does it

 

[CorvusCorax]

It won't ever stop completely after so much time and so many repetitions. It's a management issue. As you've been living with it so long you should probably film it and send it to an independent party. Fresh eyes will see something we can miss.
Rewarding the yap will only happen if your timing/marking (good/yep or no/ah ah) is wrong. Dogs tend to take 3-5 seconds at most to make a link between behaviour = consequence, be that good or bad.

 

[AmyMay]

She mainly seemed to be barking at the other dogs, if one of them so much as looked in her direction. If they played, moved anything she’d bark at them.

I’d say that was a sign of anxiety (being anxious in the company of the other dogs). Was she previously an only dog?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Ah it’s fine, I just wondered if anyone might have some idea to help. It’s no big issue. She’s also super vocal all the time, as I’m not barking but chatters away and has conversations with us!
I say she didn’t do it with the previous owner but I don’t actually know that. I was also told she was great with other dogs, in reality she was scared and snappy with them.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’d say that was a sign of anxiety (being anxious in the company of the other dogs). Was she previously an only dog?

She was yes. She’s also quiet if she go’s to stay with my daughter.
She does seem to get on with the other/s now though. They play and chase each other round the garden or on walks. She used to share a bed with my little lab before he died.
They also curl up on the sofa together.
That may well be the start of it though, as above she didn’t see eye to eye with them or any other dog at first.

 

[scats]

I’d say that was a sign of anxiety (being anxious in the company of the other dogs). Was she previously an only dog?

I’d agree with this but I’m not really sure how you would stop it if I’m honest.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

OP, I’ve read a good few times that trainers who work with dogs who bark constantly, train them to ”speak”, so that they bark on command only, it is to stop incessant barking. I have absolutely no idea whether it works but it seems to be suggested a lot in training. How on earth you train them is another matter, perhaps you tube could help?

 

[poiuytrewq]

OP, I’ve read a good few times that trainers who work with dogs who bark constantly, train them to ”speak”, so that they bark on command only, it is to stop incessant barking. I have absolutely no idea whether it works but it seems to be suggested a lot in training. How on earth you train them is another matter, perhaps you tube could help?

I don’t imagine that would be difficult! If I bark at her she barks back, we do this in a play context. I don’t randomly woof at her! I do the dog play bow with her and we bounce round woofing in turn, she loves it ?
Its not a problem and I do feel bad for asking after CC’s very correct reply ? My OH doesn’t even seem to notice she does it, I need to be more like him and block it out.
Probably take to make the most of her rather than try and change her.

 

[bluehorse]

Do you think she may be going deaf? Only asking as my sister has an elderly rescue dog that can bark incessantly in a very monotone high pitched yap at pretty much anything. There is no tone to it, so no different types of bark (if you get me!). It’s got worse as he’s got older (although he was already 14 when they adopted him). My sister met someone out walking who had experience of training deaf dogs and she asked if he was deaf, saying his high pitch repetitive bark sounded like a deaf dog bark. My sister had never thought about it, the charity hadn’t mentioned it, but actually as soon as it was mentioned, it was pretty obvious he was deaf. They just thought he was untrained and as an elderly dog, untrainable. He can pick up a few sounds such as a loud clap, a door bang and their landline ringing. but very little else. They’ve since taught him to stop barking with a hand signal. We don’t think the charity had any idea he was deaf, not that it matters to us of course ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Do you think she may be going deaf? Only asking as my sister has an elderly rescue dog that can bark incessantly in a very monotone high pitched yap at pretty much anything. There is no tone to it, so no different types of bark (if you get me!). It’s got worse as he’s got older (although he was already 14 when they adopted him). My sister met someone out walking who had experience of training deaf dogs and she asked if he was deaf, saying his high pitch repetitive bark sounded like a deaf dog bark. My sister had never thought about it, the charity hadn’t mentioned it, but actually as soon as it was mentioned, it was pretty obvious he was deaf. They just thought he was untrained and as an elderly dog, untrainable. He can pick up a few sounds such as a loud clap, a door bang and their landline ringing. but very little else. They’ve since taught him to stop barking with a hand signal. We don’t think the charity had any idea he was deaf, not that it matters to us of course ?

That’s exactly what she’s like actually. I don’t think she’s deaf but she definitely doesn’t hear as she used to. I can pull up outside, come into the house, call her and still not wake her up these days.
The word dinner is no longer met with huge excitement either at first, so it’s not selective hard hearing! That’s an interesting link thank you!