Collie update....Unwanted barking

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poiuytrewq

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New collie is settling in really well. She's playing, eating and generally joining in family life now which is great.
We went to her owners funeral do last week and it was so lovely seeing her back with all her family.
She has become less snarly with the others and I can now leave them with toys all together alone. She chose this by refusing to go to her "bedroom" one evening, choosing to stay with the labs overnight. I've now moved her bed into the house (she was in the utility room alone as seemed to want her own space) She eats alone as I think this would cause arguments but other than that alls good.
She's been to see the vet, been wormed and started her jabs as they were long overdue. A weigh in shows she is 27kg now, this is after loosing a fair bit already! He'd like to see her at 20kg then review again.

The only problem is her barking! she barks as people coming into the garden or yard which is perfect and we are happy with this. However when the other two dogs play, which being young they do a lot! she just watches and barks consistently over and over. This can go on for hours on and off!
I'm not sure if she is a bit excited and would quite like to join in or if she's annoyed and telling them off or what!?
Any idea's on how I can curb this a little? I've half considered a citronella collar which we once had success with years back after getting complaints off a neighbour!
 
She is a collie, I'm afriad, it is what they do. I doubt you will have much luck stopping it, my mum's collie barks continually when she does anything. (Worse than a terrier IMO). I hope someone can offer suggestions, but in the mean time can you not just take her where she can't see them?
 
Sorry, no clever suggestions ..... will watch your post with interest.

My Collie barks, along with the Dobie, when she hears people in the track or on our drive, which is what we want. BUT, she also barks furiously if I go outside to do horses, gardening etc and dont take her with me ..... I can still hear her when I am down in the fields ...... drives me a little mad!
 
Sounds as if she wants to join in - she's certainly stimulated by the play! Try playing with her yourself, an exciting game of chase or tug. Many collies love to hold something in their mouth, so you could chuck her a toy to hold, which will at least muffle the noise. Hours on end of the overstimulation and frustration of watching the others play is not great. Perhaps take her off for some personal time with you instead?

Best of all would be to be near her when the others are playing, and post tasty little soft treats (e.g. cheese or sausage) into her mouth. She'll gradually begin to look to you for treats instead of barking at the others.

Please don't use any sort of bark collar. This is the sledgehammer/nut approach, and will punish all your other dogs as well.


Beverley
www.brilliantfamilydog.com
 
Please don't use a citronella collar, they are really not nice for dog's sensitive noses as well as potentially making the situation worse.
If it were me I would distract her away when they are playing and reward, with direct food rewards or giving her another job to entertain her or have a little play with her by herself. Each time she barks call her away and make a fuss. You will be doing it a lot at first, but gradually she will start to look for you instead or after just one bark, if you make a fuss for doing that then over time she will forget the barking and just come to you for a fuss when they are playing and she doesn't know what to do. It takes time and a bit of patience but it is worth it to have a happy relaxed dog who can watch them play if she wants to without getting worried or overexcited about it.
 
Oh ok, I was completely unaware of that. She was never a barker at her old home but was the only dog.
On the plus when she barks I know they are playing which this morning alerted me to the fact the naughty labs were up and about and eating the sofa whilst I was in bed!!!
 
dollyanna said:
Please don't use a citronella collar, they are really not nice for dog's sensitive noses as well as potentially making the situation worse.
If it were me I would distract her away when they are playing and reward, with direct food rewards or giving her another job to entertain her or have a little play with her by herself. Each time she barks call her away and make a fuss. You will be doing it a lot at first, but gradually she will start to look for you instead or after just one bark, if you make a fuss for doing that then over time she will forget the barking and just come to you for a fuss when they are playing and she doesn't know what to do. It takes time and a bit of patience but it is worth it to have a happy relaxed dog who can watch them play if she wants to without getting worried or overexcited about it.
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That sounds a good idea. Every time she starts barking, give a reward....
 
Dry Rot said:
That sounds a good idea. Every time she starts barking, give a reward....
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I didn't say every time she starts barking give her a reward (although that actually doesn't have the response you would expect), I said distract her away and then reward, breaking the barking. It is a highly successful and well known technique, and very quickly gave me a dog who was able to watch the world go by without stress and when he does get anxious or excited he looks for me instead and it just takes a smile for him to be able to remain quiet and relaxed (mine is deaf otherwise would use a "good boy").
 
It sounds a good idea, however we really are trying to be very strict with the treats as she is over weight and has stiff legs. The vet thinks this is mostly weight induced as her actual joints feel good. Id be hesitant to give treats as she barks a lot!
The distraction worked today though, I played catch and she stopped barking almost!
 
Clodagh said:
She is a collie, I'm afriad, it is what they do. ……..
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Many dog breeds, when denied their 'purpose', will show signs of frustration, and 'hyped' behaviour is generally what's visible (or audible!). What to do about it? If the trick of preempting the triggers can be mastered, then discipline mostly works, but the trick is to be one step in front of the dog's thought processes. Not easy!

Dry Rot said:
That sounds a good idea. Every time she starts barking, give a reward....
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Yes, quite! Treats only serve a purpose when the dog chooses to believe them to be of greater worth. When the dog considers that behaving in an unwanted fashion is preferable to being rewarded, then that's what they'll do, in my limited experience! :) It works in exactly the same fashion as when a nervous dog is 'consoled'. Inadvertently, we're rewarding the dog.

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
Yes, quite! Treats only serve a purpose when the dog chooses to believe them to be of greater worth. When the dog considers that behaving in an unwanted fashion is preferable to being rewarded, then that's what they'll do, in my limited experience! :) It works in exactly the same fashion as when a nervous dog is 'consoled'. Inadvertently, we're rewarding the dog.

Alec.
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Can I point out again that I suggested 3 ways of rewarding for coming back to the handler instead of staying and barking (note - not rewarding the barking, but doing something else) and only one of them was food. It is up to the handler to work out what is going to be more rewarding than barking! I am suggesting distracting away to teach an alternative behaviour. It was another poster who suggested posting food into her mouth as she barks, not me.
I have simply shared what works for me and many many others, as a recognised technique. Take it or leave it - or suggest something better, which neither of you have done. At least I am being constructive to the OP instead of picking on other posters who I happen to not agree with.
 
dollyanna said:
…….. . Take it or leave it - or suggest something better, ……... At least I am being constructive to the OP instead of picking on other posters who I happen to not agree with.
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Alec Swan said:
……... What to do about it? If the trick of preempting the triggers can be mastered, ……..

Alec.
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dollyanna, did you not read the above quote? I thought that it was an attempt at a possible solution. What you and others have suggested are reactions to the dog's behaviour. What I'd propose would be tackling the problem at source and before the 'outburst'.

Alec.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if it settled by itself. It doesn't sound as if you've had her very long (sorry I think I missed your first post), and the excitement of having 'siblings' may wear off, or she may gain the confidence to join in rather than just creating a rumpus on the outskirts. The problem you'll find in trying to train her out of it is that it's a self-rewarding behaviour so difficult to find a 'motivator' that beats it...you have to be even more exciting than they are which can just hype the situation up even more.
 
G
Possum said:
I wouldn't be surprised if it settled by itself. It doesn't sound as if you've had her very long (sorry I think I missed your first post), and the excitement of having 'siblings' may wear off, or she may gain the confidence to join in rather than just creating a rumpus on the outskirts. The problem you'll find in trying to train her out of it is that it's a self-rewarding behaviour so difficult to find a 'motivator' that beats it...you have to be even more exciting than they are which can just hype the situation up even more.
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Hi, no I've had her about 4/5 weeks approx. I've known her 6 years but never heard her bark before actually owning her.
Her owner died and I couldn't bear the "free to a good home" cards in window idea the family had so I took her.
She's really lovely and has helped me with the loss of my precious dog recently.
This is our only snagging point. Originally she was actually going for the others so it's a great improvement to be fair.
 
poiuytrewq said:
G

Hi, no I've had her about 4/5 weeks approx. I've known her 6 years but never heard her bark before actually owning her.
Her owner died and I couldn't bear the "free to a good home" cards in window idea the family had so I took her.
She's really lovely and has helped me with the loss of my precious dog recently.
This is our only snagging point. Originally she was actually going for the others so it's a great improvement to be fair.
Click to expand...

What a lovely thing for you to do, she's a very lucky dog. It may hearten you (or not lol, depending on how you look at it!)that it took about 6 months for our vocal rescue terrier to settle down. At first we would have to crate her during mealtimes etc with a bone to shut her up otherwise she would just sit and bark - it drove us potty so I feel your pain but she's so much better now. The fact that you've never heard her bark before is a promising sign.

A bit of a random idea, but have you thought about something like a thundershirt?
 
poiuytrewq said:
New collie is settling in really well. She's playing, eating and generally joining in family life now which is great.
We went to her owners funeral do last week and it was so lovely seeing her back with all her family.
She has become less snarly with the others and I can now leave them with toys all together alone. She chose this by refusing to go to her "bedroom" one evening, choosing to stay with the labs overnight. I've now moved her bed into the house (she was in the utility room alone as seemed to want her own space) She eats alone as I think this would cause arguments but other than that alls good.
She's been to see the vet, been wormed and started her jabs as they were long overdue. A weigh in shows she is 27kg now, this is after loosing a fair bit already! He'd like to see her at 20kg then review again.

The only problem is her barking! she barks as people coming into the garden or yard which is perfect and we are happy with this. However when the other two dogs play, which being young they do a lot! she just watches and barks consistently over and over. This can go on for hours on and off!
I'm not sure if she is a bit excited and would quite like to join in or if she's annoyed and telling them off or what!?
Any idea's on how I can curb this a little? I've half considered a citronella collar which we once had success with years back after getting complaints off a neighbour!
Click to expand...

If she has lived alone before, the experience of 2 Labs playing might be overwhelming her sense of order If she can engage the chase drive, maybe, fetching a ball, she may be calmer. She may also want to be closer to you than the Labs.
 
never had a problem with barking
but
my dog will bark on command (my hand by my ear).....after learning this we learnt to stop the bark,`quiet` and treat.

we have a party trick where I ask him a sum and he does the answer (with subtle commands lol)

therefore I have learnt him `speak` and `quiet` and can use the `quiet ` command on it`s own.
 
Always had collies on number 4. all rescued dogs they are wired weird. current companion does up down turn around pick a bail of cotton and the okey kokey knees bend arm stretch rragh rragh rragh lol also herds chickens till they've had enough and tell him NO. Don't do treats tho thats the road to the vets with liver damage at 10 years or sooner. But barking is a pain if not checked, distraction is the key be calm use love and attention. Collies will work around gadgets and gimmicks they too smart, if they had thumbs they would be running the country probably better than the current lodger.
 
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