Persistant morning barking is driving us mad.....

[MrsMagoo]

Hi, we rehomed a cocker spaniel bitch at the beginning of the year and she is absolutely great in all ways apart from her mad moments of barking in the morning!!! Its driving us all mad - she barks at nothing, postman, milkman etc you name it. She even trys to rip up the post as it comes through the door????
anyway, we got her a small electric shock collar which worked ok for the first few weeks, but anytime you took it of as a break, she'd be back to normal. Now the collar makes no difference what so ever. I've tried distracting her in the morning, or making a noise everytime she barks but I think she must be a bit dumb lol....
We do already have a cocker spaniel who is now 7yrs old and hes been brill....very clever....never puts a foot wrong

Although he's now started joining in with the morning chorus....lol

Sooo is there anything else we can try - was thinking muzzle??

One other thing - the little moo bag has a habit of escaping from the garden and going for hours then just returning. luckily we live in the country but thats not the point. We have put fencing all around but shes still doing it even get out the door when you open it for somone - WHY???? ergh

Help please???

 

[EllieBeast]

how about crate training her, so that she stays in there at night. we have always done this with our dogs, and they love their little 'house'. this would mean that she has her own little space where she will feel secure, therefore she shouldn't feel the need to bark at everything. also this would stop her from wrecking the post before you get down to rescue it!
Sarah xXx

 

[Oneofthepack]

My dogs all bark at the postman/milkman/random callers and I figure it's a partly good thing to have warning that someone's at the door and I use them shamelessly to get rid of cold callers etc...........though it does drive me demented! She is only letting you know there might be danger so maybe try petting her and calming her down then shutting her in another room when the barking starts. I have solved the post annihalation by putting a metal post box on the gate and the nipping out when the door's opened by shutting them in another room if I want to let someone in. Good luck!

 

[Clodagh]

I think the cage/crate is a good idea. You can even cover it over if it helps.
We rehomed a border terrier as it persistently barked and it still drives me nuts four years later (sorry!!). I think it is an insecurity thing, and with Poppy her former owner had tried to beat it out of her, so made it even worse.
Also, shes an active working young dog, perhaps obedience or agility might give her something constructive to focus her energies on?
My lurcher (also a rescue) still vanishes whenever she gets the urge, so can't help you there!

 

[LauraBR]

My dogs sleep in our kitchen and dining room- because those rooms back onto the back garden. If they were allowed to be near the front of the house at night I'm quite sure I wouldn't sleep at all.

The cage sounds a good idea. Stairgates are also v v useful... save my post every day lol!