barking

[brady]

When I first came on board, I used to brag how Brady doesn't bark at anything. Well I am now eating my words. Brady has started barking in the middle of the night at whatever is in the air. Of course the poor guy has to put up with a new house going up about 20 feet from our house. When the contractors leave at night they leave a big blue tarp that blows all night. My question is, do you think this is a phase or should we try one of those "bark" collars. I just don't want to hear from the neighbors because as we all know a newfy's bark is not a quiet one. At 2 am I don't like it much and he is my baby. He responds well to "no bark" but there again it is 2 am and very cold out!
I do need to brag just a little though. We had just sat down to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Brady was outside. We have a sliding glass door in the dining room, Brady kept scratching at the door to come in. This being his "first" Thanksgiving with us I didn't want him to just get yelled at all through the meal. I finally let him, that devil came looked at all 8 of us at the table, walked in the kitchen came back in the dining room and layed on the floor with his nose against the door. Never once offered to put his head on the table or beg for food. I guess never feeding him from the table or our plates does something.

 

[Annie Milliron]

My guess is that this is just a phase. I'd hold off on the collar. Maybe you're right, and it has to do with the house being build next door. It could be just one of those teenage things too.

I've noticed when I'm out with the dogs at night, now that the leaves are gone, that I can hear more, I can hear cars on the highway, that are usually muffled by leaves and the crickets. Maybe that's what's going on.

Or, my "blame it on everything" excuse is: there was a full moon last week.....

 

[Annie Milliron]

Back again... forgot something....

I do think that it's probably just a phase and will eventually stop if you are consistant in correcting the behavior!!!

 

[brady]

Thank you Annie, you know you made a good point. With the leaves off the trees he can see and hear much more than this summer. I will hold off on the collar he does respond to the "no bark" pretty good.

 

[dmcgynn]

Pat
Jake will bark forever regardless of how many times I yell at him to stop. I did purchase a bark collar and it has helped alot, I normally only use it in the evenings since that is when people are home from work and I want to keep the peace because we all know a newf has one loud bark LOL. I can only hope it is a stage he is going through but Jake has been barking for awhile and shows no sign of stopping so the bark collar was my last resort.

Diane

 

[mollysmom]

A bark collar is my next purchase. I need one collar for two girls. Emma can bark you insane outside while she's playing. And just like Diane, I don't want my neighbors being upset with my dogs. She is quite loud. This same collar will be worn INside by Gracie. She's the other juvenile delinquent here

. She barks if she wants Molly to move, and will continue until either Molly moves or I come out and scold her. She barks if she wants off the bed, barks in my face if she wants my attention and I'm busy. and so on and so on.

I have no problem using the bark collar. I don't find it inhumane in any way.

 

[Annie Milliron]

I too have nothing against collars. We've considered getting one for Kira at times. I know people who have used them with great success. They are a little expensive though, and I think that it would be wise to determine first on whether or not this is just a phase... I'd hate to spend that amount of money on something that was just temporary!!!

 

[mollysmom]

But Annie, my hope IS that it's a temporary usage. I will be very happy when I no longer need it. When considering that I will use it for 2 of my girls at $40.00 a piece... that the neighbors, who have every right to expect a peaceful neighborhood, will be grateful for the quiet and that my irritation won't build

, I consider it a good buy.

Heck, maybe when I'm finished with it, someone one else can use it and it will become a well worn behavior aid

.

 

[bearbearsmom]

Just a little first thing - we had been away over the long weekend and hope everyone had a terrific holiday time. Now, my Bear is a barker of the relentless sort. He will just stand there and look at me and bark and bark. I know there is something in there that he is trying to say, but quite frankly it's getting on my last nerve. I too am hoping it is just a phase as for now we live in a neighborhood (looking for a new place in the country) and I don't want to upset the neighbors and their times at home. I am a stay at home worker and that silly dog will be quiet as a mouse all day, but come 5:00 he just has a lot to say. What type of collar do those of you have who have used it? I looked at them just in passing at Pet Smart and then my husband (who ironically complains the most) decided we shouldn't do it. Says it looks awful. But I did notice there was one kind that sprayed something and then the others. What do they do ? Thanks !!

Nancy and Bear

 

[Annie Milliron]

LOL!!! Ok, I misunderstood. You're right... $40.00 isn't that bad. The collar we've considered getting for Kira is $300+. That's a slight difference!!!

I do see your point, that it would be money well spent. I stand (really, I'm sitting!) corrected!

 

[dmcgynn]

Jake is the same about barking he is quiet for the most part through the day but come evening it is non-stop so we purchased the PetSafe Deluxe Bark Control made by Radio Systems Corp. It has 3 different levels to start at and then `has 18 levels of correction, meaning if Jake continues to bark he will keep getting a stronger and stronger correction either until he stops or it reaches its max. Then after so much time passes with no barking it resets itself to what your original setting is be it low, med, or high. It has worked really well for us so far and like Linda I hope this is just a stage and I can eventually quit using the collar all together.

Diane

 

[Jeannie]

I used a bark collar on a sheltie I had. I got the kind that shocked them. Now it is only a static shock. She could bark for 10 seconds (I think I remember right) then it would beep. If she barked again with 30 seconds of the beep it would zap her. It only took 2 times for her to get shocked then she learned. She would bark, but as soon as the beep went off she would shut up. What a blessing that was.

 

[Laura_Loomis]

Yes, there are shock collars and citronella collars. My vet rents the citronella collar. It's for training purposes. YOu could check and see if your vet/trainer does the same. You could try and see how it goes. If it stops in a week and you spent $5 you feel great. If it stops in a week and you spent $80-$300 you feel not so great....

Laura

 

[Laura_Loomis]

Sorry, but on further reflection, I find it ammusing that these big laid-back newfies are barking their fool heads off, and Flower the pomeranian had to be taught to bark...

Laura

 

[bearbearsmom]

Well, the hubby is at the Pet Smart purchasing the bark collar as I write !! We have to gain some sort of control with this bark because, God love him, he's wrecking my last nerve !! Hopefully he will get the point quickly. It's just at night. He will bark and bark and bark and bark no matter what we do. Inside, he barks. Outside, he barks. I tried snapping a newspaper, barks. Tried putting him up, barks. So, we'll see what happens. Hopefully our little girl won't be the same, but by geebies we will be ready if she is !!!

Nancy, Bear and Bumper

 

[dmcgynn]

Nancy one thing I have found with the bark collar is the thicker the fur where the collar shocks the less effective it is so you might want to trim the fur under his neck, unfortunately I can't trim Jakes (he would never sit still long enough)so right now it isn't hurting enough to make him stop so until I get him to my groomer we are going to have to keep Jake in at nite except for potty outings.

Diane

 

[bearbearsmom]

Diane - Thanks. I put it on him for a while tonight. We can't figure out if it is working or not. He was only in the house and he barked, but didn't reacte the way we thought he would. He didn't bark much, but did bark - I'm confused !!

We didn't get it until late when everyone was pretty much settling in for the night, so we'll be able to tell more tomorrow. It has been raining non-stop for almost two days now so outside time is limited to potty only right now. I changed the prongs, but I do believe I will have to trim a spot on his neck. The one we got has different settings. What do you have yours set on ? I did 3 or 4. I know it works because I was trying to tighten the strap and got a little jolt myself !! Oh well, we'll try again tomorrow. He barks worse in the house than outside and it has to come under some sort of control.

Nancy, Bear and Bumper

 

[dmcgynn]

Nancy yours sounds slightly different than what I have but probably works the same. Make sure that the prongs are at his throat, since Jake's fur is thick under there right now I have mine set on high and he feels it but not enough to stop barking. I know the first time we put it on Jake you could definitely tell when he got shocked because he would do a little jump and run in the house but right now all he does is turn his head and scratch when it shocks him so I know he isn't getting the point. Make sure you have the collar tight enough so it can't slip around. Good luck!