David Lock

OK, advice needed from dog trainer types please.

We have an oldish Cavalier bitch, part of the family as it were. She sleeps down stairs and we go down fairly early in the morning to let her out. When she's back in we usually leave her in her basket while we either go back to bed or slowly get up.

But in recent weeks she has started barking when she comes back in which only stops when we come down again and say hello. Seems like she is asking for company. She never used to do this and I wonder why she has started this now? Nothing in her lifestyle or environment has changed and AFAIK she is in good health..

I sort of assume that the more we "give in" the worse it will become - do you agree? Should we come down and deliberately ignore her?

Tips/advice invited. Thanks David

Leslie

Depends whether you can put up with the barking when you go back upstairs. She obviously feels you are very important to her so perhap's if you make a bit of a fuss of her she may get out of the barking bit when you go upstairs again. We all change a bit as we get older.

Les

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

When you come down to let her out, do not speak or make eye contact with her. Let her out, do your thing, let her back in and then retire again. Then wait until all is quiet before entering the room she is in. This will stop her associating barking with attention. It might take a few mornings, but if she is getting nothing out of it then she may give in.

Another way is to teach her to bark/speak, at the same time teaching her to stop/quiet. This is the methord i used with our Boxer. The most you will need to do then is, pop your head in and give the quiet command. She will soon get the idea.

Easier with young dogs but still very doable with an older dog.

Hth.

David Lock

Cheers for that. Para 1 is basically what we do and we have tried to ignore barking when it starts again when we go back up - but she doesn't give up easily!!

Para 2. Not quite sure how to teach this as as soon as we go into the room she stops woofing plus she's pretty deaf now so teaching by voice tones is not very effective.

Onwards and upwards.... David

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

No problem. As you probably know, it's all to do with association/disassociation and repetition. This is made harder by the age and deafness but is far from impossible.
Try treats, when 'she' barks, make a hand signal (the same one over and over) until she stops, then straight away treat her. Slowly reduce the treats so she is responding more to the signal.

Our dog is younger (5) and has very good hearing, however we do not have to speak to her to have her do or not to do, ie if i point at the floor she knows to lay down, if i point at the door she knows to leave the room.

Give it a go. I find, not alot is more rewarding than training our pooch.

amego

dont you watch the dog wisperer now thats a man who can handle dogs

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

+1. I think he is 80% k9.

David Lock

I wish my teeth were that shiny

d

ScoobyWon't

2oz of lead would fix it