German Shepherd dog

I have been battling my dogs barking for too long. I have had constant neighbor complaints...who could blame them. I have bark collars that work, but one of the dogs in particular is very high drive, very whiney (which stimulates the collar) and then she goes into aggression and spins and fights with the collar. This goes on and on and on.

I have tried turning the level down low, and she is unphased and it does not curb her barking.

I have tried putting a remote collar on her and using it when she barks. This works, but I always have to be here to correct her. She knows the word "quiet" but this is not helpful when I am not here.

She is in an area that is back off the street and not near neighbor fences, but she is SO LOUD. It sounds like she is in a constant dog fight. If I put it on her when she's quiet, and drive away, when she hears me come home she whines and starts lighting herself up. I feel like I have to run out there and rescue her from herself.

Will she eventually figure it out and stop whining? I have let her try to figure it out for a couple of days in a row, but we seem no closer. I don't want to have to crate her all day and all night, but that is what it's coming to.

Any suggestions would help.

Thanks

Candy

obediance training is a MUST!

teach the dog to bark on command and then tell it to stop.

every time it sSTARTS to bark give it the same command "BARK" and a treat. Once it barks on command, tell it "NO BARK" and when it stops give it a treat. You can use any word you want.

if the dog is bothering your neighbor, keep it in your house, or garage - crate train it

most dogs bark because they just want to be with the rest of their pack (you).

mostly respect your neighbors

Let me clarify. This dog is actively worked in schutzhund, she is allowed in the house on a daily basis, she has very good obedience, and she know's a bark command and a quiet command. I am not interested in selling this dog. Reality is that I work during the day and I do not have a job I can take her to. She is currently kenneled next to another dog, who wears a collar, so she is not isolated.

I am willing to crate this dog during the day, but I was looking for alternatives. Thanks for the responses though.

Candy

So can a de-barked dog do the bark and hold in SchH? Crating the dog in the house might be a better solution when she has to be left to her own devices.

I don’t believe a debarked dog could be happier than it was before. I have seen two de barked dogs, one was a dachshund the other was a gsd. Both sounded like they had laryngitis, and both noises were disturbing. It is an unpleasant sound, as if they are trying to bark but just cant. They sound like they are on their deathbed every time they try to say something.

There is evidence of dogs enjoying their crate time, enjoying the safety of their own small space. There is no evidence of dog's enjoying a de-barking procedure, or the effects it has on them.   the link you posted about debarking has a wonderfully laid out Myths and Facts section, which does not support any of the information on there with facts.

Im sorry, but debarking IS the lazy way out because you rely on a minor surgery to cure the same problem that some separation anxiety training could cure.

How can it be that cutting into the dog’s voice box and "nicking" the vocal cords, causing permanent damage both psychologically and physically, can be considered humane?

Find out which vets perform debarkings in your area and send them nasty letters... please.

Chazz

Candy, I feel for you, I have a dog like this and her mother(8) and grandmother(13)(both still like this as well but live other homes now, retired), but I luckily can take her with me 80% of the time, however that 20 % that I can't take her, I purchased a dog bark box that hangs on the fence and when she barks when i come home it emits a sound that stops her, plus I also purchased a timed dog bowl, that I put  knuckle bones in and I set it when I leave and about 5 minutes before I come home, it releases her treat and she is normally knawing on the bone, and other than lifting her head to acknowledge me getting home she is knawing happily, plus it lets me record a message on it, I say to her Good Girl, eat your treat, be home soon.   This has made a world of difference, The families that own the mother and grandmother now as well do this with extreme success. I have done this for almost 9 months now. My dog only does this when I return home if she did not go, I dont know that you would call it seperation anxiety, more along the lines of very excited to see you, she talks to me, like my 3 year old son does when I get home non stop, but handing him a snack when i walk in helps too, LOL.....  I hope this helps, your other option is possibly doggy daycare, that you can pick her up on your way home, and spend time talking to her on the way home and maybe this would help, if available?

Also talk to your neighbors and let them all know you are working on a solution, they will be less irritated if they see that you are acknowledging their annoyance towards her behavior, maybe at Christmas send them a cookie tray from your dog saying she is sorry she talks so much..... Couldn't hurt.

Good Luck

Put 2 bark collars on her, and then maybe a muzzle.  That'll work. 

Just kidding - she is a great dog and you will figure something out.  Maybe she just really found her bark after seeing her bark and hold the other night she is real serious.  I like the spring a bone on her idea.  Have that hunka hunka hubby buid you something.

Hang in there.

Joyce

put a muzzle on here during the day ----she will still be able to drink water with this on.

Is it possible that she enjoys barking? If so then it is a self rewarding behavior and nearly impossible to get rid of. I have a dog who barks, whines, cries, howls, groans, you name it. He loves to make noise. I've tried every bark collar known to man. For him it dosn't work. Barking is rewarding.

Is your dog getting enough exercise?

My girl fast trots 3.5 miles every other day or two days.

Thanks for all the responses.You've been very helpful.

Candy

Hey, barking is not a nice issue to have, but still I am not sure why this dog is barking...

And them drastic messures might be just reinforcing this problem. First I would like to know why exactly she is abrking, is it a habit, as mentioned above is it self rewarding, meaning is the dog selfmedicating himself.is it boredom, is it neurotic  and so on. Kennels can make this barking issue stronger. Sometimes they start it with other dogs and occationally isolation, meaning blocking the sight to the other dog might be just the key to the solution. Maybe you can make some guesses why she is displaying this behavior?!

I don't know what you tried before, but a good portion of excersize, and or mental work before you leave might help calm the dog. Maybe you can be creative and find ways to keep this dog busy, while you are gone, maybe a kong stuffed with food works, or other things that make her hunt and work for food.

I don't know your schedule and the living conditions of the dog, so it is hard to give advice. Crating might be a quik solution for now, but I think you should ge help to find the cause and then change the invironment and circumstances to help the dog display other behaviors.

Maybe even help the dog with some homepathic treatments to settle her down. High drive dogs might require some extra attention, i would start getting up earlier and exersizing her, drain some of that energy, crate her with Kong or something else that keeps her busy.

Sounds like typical GSD happy with your arrival home!    Personally I would run her and exercise the heck out of her before leaving and then just put her inside the house in a crate or free depending on if she can be trusted.  I think a crate is much more humane especially if she goes in nice and exhausted. Put in some of her favorite toys [kong/peanut butter] and she should be good.  Personally I never trust neghbors you never know what they are going to do when you aren't home, throw over some antifreeze etc. People just aren't always nice.

Good luck with your girl! 

Amy