Need a Little Help... - Page 1

Well, I have tried everything I can think of, but the problem is just getting worse: it's jeolousy! It was bad when I had 2 dogs, now with 5, it's just plain awful! No matter what I try, every time I take 1 dog out, the others go bonkers. Barking, whining, scratching at gates, doors, crates, whatever....& lately Beckett has started the annoying habit of screaming. I don't know what else to call it. The first time he did it, it was so frightening, I rushed back in to see what happened to him, & that was all the reinforcement he needed. He continues to do it in spite of being ignored. Punishment hasn't worked, & seems inappropiate, because I can't actually BE there when he does it. And the young ones are learning to do it as well, now! So, I need to find a solution to this BEFORE someone calls the cops on me for 'killing' my dogs,(that's certainly what it sounds like!). I am thinking that an electronic correction device, like a shock or spray collar might work, as I could deliver the correction without being right there; but will they work if he's inside & I'm outside? I'm at my wits end here. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks! jackie harris--ps- I'm going to be out for a few hours, so I will respond to your comments this evening, thanks again!

Can you put them in crates so they don't actually see you leaving?  A bark collar may work, but if you have a crazy drive dog he may just bark right through it and scream even more!

Jager likes to bark like he is going to kill someone when I leave the car, just when I leave, not when I walk up, but I think he wants me to know he is not happy I am leaving him in the car.  I tried a bark collar, that just made things worse.  Seemed like if he touched the side of the crate with it, it shocked him!

I did end up putting an E-collar on him and I think he was able to relate to that much better since I would "NO" and press the button at the same time.  Only problem is, he knows when its on.  Doesnt necessarily have to be live, but if that collar is on in the car, he is pretty quite, if not he is a bit over the top at times!  I do not use the collar to train him on anything else at this point, he is still a bit young.

And to answer your question about the collar working from outside to inside, YES it will.  But if you have not ever used a collar, you may want to try just crating them first.  Most work from a distance of at least 10o yards

I would never leave multiple dogs alone in the house unattended anyway, that is asking for trouble ESPECIALLY if you are already seeing jealous behavior, one little snippet could turn into a several thousand dollar vet bill, or worse a dead dog.

  My dogs live together, and play together anytime that I am home, but if I am not home they are in their own kennels.  Well actually Sasha gets to stay in the house, now that she is 4 and a half I turst her in the house.  These two have gotten into scuffles when I am home where I really had to get on them and had I not been here, I am not sure the outcome would have been good.  Just like young kids sometimes a little rough house can turn into someone getting a bit more pissed off and then there is a fight.

Good luck ~Kari

I hate to say this, but this is exactly what happens when one does not have proper facilities for the number of dogs one has. As well, if one has little or no experience in setting limits clearly, then yes, this is what happens. Using e-collars etc., may or may not help. It will cause stress and that will, in itself, likely cause more trouble. Whatever you do, yes, consistency as noted in the post above is absolutely critical. But the real issue here is likely too many dogs for one to handle.

Hodie,

even having proper facilities, a Screaming Shepherd is not desirable.   There can be 15 dogs barking and not bother me, but have one of them with a blood curdling scream , It goes right through me.  LOL! 

But, yes having a smaller situation, would make it more challenging, especially if one has to worry about neihbors. 

 I have many, many GSDs here, as well as boarded dogs. Everyone who comes here tells me it is the most quiet kennel they have ever been at. It takes consistency and discipline and training AND proper exercise and facilities......

I sleep 6 inches away from the indoor kennel.....believe me, there better not be any screaming GSDs or barking in there....but then, I know how to deal with the dogs.

As a professional dog trainer, I tell all my board/trains up front, that their dog will come home crate trained.  No dog lives in my home without being crate trained.  Period.

That said, I have a long term boarder here, a Jack Russel Terrorist.....And, yes, he is a terror.

Anyway, he sometimes throws a screaming fit when I leave the house.  Not seperation anxiety, just being a jackass.

I always walk out to the van, leave the door unlocked on the house, load up the dogs, and then "STOMP" back in, NO NO NO NO NO NO NO" until I get to his crate.  At which time one of three things will happen:

1)  Either my miracle dog training tool, a boaters air horn, will be given a short blast

2)  There will be an earthquake(actually a "crate" quake)

3)  Or I will reach in and physically correct the dog.  NOTE OF CAUTION:  DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR ARE DOING.  YOU MAY VERY WELL GET BITTEN!  If it is a dog I don't know well, or I have concern about getting bitten, I will leave a short leash and a prong collar on them.  MIND:  I ONLY USE AIRLINE CRATES.  Never wire crates.

Sometimes, a bark collar will make things worse, as it frightens them so badly, that they can't stop screaming.  Be careful not to get bitten if that happens.

Also, you might try some positive reinforcement:  Use crate as a feeding place.  Only time dog eats is when he is in crate.  And only time he eats in crate is when you can walk out the room and he is quiet. 

Kongs with peanut butter/cheese are good alternative.

Doggie Ice Cubes(Ice cube tray, low sodium chicken broth, freeze, and behold, cool(literally) doggie treat)

Cover the crate.  Sometimes a sheet/blanket over the crate in a cool room(make sure not to cover the sides or back, ventelation is important) will quiet a freaky dog.

Change crates.  I have one dog here, a lab, who will freak out and cry and scream if he is in a wire crate.  Put him in an airline type kennel and he is fine.

Just a few thoughts.

Hodie,

So your advise to her with all of your knowledge and experience is What ?

Your saying be consistant and discipline, but how?  with what technique do you use? 

I to expect my dogs to be quiet while I sleep, it is manditory, but then again, she is not asking for suggestions on that particular problem.   

In fact , she is specifically asking how to deal with a Screaming dog , while she is taking another out to Exercise, and go potty or whatever.   It seems to me,  as you have stated so many times, that this is something you have a ton of experience with , yet you did not offer any real tangable type of advise.

IF I  were to read through the lines of what you wrote earlier,  I would have taken it to mean , she shouldn't have her dogs???   Or that because she isn't experienced enough, she can not deal with this problem correctly ??? 

How does someone get knowlegde and experience, with out Experiencing ???  Oh, you might ask questions in hope that some people that have knowledge in an area you don't ,  will share with you, their Experience, knowlege,and techniques. 

I offered mine, now it is completely up to her, if she chooses to use it or not.  Either way, it is her journey of discovery.

Maybe you could share some advise on how your kennel is kept so quiet, and how to go about doing it.  ???

My post is not intended to start any type of conflict , rather , I do hope you will share your Experience and knowledge, that this forum so needs.

Thanks for reading 

Just a word of warning if you are thinking of using one of the spray collars, I have known GSD be clever enough to realise that they can empty them!  They just bark until the spray stops and then carry on regardless (the joys of having clever dogs).

I have one the will yodel/sing to greet you when you get home, and like you I have neighbours who would not be impressed, I have tried just about everything and not really got there, although I have had some success with a room anti bark alarm which works on a sonic correction, the down side to this being all dogs there get punished, although I have wondered if the others have had a word with her in my absence about the grief they get!

I am not sure what to do with so many misbehaving in their crates in one room...I have as many, but not the problems.  When I have one dog or two dogs who are an issue, a pinch collar with a lead that goes out the crate door works well.  Dog barks, "HUSH!"  yank yank.  It works miracles with tough screamers, and they can't scream through it like they can with a bark collar.  You have to be very consistent for awhile, but it starts clearing up very quickly. 

The problem is, if you have a really tough screamer, they will quit screaming and start destroying their crate.  These kind usually only get better with quite a bit of exercise to help them settle down better.  Throwing the ball in a game of fetch can really wear a dog out, especially if you have a nice hill that they have to run back up.  Fifteen minutes of running the hill quiets a dog very well and makes ME feel better too.

Veronica