Dog won't stop barking please help

[rosieroseanna]

I have a lovely Jack Russell he is 1 year old and all he does is bark. We went out for dinner tonight and had a letter when we got back from a neighbour saying he barks constatnly etc and they are going to contact environmental health. What can I do? he does bark a lot even when I am home but of course I can stop him then but I cant stop him barking when I am not there, any ideas? It is really serious and I am really worried. Bear in mind I am in England so will only be able to get things you can buy here!

 

[Irishgal]

There are a number of internet sites that offer training tips. I know that the Dog Whisperer has one, so does Purina. You could also google the topic. Often it has to do with anxiety and or fear. Try some techniques first, before you use a bark collar. And, PLEASE tell you neighbor that you have begun to work on the problem and that you want to thank him/her for letting you know. I suggest this because you don't want your neighbor thinking you are blowing this off, you want them on your side cause this may take some time. Good luck!!

 

[ardneish]

Really good advice from Irishgal

This breed is known for barking there such an active breed and have a low boredom threshold ( very)

Do you live in a house? or flat ??
and how much exercise is this little chap getting??

 

[Neeya]

My sister has a combination of Chihuahua and Jack R. Terrier, which is the worst combination I have ever seen for a dog that was not well trained, lol. I'm not even sure how to handle that situation, because every Jack Russel owner I've ever known has just let the behavior slide (bad). I think google is going to have to come into play here

 

[BagAngel]

Perhaps it is boredom! There is a barking collar, they get a little shock when they bark don't know much about it's success rate but you can get them in UK

 

[i_wona]

Hi rosieroseanna

I posted an almost identical thread just a few weeks ago! I also have a jack russell and our neighbours complained that he was barking when we were not home.

I've started a full-on assault on his senses:

-a 20-30 min walk first thing in the morning before work,

-he has two "treat balls" to play with when we leave. They are like a rubix cube for dogs - you stuff them full of cheese or doggy treats (make sure they're VERY tasty, because jack russells will quickly get bored) and they have to roll them around the right way to get the treat to fall out of a hole in the ball. I combine big pieces (that will never fall out) with small pieces, because it's important to make sure they do get some reward for their hard work or they will just give up and find something more amusing to do - like barking!

-I give him one as we leave the house and "hide" the other one in the garden - I don't actually hide it yet because I'm afraid he'll never find it, but I just chuck it on the grass in plain sight. Once he gets accustomed to knowing there is another one in the garden somewhere, I am going to start hiding it in bushes or under a bucket.

-depending on the amount of space you have, you could also buy a baby paddle pool, fill it with sand and bury treats in it on alternate days - it's really important to vary the routine in the first few weeks/months to keep your doggy guessing.

 

[i_wona]

I remember when my jack russell was about 2 years old, he went through a kind of "doggy puberty" and would pick fights with every dog within a 5 km radius! He was an absolute terror and it seemed that no amount of yelling would stop him barking and carrying on. His favourite habit was to bark like a maniac at anything that moved and as soon as you were within grabbing range, he would hop out of arm's reach and continue braking. GRRRRR!

I signed up to a dog club, where they let the dogs off the lead to play together on an oval - trust me, it was great... half an hour of running with another dog is the equivalent of a 5 hour walk! He was still fairly hyper, but it certainly did calm him down. And I used to get really embarrassed at his constant barkin at other dogs, but other people were like "relax, he's a dog - better he does it here than at home."

The good news is, they really calm down into a routine after about 2 years of age. You just have to keep them active. AND DESEXED!


As for the barking now, when I was told about walking/running him around and the treat balls, I was skeptical - but it has really worked! Please PLEASE try some of these suggestions (especially the exercise ones)... I know they all sound cliched but they may just work.

A person I work with also dips a Kong in honey/peanut butter and hangs it from a tree (well within jumping reach). Her dog will jump up and down all day for a 1 second lick - if your dog is a jumper, perhaps you could try this? Make sure you hand it fairly low, so that he is not straining himself to get at it.

The key is to keep them constanly occupied and overstimulated, so that they forget about barking and tire themselves out. Good luck - i know exactly how you feel - i have just been in the same situation!

I'll post more suggestions as I remember them... and please let us all know how you go!

 

[i_wona]

Oh I just remembered - use the collars as a last resort (citronella or sonic). I've heard that jack russells will often ignore them or, as a lady said in my thread, the dog will learn that after a certain amount of barks, the collars wears out, so it actually encourages the dog to bark.

The other thing about collars is that they often just mask the problem - if your doggy is barking because he is bored, a citronella spray may only deter him temporarily... he'll soon find another way to vent his pent up energy! You're much better off solving the problem because he is still so young - after a while, good behaviour will become routine for him and you will both be much happier.

Talk to your vet if nothing works (I am saving a behaviour therapy appointment with my vet as my last resort). Sometimes they come to your house and do a full assessment.

Phew - I'll leave you alone now!

 

[caitlin1214]

There's a show on Canada's Slice Channel called At the End of My Leash. It's like Nanny 9-1-1, except for dogs.

Tonight's episode: Jack Russell Terrorists. The guy said that if the dogs were barking, sharply say, "No noise!" and tug their leash.

(http://www.slice.ca/Shows/EpisodeGuide.aspx?Root_Title_ID=105200)

 

[rosieroseanna]

Thanks for the advice guys but he is walked twice a day anyway and I am a teacher so am home by 4pm each day and yesterday he had just spent a lovely weekend with us and been taken all over the place so it wasn't bordeom. I have apologised to the neighbours etc but I am not sure I am going to be able to stop him. He has bones, toys etc and he still barks, my fiance wants to get a brak collar but they are expensive £150 and I don't want to waste the money if the chances are it won't even work!

 

[i_wona]

Hi again rosieroseanna

Yikes! if he's being walked twice a day, then you're right, it's probably not boredom!

Maybe it's time to make an appointment with your vet... if they don't have an animal behaviourist perhaps you could ring around to other vets in your area to see if there is one near you... JRTs are definitely barky little dogs, but he shouldn't be barking all day! Your vet might even be able to give you some inital suggestions over the phone before you actually go ahead with an appointment.

In my thread I had a suggestion to record the dog over a day or so, just to make sure there really is a problem. A lady I spoke to at the RSPCA also suggested I do this, as some people are trouble makers and there's no point putting your dog through anything if he's not really a problem!

good luck again!

 

[Westiegirl]

I hope you find a solution and there are lots of internet resources that can be a great help.
Is your dog fixed? I know most male dogs calm down greatly once fixed.

 

[rosieroseanna]

Yes he has been and nit made no difference at all!

 

[Westiegirl]

Yes he has been and nit made no difference at all!

I'm stumped now!

 

[Kathleen37]

Please, please do not use the anti bark collars. As previously stated, the sonic and citronella ones aren't very good, and to be honest, I thought the electric shock ones were illegal??

I would give your vet a ring and ask them if they can recommend a dog behaviour specialist. Could be you would only need to see them a couple of times, especially as your pup seems to already have a very active life! My two dogs are barkers, and I was told that when they barked continually when they were on their own, it was because of stress anxiaty that I'd left them, not boredom. Like I said, could be either, but I think you need to speak to someone that specialises. The lady I saw left the country, so I can't recommend anyone, but, your vet should definately know, and be able to recommend someone good, rather than you just choosing someone out of the phone book without know if they are any good or not.

All the best, hope you get something sorted.

K
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