i have a female mal that is now 5mths old. i have had her since she turned 8wks. she will not shut up unless she can see me. her first night home she barked until she would pass out. she would sit leaning against the side of her crate, fall asleep, slide down the side, hit the floor wake up and start barking again. she barks in her crate and she barks in her outside kennel. she also will get herself so worked up she will soil herself. she is a very bold dog, i have tried tipping the crate,smacking the crate with a no -which believe me she understands. she is completely unimpressed. at 5 mths she is so hoarse that she barely has any voice left. any ideas???

How much mental and physical exercise/stimulation does she get?

Also....tipping the crate?

she is on a farm. has four dogs to play with. digs,chases armdillos,busy all the time. i am with my dogs 24/7. she will stay in yard for periods of time but likes to check in w/me. goes offsite to horse shows etc. very socialized.

Have you thought about a bark collar?

Have you thought about rewarding for quiet? Standing there like a statue (after you load your marker) until the dogs shuts up and then marking and rewarding?

I understand it's when she can't see you. That doesn't mean you can't teach no-bark and then gradually extend your distance from her.

What is crate-tipping?

I would add that although barking is one of those self-rewarding behaviors, this sounds like she has been reinforced in it. That is, that you have rewarded it with attention. That's gonna make it hard.

Hard not to, I know. I hope others learn from this.

At this point, I would recommend a bark collar. If she's been barking like this since she was 8 weeks and been reinforced for months, it's going to be very hard to reward quiet at this point.

I speak from experience

This is the collar we use Tritronics Bark Limiter http://leerburg.com/815.htm

Darkening the bench and an old style clock (you know the ones that go tick tack ) at her crates side.

Greetings

Johan

 Quote: Jennifer Mullen

How much mental and physical exercise/stimulation does she get?

Also....tipping the crate?

mental exercise: manners exiting cars,house,etc. basic ob sit ,down, place. find it game.no pee in the house,and poop in the ivy patch. she does well. food and praise motivates her.
physical exercise: i am being careful not to let her run,or play crazy stuff. she helps w/farm chores, hangs out in the yard. she has little plastic swim pool that she fills w/sticks,rocks etc. she puts stuff in it then takes stuff out. i don't think boredom or lack of exercise is the problem.

at bedtime she sleeps in a crate next to my bed. she is content w/that but maybe that has to change for now???

this is my first mal. i am a cattle dog girl so know about stubborn independent and noisy but i have never not been able to correct it.

CRATE TIPPING is when the dog doesn't respond to "no bark" and i walk over to the covered crate and turn it on its side. the dog is surprised "what the heck?" and will stop to think about it.

i have not used the bark collar because of her age (5mths) is she ready for it?

i am going to a michail ellis 3 day seminar in may. so will learn a lot.

thanks for any help