My pup is nearing 6 months old and has recently decided to become quite vocal in the crate. He hasn't had any problems with this in the past but he started suddenly started barking in the crate about 4 weeks ago. So I started all the usual methods to break this but with no luck. I think a small part of the reason he does it is the cats occassionally stroll by the crate. (They are jerks I tell you)

So we're considering a bark collar for him to wear ONLY in the crate. My question is this: will this hurt my efforts to train him to bark on command? My brain is telling me no. If he ONLY wears it in the crate, it should be fine. He needs to learn that the crate is the place to stay calm and quiet. What do you think?

 Quote: Jessica Pedicord

So we're considering a bark collar for him to wear ONLY in the crate. My question is this: will this hurt my efforts to train him to bark on command? My brain is telling me no. If he ONLY wears it in the crate, it should be fine. He needs to learn that the crate is the place to stay calm and quiet. What do you think?

Great idea, that is exactly what I do usually just at training. Hasn't hurt my dog to bark on command.

Though I'd try to keep the dumb cats away from his crate at all costs. Does he only bark in the crate when the cats antagonize him? As you are really playing with the cats lives here. You may create a problem with the bark collar stimming him when when he barks as the cats stroll by, he will think the stim is coming from the cats not the bark.

So when he is outside the crate at any time and sees a cat and can get to it .. that cat will most likely end up dead.

No its not constantly provoked by the cats. He's generally good with the cats. He knows to leave them alone.

He will bark if we walk by... If we are doing something in the room that his crate is in... If he can hear us doing something somewhere else... Basically I think he is DEMANDING to be let out of the crate. Sometimes there are instances where I can't let him out as soon as I wake up or as soon as I get home. I want him to realize that he gets let out on MY terms and not his. So I might make him stay in there until I'm done putting groceries away. Or until I'm done making coffee in the morning. Because I used to let him out first thing- as soon as I wake up, or as soon as I get home. And that only reinforced to him that he was my #1 priority. I don't want that to stick in his brain.

So maybe I could try a remote trainer rather than the bark collar. If he is MAINLY directing his barks at me, then a remote would give me the ability to place the Enough command WITH the correction. So if it must be used to correct for barking at the cats, he'll know it is a consequence of the bark and not the cat. He does know what "enough" means, I just think my verbal is not enough to get the message across.

If he is indeed demanding to be let out of the crate it is probably best to use an e-collar. Then he can understand that it is coming from you. Then you can reinforce it by voice.

To help set him up for success. I'd lay a sheet over the crate for awhile to not let him get stimulated by stuff he sees outside the crate until you get things under control.

I vote for using the bark collar. We want consistency here and you just can't be as consistent with the remote. The bark collar should pick up on the bark instantly therefore being much more clear to the dog. Placing a sheet over the crate can also be helpful in the initial stages, then work on removing it.
Happy Training,
Roni

P.S. The bark collar will not stop the dog from barking for a trained purpose.


R

 Quote: Roni Hoff

I vote for using the bark collar. We want consistency here and you just can't be as consistent with the remote. The bark collar should pick up on the bark instantly therefore being much more clear to the dog. Placing a sheet over the crate can also be helpful in the initial stages, then work on removing it.

But what about the cats? If he barks at them and is getting stimmed wouldn't that be setting the cats up for a world of hurt?

The only reason I see the bark collar working is if the cats are out of the picture.

I'm trying to squash the "demanding" behavior more than anything. I can totally understand that the cats running around in front of the crate would set him off. I can work on that with more desensitization to the cats.

But its when he's yapping at me to let him out that I get really annoyed. I think he's figured out that I can't give him a correction if he's in the crate and I'm not. So I feel like he's effectively giving me the finger and saying "you can't do anything to me, I'm behind bars! Ha!"

 Quote: geoff empey

... But what about the cats? If he barks at them and is getting stimmed wouldn't that be setting the cats up for a world of hurt? ...

Actually, I think the pup will associate being in the crate, with calmness, irregardless of what is happening outside. I don't believe dogs are vengeful, that is saved for humans, lololo.
The bark collar will have a calming effect, barking begets barking, aggression begets aggression. The dog will learn to not react to anything outside of the crate when the collar is on.
We've used the bark collar to also stop repetitive behavior, such as tail chasing. So, yes, Jessica, the bark collar will stop the "demanding" behavior.

Hope this helps,
Roni

We used to cover his crate but had to stop once he decided to start pulling the blanket between the bars and gnawing holes all over it like swiss cheese! This is with multiple toys and chews in there to keep him busy- stuffed kongs, biscuit dispensers, etc. He thinks destroying the blanket is way more fun.