Bob! A simple tap on the window? I can not imagine this for my dogs. I know, I know, you're a very experienced trainer, but I begin to ask myself, if this has to do with some whichcraft. Give me your secret.

Holler "Quiet!??" = Trouble again with my hubby. Besides this in my case I doubt the dog would shut up. I'd have to go outside, give a quiet "Quiet!" + a treat, when she obeys and once out of sight, she would start again.

It works for you Anne? Then you must be one of those wonder trainers too. I don't get it!

Morning Bob,

Same here.

A tap on the window or a knock on the window frame usually does the trick to stop the wanton barking. The neighbors don't need the noise and it annoys me. I think it evolved from using 'enough' as a command, and rapping something or stamping my foot.

That noted, dogs bark at all kinds of distractions. The real trick is to have the dogs want to immediately and willingly focus on you if you come into view or make some sound or physical gesture. If I have to bellow the mutts seem to recognize they have gone over the line.

I make it sound like my mutts are more conditioned than they are. But if I seek to get their attention, they do refocus. What else can I reasonably ask for?

And if I do have to bellow, the whole neighborhood is conditioned to it.

Doesn't it all start with having a behavior set in mind for the dogs, and then reinforcing those expectations by consistent training?

My other favorite 'command' is "hey!" I expect a refocus by the mutts and anticipation of a follow up comment from me.

Not enough coffee or too much. Who's to say for sure?

I adopted the dog that I did because she barked at anything on the other side of the fence. I needed a guard dog for my property. I never dreamed I would allow her to become a house dog.

Barrier aggression is part of a dog's defensive drive (which my dog is high in). It is an attempt by the guard dog to drive away a perceived threat without having to fight. It is a bluff. The dogs hair raises involuntarily in an instinctive attempt to make himself look bigger. He will often bounce on his feet and making false charges to appear most aggressive.

When my dog is inside and she starts barking at something outside, I calm her by investigating to make sure the threat has retreated, and then reassuring her as to how good a guard dog she is. She does have good enough obedience that if the threat is taking it's good old time retreating (that would be you, mail truck and ice cream man), I can put her in a down and command her to be calm until I release her.

If I didn't need her to guard the property, I would consider her barking a nuisance and use the quiet command or one of my off-the-cuff verbal warnings to stop the barking.

 Quote: Duane Hull

I adopted the dog that I did because she barked at anything on the other side of the fence. I needed a guard dog for my property. I never dreamed I would allow her to become a house dog.

Barrier aggression is part of a dog's defensive drive (which my dog is high in). It is an attempt by the guard dog to drive away a perceived threat without having to fight. It is a bluff. The dogs hair raises involuntarily in an instinctive attempt to make himself look bigger. He will often bounce on his feet and making false charges to appear most aggressive.

When my dog is inside and she starts barking at something outside, I calm her by investigating to make sure the threat has retreated, and then reassuring her as to how good a guard dog she is. She does have good enough obedience that if the threat is taking it's good old time retreating (that would be you, mail truck and ice cream man), I can put her in a down and command her to be calm until I release her.

If I didn't need her to guard the property, I would consider her barking a nuisance and use the quiet command or one of my off-the-cuff verbal warnings to stop the barking.

Thanks, Duane

After many years of owning Basenjis, Irish Wolfhounds, Whippets, Greyhounds & Borzoi who Did NOT Bark, it was time for me to get a Guard Dog for PROTECTION...

I began with "Shock & Awe" Shaka my AKITA spay -- They are NOT a barky breed either, but are Very guardy, and when one does give a Vocal Alert it's because some person or animal is Definitely Trespassing on the property ... And virtually No Akita has any BLUFF mode at ALL: They are Deadly Serious in meaning to ENGAGE the TARGET, and always Aim to Kill four-footed intruders, at least (my Dobies are more likely to be putting on a "show" for the most part, but I believe they WOULD BITE anyone stupid enough to actually Attempt Entry of my car, Or Yard, OR HOUSE).

Duane, do you think attacking an intruder is more a question of specific training or of the breed or the individual?

You know I wrote, that one of my Pits is an awfull barker, my Lab-mix too. The second Pit doesn't bark excessively, but she does it for the moment someone comes near to our property, her tail high and straight.

Nonetheless I don't believe she'd really attack an intruder. She loves humans and hasn't been trained as protection dog. How should she know, whether this individual has bad intentions or not?

Most of our friends maintain: Yes, she would and the other two would also attack. I personnally have the impression, she'd jump joyfully at him (dependent on his behavior of course) and after the first excitement she'd allow him to cuddle her.

What do you think? Or is this something unpredictable?

Mike: "The real trick is to have the dogs want to immediately and willingly focus on you if you come into view or make some sound or physical gesture."

How do you achieve this? I can make them focus on me on a walk as long as the distraction is not too high. I'm regularly training this and slowly adding a higher level of distraction.

At home I can do this during a training session, because this interests them more than other things. But it doesn't work always. We live directly beside the atlantic rain forrest and they are easily distracted by animals in the trees which I can not see.

They are also excited of course, when someone passes by. Sometimes I manage to attract them enough and call them back, other times it doesn't work at all. And especially at night, just taping at the window. Incredible!

 Quote: Christina Stockinger

Duane, do you think attacking an intruder is more a question of specific training or of the breed or the individual?

You know I wrote, that one of my Pits is an awfull barker, my Lab-mix too. The second Pit doesn't bark excessively, but she does it for the moment someone comes near to our property, her tail high and straight.

Nonetheless I don't believe she'd really attack an intruder. She loves humans and hasn't been trained as protection dog. How should she know, whether this individual has bad intentions or not?

Most of our friends maintain: Yes, she would and the other two would also attack. I personnally have the impression, she'd jump joyfully at him (dependent on his behavior of course) and after the first excitement she'd allow him to cuddle her.

What do you think? Or is this something unpredictable?

Christina, here is something to consider about your Question...

Prominent in ALL information on the Bully Breeds (including PITS for sure) it typically states:

"Will usually accept Guests as Visitors in the home WHEN You Are THERE with them...

BUT when YOU are NOT home, even Known Friends may NOT be WELCOMED by these Dogs."

Christina,

Bob is better, by far, at offering training advice.

I work with dogs to specific ends. As with every other person who works with dogs, I rely on a few 'drop dead' commands. Mine start with "NO" "COME" "SIT" "DOWN" "GO" and I work from leash to long line to voice to gestures. I prefer to work with multiple dogs only because the dogs that are strong in their commands seem to influence the dogs that are working on stuff.

I like long downs and work to increase the time the dog stays down until it will stay until released, within reason. I play a game with the dogs that has to do with a pattern, like a square with three dogs and one point empty. I put the dogs in a down and walk to the open corner and call a dog. It comes, gets rewarded, and I walk to the place it vacated and call one of the other dogs, and repeat the game for about 15 or so minutes. The game requires the dogs to focus on me, respond to commands, down until released, and work in a context of distractions.

I prefer long lines for new dogs until the dog is reasonably strong in command compliance, and then we go live.

If a dog barks, I start off by letting the dog bark for maybe 20 seconds, then I use the command "ENOUGH" which only means stop what you are doing and do something else. Dogs bark. But when I say "ENOUGH" I expect the dog or dogs to stop what they are doing. 'Enough' works for all kinds of things you want to stop.

If I command "NO" I mean exactly that. Stop what the thing you are doing or even look like you want to do, immediately, and look to me for further instructions.

"UP" usually is used to get the dog or dogs to jump up into something like my truck. "STAY" means stay, usually in the back of the truck, and gives the dog or dogs license to wander around the bed of the truck but not leave it. Works for a room or part of the yard, etc.

Gradually over time you work from close, as with a leash, to farther with a long line, to off lead and far. I often take the dogs to a field, go out about 100 yards or so, and call the dogs to leave the back of the truck with a "COME". Then, when they arrive, I reward with praise, "DOWN" the dogs, walk back to the truck, and yell "UP" and they race back to the truck and jump up into the bed. I do it several times, and the dogs get wind sprint exercise, I get to walk, and the dogs seem excited to do the game. Lots of praise. But it all started with a leash.

I expect the dogs to focus on me. I hope they want to 'perform' to please me but I'm happy when they exhibit drive and enthusiasm. And it does puff me up when an observer comes over and asks how I got the dogs to respond the way they do. I usually just say time, a plan, consistency, kindness, correction, rewards, praise, and repetitive sessions.

I expect the dogs want to learn stuff and I try to continue to increase the challenges to the dogs and me over time.

I expect that if a dog sees a squirrel and starts to bolt after it, a 'NO' from me will stop it, the dog not the squirrel, in its tracks. The dogs behavior is bounded by my oversight or there is bedlam. My house, my food, my toys, my rules, my way.

My expectations are not on a par with the training rigors Bob and others train to. My mutts are more in the companion realm than really highly trained. But it is my way or the highway.

Two cents.

Good advice above Mike.

As for this..

"My expectations are not on a par with the training rigors Bob and others train to. My mutts are more in the companion realm than really highly trained. But it is my way or the highway".

"TO ME" that statement makes you as much a dog trainer as competitor I know.

It's consistency in sport, companionship, etc that makes a dog trainer.

I can tell you I've seen top level competition dogs that would have no problem swiping something from a counter of getting in the trash.

Competition training rarely addresses basic manners and, as I've said in the past I'd rather work with puppies and have a good truck dog by far over a competition dog.

I haven't been in a competition ring for a few yrs now but that doesn't mean I don't want a well mannered dog that responds to any command I give it.

ALL my dogs have had the manners I expect and that includes show dogs, OB competition dogs, hunting dogs (crazy ^$$ little terriers) and just good ol house dogs.

Trooper is 9+ now and when his time comes I WILL get the same responses from my next dog..sss even if they are mutts that do nothing more then follow me around in the yard.

I have more respect for the group here at LB then many "trainers" I've known.

Afternoon Bob,

Was kibitzing with a K9 patrol officer this morning, and we were talking about our GSDs. Nice guy. Good dog. The officer is the lead K9 training officer for his PD. Some interesting stories from him, not so much from me.

In truth, I wish I was as knowledgeable as you are in re the training and working with dogs.

I've learned a good deal from the exchanges on this board over the years.

One thing that has been directly and indirectly reinforced in past forum discussions here is the idea that you need consistency if you are to achieve results. That and patience.

Sam, the last mutt here, a reject from a Trooper K9 program, is and has been a challenging project. Loyal and very responsive but not a dog that will ever visit a senior citizen center or school. And he is one of my favorites of all the dogs that have come through the door. Not at all a pansy.

I've opined to my bride that when she walks him, she needs to be careful, not fall or otherwise have an accident because Sam is little likely to let anyone near her. Ah well, did I mention a work in progress?

Still and all, better than the needle he was scheduled for.

The mutts are blowing coat like crazy. Aaarrrggghhh.