So Max has been barking at everything that moves when he sees it. People walking down the street, definitly dogs being walked down the street, cats, not cars on the road but he barks at the neighbour's scooter coming down the shared driveway.

I did a search on here and what I came up with is that this is a pack leadership issue, is that right? This is also assuming I'm right about it being territorial behaviour. I initially thought he had learnt it from the dog across the road but now I'm not so sure.

He will hear something, run out onto the steps just outside the door where he can see the street, bark, run from there into the house to the window that looks onto the street, bark some more and run back to the steps. He gets all excited and runs about like that for a while even after whatever it was is gone if we don't stop it. The only thing that seems to stop it is putting him on his mat and telling him to stay - but he often breaks it and we have to put him back.

He also goes nuts whenever anyone approaches the fence. We always tell him no, but he's not listening anymore, just keeps doing his thing.

He will also do this if he sees a cat, is this the same thing or is that a separate issue like prey drive or something?

When someone approaches the fence, do you mean he can see them?

He is indoors, or outside on leash, or what?

Can you remind us of his age? (I'm old. lol)

Besides "stay," what else have you done as a re-direct? Something with more involvement from you, maybe?

For example, have you seen any of the threads by folks who teach that they will come and look and give a calm "it's OK" signal and then re-direct from the passerby to an ob routine or other action.

(Example: In my house, "Lawn guys" means that I say it's OK and the barking can now end. This took months, and required that I actually get up and come and look after the alerting bark for many many weeks, dismissing the intruder display with "it's just the lawn guys" or whatever you choose to be a calm "it's nothing" signal, and re-directing very calmly. This was multi dogs; one will be easier. )

PS

Now I can usually call "It's OK! Lawn guys!" from my desk after the warning bark(s), or sometimes even before, if I perceive the truck pulling up or whatever before they do. Not every single time, but usually.

Calm dismissal of the intruder by me is 100% required. No shouting over the dogs; no excitement at all from me.

Hi Connie he is usually inside but with it being summer here we have the door open. He can see the fence from the door and will quite often stand just outside the door on the steps. He can also see the fence from the window he runs to.

Our house is on a sloping section so the steps he stands on are about 6 ft above the ground - he can see down the street for quite a way by standing there. And Max is almost 3 years old now - just a couple months off.

I have on occasion gone out to see what he's barking at, told him it's nothing and told him to go inside. It doesn't usually make him stop though. I always figured me paying attention to whatever he's barking at would excite him more so I haven't done it much.

I did see some of those threads but didn't see any on how they started to teach it. I will try doing that with some ob work afterwards - I guess it could take a while of being totally consistent right?

What about when he sees dogs or cats? Should I do the same thing? This is a daily occurrence - there are a lot of pets in our neighbourhood. Ultimately I don't mind him watching them but I don't want him to be racing around and barking at them. He gets himself quite worked up sometimes and has spent up to half an hour running and looking and panting until we put him in his crate to try to calm him down.

 Quote: rhonda parkin

... What about when he sees dogs or cats? Should I do the same thing? This is a daily occurrence - there are a lot of pets in our neighbourhood. Ultimately I don't mind him watching them but I don't want him to be racing around and barking at them. He gets himself quite worked up sometimes and has spent up to half an hour running and looking and panting until we put him in his crate to try to calm him down.

You're letting him get far too worked up.

If you go to "search" (upper right of your screen) and use desensitize as your search term, then expand the date range* from one week to one year (or more), then you will have a pile of good threads on desensitizing animal-reactive dogs.

Don't think that he's too old at all, either. Start today, and next year you will be adding to the "success stories" threads. I don't mean you will have no results for a year or more, either -- I mean that in a year or eighteen months you can have very very good results if you are consistent and persistent.

This is work you will never regret time and energy spent on. And most of it involves upbeat, fun ob work and other one-on-one activity with your dog, all of which is going to have a great effect on him, on your bond with him, and on the level of calm in your house.

Read some of those threads (maybe starting with the dog-reactive one on the first page of the search returns) and post back with any questions.




*Very important, because if you don't, you will get only a week's worth of search results

Thanks Connie, I'll definitely have a look at thsoe threads. We are also going to brush up on our groundwork to make sure we all understand the rules.

I think half the challenge sometimes is knowing what the real issues are rather than just assuming. (I wouldn't have thought of animal-reactiveness.) I very much appreciate your advise.