Has anyone got any ideas on how i can get my cocker spanniels barking under control?

Question

i have a 2 year old cocker spanniel and all she does is bark at any little noise

Answer 1

You can try teaching your dog to "hush" or be "quiet." When she is barking, say "hush" or "quiet" loud enough to get her attention. When she turns to look at you and the second she stops barking, give her a treat or praise her. Hopefully she'll learn that when she stops barking, it's a good thing.

When she learns to hush or be quiet, you can try teaching her to speak. When she is barking, say "Speak" and bark with her. Encourage her to keep barking by saying "Speak" then try the hush or quiet command. She'll hopefully learn to speak on command, instead of just whenever she wants.

I hope that helps! These methods were recommended to us by a dog trainer.

Answer 2

I know how troublesome a constant barker can be. It makes for a hard time and an unharmonious home. And I am sure a lot of dogs are surrendered because of this annoying habit.

I believe all of the above are great answers. In fact, I tried them all. Maxine was an incessant barker that would keep a watchful eye to behave (and the term behave is used loosely) when around us but as soon as we let her outside she would go nuts or if we left the house you could hear her barking non-stop inside. I mean she would bark over the wind blowing.

Granted, my dog was a shelter dog and older than two by far. I always thought those buzzy collars were inhumane and could never use one. Just the thought made me feel terrible. But her barking never stopped and there was no peace in the house! Then I came across a wonderful trainer that recommended something that worked like magic. A collar filled with CITRONELLA! These collars have a small box by the throat that detects the vibration of a bark and squirts a small amount of citronella under their nose and they hate the smell. Maxine literally barked twice and learned her lesson. It was removed after a month and only put back on if she seemed to be starting back up. She has not had to wear the collar for over 1.5 yrs! This was just magical, maybe if all else fails you could give this a try! Good Luck!

Answer 3

try to figure out why shes barking. What is she saying?! Is she trying to get your attention? Teach her you give attention only when she is good and quiet by ignoring her when she's barking, and praising when she is quiet.
Is she afraid of something? Teach her that something is nothing to be afraid of by walking up to it and speaking confidently, being the alpha leader.
You have to see it from her point of view. Then try the pennies in a tin, or water spray (as a last resort) - although that will damage your relationship with her as she will probably shut up in surprise, but see you as some kind of moron who is making her wet!
Never use a muzzle for barking, it is failure. You need to teach her to shut up, not force her to!

Answer 4

Get a plastic bottle full of water, put a couple of holes in the cap , when the dog barks, squirt her and say "no", after a while she will get the message

Answer 5

If she barks in the garden chuck a bucket of water over her (minus bucket ) and use a water sprayer in the house within no time she wiil see you just move towards the sprayer and will stop also give praise when she stops take her mind off of it

Answer 6

I had the same problem! What I done is i got a spray bottle filled with water and every time she barks spray her. I did this nbwith my dog and it worked but to enforce it i made another person go to the other room and make a noise and i continued training and now my dog is great.

Answer 7

I had the same problem with my collie i put pennies in a tin can and when she barks i would shake it then praise her after the event when she stopped. hope this helps.she may just love u so much she is protective.

Answer 8

I had the same problem with my golden retriever.... I asked a lady at a pet training course and she told me to fill a spray bottle with water, and whenever my dog would bark, spray it with the water. This method worked actually really well.

Answer 9

but a collar at a pet supply place and they sell the collars that you put on your dog and when the dog barks it makes a high pitch sound that only they can hear and it works

Answer 10

that really wierd...tap with your handher on her backside, tap nose/mouth with your fingers, just to get her attention. tell her firmly "no barking". pointing usually just pisses any dog off more. if she barks more or at you, grab her, hold her mouth colse and tell her 'no barking' firmly. you know, of course, that firm doesnt mean loudly. that might make her bark more. if she growls and snaps when you grab her mouth closed, pull away(so she doesnt her you) stand upright at full height, look down and say 'bad dog no barking/growling/biting"