Seriously help needed for a reactive barker.
My younger dog is a reactive barker. I've been working on the problem with him, but he's got some serious issues that I've not been able to resolve. I've spoken to both my vet and behaviorists and am not closer to a solution.
The problem is this - Inde is triggered to bark by normal things; people in the hallway, someone opening the door to our apartment, seeing people outside, etc. but he doesn't bark like a normal dog. When he barks he loses control and almost can't stop. For instance, when we come home (my bf and I live together, and have since before we got Inde), regardless of if it's just one of us coming in, or one person is already home - Inde crashes through the house to the door to bark in a panic. Talking to him through the door doesn't help, and he doesn't stop once we've entered. We've tried ignoring him, engaging him when we enter, giving commands to sit to force his attention to something else, carrying treats, etc. We've been consistent with each method, sticking with it for a month or more, but nothing breaks him of the barking. Once he sees it is us he slows his barking, but doesn't stop. Even the tone to his bark is panicked, which my vet remarked on as well when she came to my house to see his reaction. He seems to have some anxiety issues, and before I try him on anti-anxiety meds I'd like to exhaust all other options.
Right now his barking seems to be getting worse, as he is starting to bark when we leave now as well. :/ Once I leave the apartment if I hear him barking more then a few times I stop in the hallway, and if it doesn't subside in a short time I go back. As soon as the key hits the lock of course the barking increases. Once inside I calm him (we're still using the sit or down command to help him refocus from barking, as that's the only method that has remotely shown any promise), and reinforce that I'm leaving, and he's to stay "quiet," which is the command we give to stop barking (for all the good it does). The more "secure" of an area he is in, the more he barks. He will bark/panic the most in the home when someone is at the door, slightly less on the patio, even less outside in the area around our apartment, etc. If we're at the pet store for instance, he very rarely will bark, and it will only be once. This was one of the reasons my vet came to my house - she thought it could be a guarding issue, but after seeing him ruled that out.
For background, Inde is a 2yo Shetland Sheepdog. We have another Sheltie who is 6 (Kessen), and was an extraordinarily quiet dog before we got Inde. Now Kessen barks when Inde does, but not in a panic, and he will quiet on command. Inde is just a very high strung dog and anxious. He was socialized well when he was younger, but he's still a scary cat when it comes to people, which is why they set him off. He will alarm bark outside on leash if he sees anyone and try to hide behind people. Refocusing him with commands helps, but he breaks focus looking back to the thing that makes him bark, and he's very twitchy/antsy. He's well trained and listens, but his triggers literally make him act like he physically *cannot* focus. Basically he looses his damn mind when he barks. :(
Obviously I live in an apartment, so this barking needs to stop, or at least be drastically reduced. He is allowed to bark and be a normal dog, but we need to be able to control this. Also, since this is also partly an anxiety issue, I do not like the fact that he feels insecure. Additionally, having a dog that cannot/will not focus and listen once triggered is becoming stressful for me.
Sorry for the novel, but if anyone has ideas or suggestions, that would be awesome. As I said, I want to try all available options before medicating him. My vet suggested a vibration or pulse collar as a last ditch attempt before meds. I wouldn't put a shock collar or spray collar on him, but maybe the vibration or noise from a pulse collar would give him external stimuli to focus on, and help break the habit. Any thoughts on this? I'm not trying to personify him, but it really does seem like he wants to listen, and is fighting with himself over it. :( Any help, or even well wishes, are very much appreciated! I'm starting to get really desperate here.
The problem is this - Inde is triggered to bark by normal things; people in the hallway, someone opening the door to our apartment, seeing people outside, etc. but he doesn't bark like a normal dog. When he barks he loses control and almost can't stop. For instance, when we come home (my bf and I live together, and have since before we got Inde), regardless of if it's just one of us coming in, or one person is already home - Inde crashes through the house to the door to bark in a panic. Talking to him through the door doesn't help, and he doesn't stop once we've entered. We've tried ignoring him, engaging him when we enter, giving commands to sit to force his attention to something else, carrying treats, etc. We've been consistent with each method, sticking with it for a month or more, but nothing breaks him of the barking. Once he sees it is us he slows his barking, but doesn't stop. Even the tone to his bark is panicked, which my vet remarked on as well when she came to my house to see his reaction. He seems to have some anxiety issues, and before I try him on anti-anxiety meds I'd like to exhaust all other options.
Right now his barking seems to be getting worse, as he is starting to bark when we leave now as well. :/ Once I leave the apartment if I hear him barking more then a few times I stop in the hallway, and if it doesn't subside in a short time I go back. As soon as the key hits the lock of course the barking increases. Once inside I calm him (we're still using the sit or down command to help him refocus from barking, as that's the only method that has remotely shown any promise), and reinforce that I'm leaving, and he's to stay "quiet," which is the command we give to stop barking (for all the good it does). The more "secure" of an area he is in, the more he barks. He will bark/panic the most in the home when someone is at the door, slightly less on the patio, even less outside in the area around our apartment, etc. If we're at the pet store for instance, he very rarely will bark, and it will only be once. This was one of the reasons my vet came to my house - she thought it could be a guarding issue, but after seeing him ruled that out.
For background, Inde is a 2yo Shetland Sheepdog. We have another Sheltie who is 6 (Kessen), and was an extraordinarily quiet dog before we got Inde. Now Kessen barks when Inde does, but not in a panic, and he will quiet on command. Inde is just a very high strung dog and anxious. He was socialized well when he was younger, but he's still a scary cat when it comes to people, which is why they set him off. He will alarm bark outside on leash if he sees anyone and try to hide behind people. Refocusing him with commands helps, but he breaks focus looking back to the thing that makes him bark, and he's very twitchy/antsy. He's well trained and listens, but his triggers literally make him act like he physically *cannot* focus. Basically he looses his damn mind when he barks. :(
Obviously I live in an apartment, so this barking needs to stop, or at least be drastically reduced. He is allowed to bark and be a normal dog, but we need to be able to control this. Also, since this is also partly an anxiety issue, I do not like the fact that he feels insecure. Additionally, having a dog that cannot/will not focus and listen once triggered is becoming stressful for me.
Sorry for the novel, but if anyone has ideas or suggestions, that would be awesome. As I said, I want to try all available options before medicating him. My vet suggested a vibration or pulse collar as a last ditch attempt before meds. I wouldn't put a shock collar or spray collar on him, but maybe the vibration or noise from a pulse collar would give him external stimuli to focus on, and help break the habit. Any thoughts on this? I'm not trying to personify him, but it really does seem like he wants to listen, and is fighting with himself over it. :( Any help, or even well wishes, are very much appreciated! I'm starting to get really desperate here.