Dear Woof,
I have a new poochie that I love and adore who
I just adopted almost 2 months ago now. His name is Duncan,
he is probably around 2 or 3 years old. He's a Shepherd
Mix (German Shepherd, Beagle, Pit Bull, Hound, etc...).
Our biggest challenge that we are facing right
now is that he barks at the neighbors and won't chill out when
I ask him to (or come back in the house when I call him).
I've tried to introduce him a few times, but he just doesn't
seem to trust that the neighbors aren't going to hurt him...
making me think he may have been abused in the past(?). It gets
embarrassing when they are outside trying to enjoy the weather
and have company over and my Duncan just constantly barks at
them. I try to keep him inside until the coast is clear
& then I let him out to do his business, but as the weather
warms up, people are staying outside longer & Duncan won't
go potty if he's busy barking at people.
My question is basically for any advice or input
on this particular challenge that we are facing. Also,
I recently saw a product on the market that is a collar to prevent
barking, by some sort of spray that comes out. I thought
it was a Citronella spray, which leads me to ask if that is
a BAD thing, since I saw Citronella candles on your POISON list!
Please Help!
Duncan's Mommy :)
Hello:
The problem as you describe it indicates that
Duncan is indeed concerned about the neighbors.
Helping a dog overcome social fears like Duncan's
requires lots of patience and carefully controlled exposure
- always keeping him below the point where he becomes
worried enough to bark, while pairing the experience with his
favorite food treats.
For instance, if you take him on leash out into
the yard as far away from the fence line as possible, and he
is still upset and barking when he sees the neighbors in their
yard, you'd need to first ask your neighbors to also go as far
away from the fence line as possible, take Duncan back into
the house, then bring him back outside to the furthest point
away in your own yard. The point is to start the process with
the dog calm, but still exposed to whatever it is that worries
him, and to pair that experience with something he absolutely
LOVES, gradually taking him closer as he becomes comfortable
at the previous distance. Over time he should begin to
associate their presence with yummy things and feel better about
them. In other words, instead of their presence worrying
him, he'll be excited about it because he's learned to associate
them with his favorite yummies that are only available when
he sees them!
It is important to note that this is a grossly
simplified example of the behavior modification techniques known
as systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning.
You will need the help of a qualified and experienced behavior
consultant who can guide you and Duncan through the process.
While these techniques are highly effective and widely used
to modify fearful behaviors, the challenge and key to swift
success is in their proper application and execution.
Now, let's discuss your question regarding citronella
collars. As we've already learned, Duncan is concerned
about your neighbors and is reacting fearfully toward them.
We've also established that in order to help him feel better
(and ultimately impact his "I'm concerned" barking
behavior) is to associate their presence with good things for
Duncan. You can probably see where this is going. If we
put a collar on him that squirts a foul-smelling liquid in his
face and eyes when he barks at them, he is going to associate
(even more than he already does!) unpleasant things with your
neighbors. He may or may not bark at them anymore, but
one thing is for sure... he will not feel any better about them....in
fact he'll feel even worse! A worst case scenario would
be that instead of just barking, he begins to growl, lunge or
snap at them - yikes! You see, when we are using equipment
like spray collars, pinch collars, electronic collars, etc.,
there is no way to isolate and impact only a dogs behavior -
they will also form associations between the environment and
whatever is happening to them; the good and the not-so-good.
Their behavior becomes an expression of how they feel, based
on these associations.
I strongly suggest that you call us directly
at 248.588.3222 to speak to a behavior consultant to further
discuss Duncan, and map out a plan as soon as possible.
If you do not live in the Metro Detroit area, please give us
a call so that we can refer you to a qualified professional
in your area.
Best of Luck to Both of You, and thanks for writing!
Sincerely,
Lisa Patrona, Dip. CBST, CPDT-KA, ACDBC, AABP-CDT
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