I am at my wits end- dog question UPDATE

kimblebee

now my thoughts will be worth 5 cents
Joined
May 28, 2009
We have a dog. It’s actually my husband’s, but, since I live here too, we have a dog lol

The dog will be 9 in December. He’s a mutt with a lot of shih tzu features. He’s always had bad ears and eats special food because it apparently cuts down on ear infections (according to what the vet said).

Chewy hasn’t been a barker except for when the doorbell rings. Fine, whatever, it’s annoying but I’ll live with it.

Lately, though, this dog has been barking at the weirdest things. One day, it was a plane flying overhead, one day it was a person coughing outside, today it was when I answered my phone. He’s not being startled because he isn’t asleep before he starts barking. Nothing has changed in his routine (if he even has one). No new food, we’ve lived here for two years, he’s not sick.

So, what could the reason be for this recent barking at random things? The sounds aren’t loud so he’s not being startled. He’s always heard planes so it’s not like that’s a new noise.

I’m not a pet person at the best of times and this barking all the time is driving me CRAZY. I will admit that part of it is the sound of his bark. He’s small so he doesn’t do a WOOF WOOF (which I actually wouldn’t mind) it’s more like a whiny arooooo.

So, any suggestions? He doesn’t like treats and doesn’t play with toys so I can’t even distract him with something. Plus, the barking is really random so it’s not like I could distract him before he knows he wants to bark.
Getting rid of the dog isn’t an option..not that I would consider it for this.


Please help me.
 
We spray our dog with a spray bottle when she barks at random sounds. She usually stops right away and half the time she stops before you have a chance to squirt her because she sees the water bottle.
 
Take him in to the vet. Could be hearing issues or vision issues or even dementia.

Dogs can get dementia? I had no idea.

He seems fine otherwise. He doesn’t bump into anything when he’s walking and does fine in the back yard in the dark.

I wondered about his ears being bad but wouldn’t that make it harder for him to hear things, not give him super hearing? He should get to the vet soon anyway so I guess we’ll just move up the appointment date a bit.
 


Dogs can get dementia? I had no idea.

He seems fine otherwise. He doesn’t bump into anything when he’s walking and does fine in the back yard in the dark.

I wondered about his ears being bad but wouldn’t that make it harder for him to hear things, not give him super hearing? He should get to the vet soon anyway so I guess we’ll just move up the appointment date a bit.

Absolutely they can get dementia. And the hearing loss/issue could make him hear things that aren't there (so he might not be barking at the noise YOU heard but something else he thinks he heard). Same with vision issues.
 
Absolutely they can get dementia. And the hearing loss/issue could make him hear things that aren't there (so he might not be barking at the noise YOU heard but something else he thinks he heard). Same with vision issues.


Wouldn’t it be awfully coincidental that he’s barking at some imaginary noise at the exact same time as someone coughs or answers the phone? I’m really not doubting you, I just don’t see how that’s possible.

We will get him to the vet sooner than later though. I really hope it isn’t something serious because that dog is my husbands life and he will be devastated when his time has come.
 
Wouldn’t it be awfully coincidental that he’s barking at some imaginary noise at the exact same time as someone coughs or answers the phone? I’m really not doubting you, I just don’t see how that’s possible.

We will get him to the vet sooner than later though. I really hope it isn’t something serious because that dog is my husbands life and he will be devastated when his time has come.

That's why you go to the vet and let them do a work-up....you'd be surprised at the number of things that are possible. Perhaps it is a simple ear infection and certain sounds/frequencies hurt his ears. Let the vet sort it out.
 


What do you and/or your husband do when the dog barks? How do you respond currently?
 
We spray our dog with a spray bottle when she barks at random sounds. She usually stops right away and half the time she stops before you have a chance to squirt her because she sees the water bottle.
This is what I do. My dog is very reactive and even barks in her sleep.

Recently my DH put a “No Soliciting” sign on our door. No one comes to the door anymore so she suddenly started barking when the neighbors across the street get into their cars, when my DD is leaving for work at 3am, when DH pulls up after work. It’s like she *needs* to bark and so has found something to bark at.

Has anything changed in routine? He could be looking for things to bark at if something around the house has changed. I also thought about the ears. It could be that those things sound different because they’re muffled and so he barks.
 
What do you and/or your husband do when the dog barks? How do you respond currently?


We just yell at him to shut up. He really is a stupid dog so training or positive reinforcements really don’t work.
 
This is what I do. My dog is very reactive and even barks in her sleep.

Recently my DH put a “No Soliciting” sign on our door. No one comes to the door anymore so she suddenly started barking when the neighbors across the street get into their cars, when my DD is leaving for work at 3am, when DH pulls up after work. It’s like she *needs* to bark and so has found something to bark at.

Has anything changed in routine? He could be looking for things to bark at if something around the house has changed. I also thought about the ears. It could be that those things sound different because they’re muffled and so he barks.


No, nothing has changed in his routine (I did say that in my OP because it would be at least a reason). I get that his ears could be bugging him but I just don’t see how someone coughing on the sidewalk is going to sound so awful that he has to bark yet he doesn’t bark at the tv or even the dog next door barking.
 
We just yell at him to shut up. He really is a stupid dog so training or positive reinforcements really don’t work.

I definitely disagree with the second part. Anything that eats can be trained using positive reinforcement, but animal training requires work on the part of both the trainer and the trainee.

Regarding the first part, even being yelled at is a form of attention and could serve as reinforcement. In his head, he could be alerting you to potential dangers and you yelling at him could be interpreted as acknowledgement.
 
We just yell at him to shut up. He really is a stupid dog so training or positive reinforcements really don’t work.
When you yell at a dog for barking (and I am guilty of it) they think you’re barking with them.
No, nothing has changed in his routine (I did say that in my OP because it would be at least a reason). I get that his ears could be bugging him but I just don’t see how someone coughing on the sidewalk is going to sound so awful that he has to bark yet he doesn’t bark at the tv or even the dog next door barking.
Not his routine, the routine of the house. It could be something in your routine, your DD’s, your DH’s. Animals are creatures of habit. It could be something you see as very insignificant but for whatever reason is a big deal to him.

The sound doesn’t have to be awful, it could just be different and that makes him react.

I definitely disagree with the second part. Anything that eats can be trained using positive reinforcement, but animal training requires work on the part of both the trainer and the trainee.

Regarding the first part, even being yelled at is a form of attention and could serve as reinforcement. In his head, he could be alerting you to potential dangers and you yelling at him could be interpreted as acknowledgement.
Agree with all the above.
 
What activities does he do during the day? What exercise of his body and mind does he get?

Dogs can get bored. If they don't have a "job", and you don't either give them one or tucker them out, they'll find their own. And usually a job of the dog's choosing is problematic, lol. He may have made it his business to bark at things because he thinks it's his job.

Best advice: A tired dog is a happy dog. It probably wouldn't take much, at age 9, to tucker him out. Walks, play in the yard, etc. Then he'll sleep and have less energy to expend elsewhere.
 
I definitely disagree with the second part. Anything that eats can be trained using positive reinforcement, but animal training requires work on the part of both the trainer and the trainee.

Regarding the first part, even being yelled at is a form of attention and could serve as reinforcement. In his head, he could be alerting you to potential dangers and you yelling at him could be interpreted as acknowledgement.


I hadn’t thought about the acknowledgement part. Would it be better to just ignore him and hope he grows out of it?

A few years ago, I tried to teach him to shake a paw. I worked with him for two hours straight, being very patient..no easy feat for me but I know yelling does nothing. He really likes to be scratched and his tail wags the most when you tell him he’s a good boy so that’s what I was doing. I went really slow. First I just said shake a paw and scratched him when he looked at me. Then I moved on to saying it and touching his paw. I broke it down into the smallest steps possible. After two hours, I said shake a paw and held out my hand..I was met with the dumbest, most blank stare as if it was the first time he’d heard the words. I gave up in frustration.

I will think about your acknowledgment of him though. Thank you for that insight.

When you yell at a dog for barking (and I am guilty of it) they think you’re barking with them.

Not his routine, the routine of the house. It could be something in your routine, your DD’s, your DH’s. Animals are creatures of habit. It could be something you see as very insignificant but for whatever reason is a big deal to him.

The sound doesn’t have to be awful, it could just be different and that makes him react.


Agree with all the above.

Sorry I misunderstood you. Nothing has changed except for the fact that my daughter has been done school for the past month. She usually doesn’t crawl out of bed until 1030-11 though and he’s usually sleeping then anyway.

His barking doesn’t stick to one specific time or room or anything. Today, as I’ve been typing this he’s barked twice and there’s not a sound in the house. I’m the only one home and I’m lying in bed one floor above him.

This is so frustrating. We can hardly tell our neighbour her dog has to be quiet and then ours goes nuts 2-3 times a day. It’s only for a few seconds but it’s starting to make my eye twitch.
 
My dog is super smart but still won't shake, or give his paw. :laughing: I work with him all the time on it. >:( I'm told it's the terrier in him. They're stubborn. Maybe he has a little terrier in him!
 
This is so frustrating. We can hardly tell our neighbour her dog has to be quiet and then ours goes nuts 2-3 times a day. It’s only for a few seconds but it’s starting to make my eye twitch.
This could be part of it if he's hearing another dog bark. Who know what his associations have been.
 
I hadn’t thought about the acknowledgement part. Would it be better to just ignore him and hope he grows out of it?

The best way to extinguish a behavior is to ignore it... BUT... you have to ignore it completely. If you try to ignore it and he therefore continues to bark to get your attention and you get frustrated and after a minute or so you break down and go over, yell at him, and interact with him in some other way, you’ve now successfully taught him that instead of barking for a few seconds, he now has to bark for at least a minute, so on and so forth.

Also please keep in mind that while many dogs enjoy being petted, tactile reinforcement is not a form of primary reinforcement and therefore isn’t recommended for training, especially when the behavior you’re trying to teach is another form of touching him (“shake”). For all he knows your attempts to touch his paw and hold out your hand mixed with scratching him are just his weird human’s idea of an extended petting session. Treats are the most effective tool for training.
 
The best way to extinguish a behavior is to ignore it... BUT... you have to ignore it completely. If you try to ignore it and he therefore continues to bark to get your attention and you get frustrated and after a minute or so you break down and go over, yell at him, and interact with him in some other way, you’ve now successfully taught him that instead of barking for a few seconds, he now has to bark for at least a minute, so on and so forth.

Also please keep in mind that while many dogs enjoy being petted, tactile reinforcement is not a form of primary reinforcement and therefore isn’t recommended for training, especially when the behavior you’re trying to teach is another form of touching him (“shake”). For all he knows your attempts to touch his paw and hold out your hand mixed with scratching him are just his weird human’s idea of an extended petting session. Treats are the most effective tool for training.


Thank you for all your input. We have tried tons of different types of treats and he just doesn’t want any of them. We tried carrot a month or so ago. We cut off a piece and put it down for him. He sniffed it, put it in his mouth for a minute then spit it out Unchewed and wouldn’t look at it again. I’d love if he’d start acting like a dog and do normal dog things like fetch, and eat a carrot or play with a kong or anything. He seriously is a prissy drama queen dog like creature lol
 
Thank you for all your input. We have tried tons of different types of treats and he just doesn’t want any of them. We tried carrot a month or so ago. We cut off a piece and put it down for him. He sniffed it, put it in his mouth for a minute then spit it out Unchewed and wouldn’t look at it again. I’d love if he’d start acting like a dog and do normal dog things like fetch, and eat a carrot or play with a kong or anything. He seriously is a prissy drama queen dog like creature lol

Meh I know *some* dogs like carrots, but definitely not what I’d consider a high-value reinforcer. Every dog is different though. My friend’s bichon will only work for cantaloupe. I’d imagine your dog has some treat it likes, you just haven’t found it yet. Even if not, you can use the kibble that you feed each day as the the reinforcer - just make him work for his food instead of putting it in a bowl each day.

It’s hard to convey over the Internet, so please take my tone to be educational and not judgmental, but any dog can be trained to do any behavior that it’s physically able to... how much you’re willing to work on it is the deciding factor, and sometimes much of the work is just finding an approach that will be successful. Stupid, lazy, stubborn, prissy etc. are labels that can prevent success. If a child was dyslexic and falling behind in school, we’d be wrong to label that child as stupid because they didn’t read and write like others. If a child was really great at swimming but not so much at soccer, we’d be wrong to say the child was stubborn when it came to playing the latter. Dogs are all different and have different strengths, weaknesses, and struggles and it’s important to remember that they didn’t choose them. Understanding how your specific dog operates could open up an entirely new world.

And for what it’s worth, I do believe they can read your emotions. If you don’t like the dog and hold it in low regard, you’re not setting yourself up for success.
 

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