Excessive Barking

[Teresa]

Hi,

This does not concern my Setters directly, but it is affecting them too...

My cocker is now 9 years old, and in the last two years there were several major changes to her life. We moved her from our small yard in Madeira to our farm in Portalegre and she had to adapt to a new climate, people, environment, dogs, sheep, cows, goats, horses, ... Also her life time companion died last year. She seemed to ajust wonderfully to all the big changes we forced on her, but now she is becoming way out of control with her barking. She was never a big barker until about the time Pitanga had her litter (6 months ago), and it is now comming out of control, with her waking everyone up in the middle of the night for no aparent reason. It has become so bad that my setters are starting to try and shut her up, and climate is sometimes tense between them, wich never happened before! Electric collars are absolutely out of question, but I was eondering if anyone has any suggestion on how to solve this problem.

 

Thanks to all,

 

Teresa

[Philip Hall]

I'm not into the Psychology of the dogy world (don't think I can spell it either) but we have friends who used a collar called ABOISTOP Anti-Bark Collar. It uses compressed air and worked on thier Spaniel who barked like crazy when in the car, I believe the barking activates the collar to give a short blast of very cold air.
I think the animal behaviourist Dr Roger Mugford developed them.

[Susan Stone]

Hi Teresa,

maybe your 9 year old is suffering from illness rather than bad behaviour?
Our old lady Shannon suffered started to become very restlessness at night and would wine and bark during the night when she was about 11 years old. She'd be exhausted all day and sleep peacefully - only to start again during the night. You can bet I was exhausted! The vet suggested a blood test... and it turned out that Shannon had a liver problem that was affecting the brain. With correct treatment she improved tremendously and the nighttime barking stopped (she'd still bark during the day when she wanted something, but we could cope with that!).

So maybe before considering behaviour treatment it may be an idea to get her health checked and a blood test done.

[Teresa]

Hi Susan,
I understand exactly what you are talking about. My other cocker, who i had to put to sleep las year, had that kind of behavior as well. Being an extremely qiuet dog all his life started to bark and scream during the night, and turned out he had a very nasty tumor.
So as you might imagine, as soon as Ginja started the strange barking behaviour I ran to the vet to get a full checkup, and it turned out she was the same, no new health problems and the old ones have not increased in any way... That is why I got to the conclusion this must be simply a behavior change.
But I trully believe you gave me an exellent advice, old dogs that behave well all their lives don't generaly become "bad"!

[Susan Stone]

Hello Teresa, sounds like you've done the right check-ups.
If all is well and you are sure she does not need to go out (bladder trouble?) then maybe you should consider a crate for night time? Get her used to it as you would a puppy and then try to settle her there for the night.
You could try her on warm milk and honey and a bedtime story, as suggested by Colette & Rosie;-))
Susan

[Teresa]

Hi,
It can't be bladder because she is free to go outside during the night as nuch as she wants. She always lived outside and she was miserable when we tried to keep her inside for the night, so now we have a nice warm bed for her in our garden bathroom and we leave the door half open so that she can walk in and out as much as she wants. As for the milk and honey, sadly she has a very strict diet and has to keep on it...she is already overweight and has articular problems, so no sugar at nights :)
I really do think she is trying to be protective of her family, that is why i was looking for a clever solution that would not involve any kind of punishment.I'll try the story tonight though!

[Rosie Dudley]

Hello Teresa, I have had experience of an old dog barking like this and found it was due to a hunger attack! I would leave a bowl with some biscuits at night and she could snack when she needed. Today part of my feeding regeim is all dogs have biscuits at bedtime.

[colette tuite]

I hope you give them hot milk as well!!!! LOL !!!

[Rosie Dudley]

and a story !