Getting a Dog

Mohenley - the next doors dogs - the Lab does nothing because the German Shepard is the pack leader, so no need for the Lab to protect the territory cos the pack leader is taking care of business. However - your guy may just be reacting.

Id advise you to test him out with other dogs in his territory in a controlled way. Get someone you know with a dog and meet them away from your house, with Stevie. Walk both dogs, and let them interact away from the house. After the walk (energy drained and introduction over), come back to your house, and let the other dog in with Stevie (both dogs still on leash so you can control the situation). Check out Stevies reaction. Also, check out the other dogs behaviour - especially in the back garden. If you become confident enough to take them both off leash on this test, and the other dog starts peeing round the garden and marking the territory and Stevie doesnt mind - then Stevie is going to be fine.

You can move on from that test to having someone bring a strange dog around and an introduction IN Stevies territory and see how that goes - itll give you an indication of how he might be if he gets a new pal.

Just be careful and show leadership yourself, correct Stevie if he behaves badly etc...

Hi,

Can anyone give any advice to stop a dog barking?

Stevie, in last couple of weeks has decided to start barking during the night - this morning he woke us at 4am. Initially there were dogs barking in the disatnce and we think that is why he started to bark but they have not been barking in last few days and he is. We live in an estate and don't want to be upsetting neighbours who have small children by waking them. My husband goes out each time he barks and catches him barking and gives him a smack. he stops then but a couple of nights later and he is barking again. It is not like he is afraid, he is barking with his tail wagging!!

I wonder if there is a female in heat nearby thats causing the local males to bark?

Is he left out at night? Maybe bring him in?

He is outside but lives in a shed. The shed has no door on it yet but my husband is going to put up a makeshift door so he cannot go around the garden at night. The last couple of times he barked we put the lead on him and tied him in the shed and he never barked at all - we thought that would have encouraged him not to bark but not!

I would bring him in also, maybe his bed by a radiator? He is probably protecting "his" territory now! Possibly get him a teddy bear - dont laugh but they like to have a favourite toy!

he seems to have been behaving himself since. we are thinking of getting the bark collar which gives a small shock if he barks.

As for toys if we give him anything he goes away and burys it!! His toy is his blanket which he likes to take everywhere!

Hi, I am wondering if it is worth getting pet insurance for our dog?

mohenley said:

My husband goes out each time he barks and catches him barking and gives him a smack. he stops then but a couple of nights later and he is barking again. It is not like he is afraid, he is barking with his tail wagging!!

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Why would your husband smack him? Besides being unnecessary and cruel, it won't stop the 'bad' behaviour. He's obviously doing it because he knows your husband will go downstairs to him, which is exactly what he wants. He is effectively training your husband to come to him and give him company whenever he wants.

we are new to dogs in general (we did not make a consious decision to get a dog, stevie just appeared and did not have the heart to send a blind dog to a pound) , we have tried to ignore him and let him bark but this is not good when you have neighbours with families beside you so we had to try and do something (and of course he stopped when he did give him a smack). He was barking because he could hear other dogs barking in the distance. Anyway the good news is that he has now not barked during the night for the last week.