Please tell Dusty to stop barking!

[Tonya]

If you look up Estatic in the dictionary, Dusty's picture is there. He is ALWAYS so excited that he barks and barks. It would be halfway ok, except his bark is this high pitch shrill that literally rips your ear drums. Aside from the barking thing, he is a well behaved dog. There isn't a single thing he does wrong. He can be playing with me for 2 hours straight, and then lying next to me for another hour...if I make a simple move, like look at him, stand up, anything....he goes estatic and starts barking. God forbid if I get dressed in front of him or any other ritual that would indicate a car ride. I tell him no every single time in a stern voice, I've tried timeouts outside, I've tried holding his mouth shut, I've tried ignoring him (which did finally cure the jumping problem), I've tried a muzzle whenever he barks, I give him plenty of attention. Dusty is Australian Shephard mix, and they do tend to mature late, but geez! He's 2 1/2 years old!!! HELP!!!

[Crikit]

Rather then telling him no in a stern voice try talking to him quietly, and in those rare moments when he is quiet praise him tell him good quiet and stuff like that. Either that or teach him a speak command and then through in a quiet command.

[Logan]

STOP BARKING, DUSTY!!!! Don't we wish it were that easy? I have no suggestions, but wish you good luck!!!! :)

[CathyBogart]

Two words: squirt bottle!

[Foam]

Yes yes..The barking.
Darlin is my Shih Tzu Mix. She's only 9 months old..all she does it play play play, bark bark bark, bark bark bark and oh yeah..bark bark bark.
Little high shrill barks constantly!!! I tried the squirt bottle on her, but she just thinks I'm playing, wags her tail and barks at the squirt bottle!! -___-
I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do so..Good Luck! ^_^;

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by WolfChan
Two words: squirt bottle!

agreed

except the bad thing about squirting the dog with water, is that it will relate water to a punishment, like getting a bath is a punishment and going into the lake is a punishment.

[kingrattus]

For Max the best thing was a big rubber band. Sometimes neighbours have parties & Max gets vey upset & barks deeply non stop, nothing will stop him, except when u put a big rubber band on his muzzle. Its not tight, its too big to pull any fur, but he hate it when he tries to bark & his mouth is forced shut & his lips get stuck in his mouth. he only barked about 3 times with the rubber ban on until he remembered what it did.

I figure the rubber band acts better then grabing his mouth closed because it takes time for ur hands to close his mouth & the rubber band does it during the bark... But he never gets scolded for barking at the door or at something outside in the yard. Hes part guard dog & its in his blood to be protective.