Barking and circling

[Karen]

Friends of mine have a Sheltie who barks a lot, but who also circles like wild whenever someone is leaving, and barks up a storm! It doesn't matter WHO is leaving, as he does this both at the office and at home! Does anyone else's dog do this?

They just met with an animal behavioralist for this and some other problems, so there is hope, at least!

[blue_heeler]

My mom's boyfriend has a sheltie who barkd up a storm whenerver something is in her yard. Same way with my red heeler he loves to bark at the cats. But sometimes when he thinks no one is looking he wil cuddle up with themand sleep with them.

[LAS]

My Sheltie exhibits similar behavior, I think it is their herding instinct.

[Sirannon]

Shelties are herding dogs. "Barking and circling" pretty much sums up their personalities!

[RachelJ]

Whenever I walk out of the front door to go to the mail or water the plants on the front stoop, my cocker, Tucker, lets out two or three barks. He is really not much of a barker and this behavior is so strange. I think he knows I coming right back. Maybe its just the act of opening the front door (as if there were someone there)!

[karlicat]

Well, i think it's a little like Lassie- also herding dog- because it's like the sheltie is trying to say come back, like hand gestures except they don't have hands so they do the most obvious gesture that says the most obviously, "Comebackcomebackcomeback!!"
And like it is trying to 'herd' you back home. I think it's really sweet. *whew*

[cxg31s]

Hi, I have a 2 year-old male sheltie named Ashkii. I kept him kenneled for his first 1.5 years, to housetrain him while I was at work. When I packed away the kennel for good, he would bark like crazy whenever I opened the front door to leave. I finally solved this problem by making him sit and giving him biscuits to distract him while I walked out and locked the door. I had to rush in the beginning because he would gobble them and start barking anyway. Now he's so used to the routine, he just takes his biscuit to his favorite spot, watches me leave and doesn't bark at all!

[carrie]

Hi, me again, yes I'm everywhere,
Without realising it you are all encouraging your dogs to bark as you leave, simply because it works. Pack animals need to communicate with each other and barking, "You're going to leave, you're going to leave!" is rewarded because you do! Herding breeds have a head start, they know when you are leaving and see it as their duty to show the way, as they would with sheep, from behind!
Sitting the dog and rewarding with food when a quiet response is given is the perfect answer.