Insane barking... Update: Problem solved..NOW disscussing feedings/crating/etc on pg4

[Kfamr]

If you loved the dog- and a medical fix would work- I would.. They love the dog- and rehoming is NOT an option... " just get rid of the dog"- is that the mentality you are endorsing?????

EXCUSE ME? You are not putting those words in my mouth lady.

Mutilating the dog is NOT loving the dog. I have never and will never endorse getting rid of an animal without a valid reason. If my "last option" were to mutilate my dog, I would rather find someone who would be able to train and care for him/her properly - or someone out in the country where barking would not be a problem.

However, Jess's problem with Mr. Biggles sounds like a minute one and should easily be fixed with time. No inhumane mutilating or rehoming should be needed.

[Karen]

If you loved the dog- and a medical fix would work- I would.. They love the dog- and rehoming is NOT an option... " just get rid of the dog"- is that the mentality you are endorsing?????

Nobody said they were endorsing that.

And Jess has gotten a lot of information here, which was her intent - to find out what the options and solutions might be.

I hope her neighbors accept the apology and allow a little time to work on the separation anxiety. Poor pup is 8 years old, and a recent pound rescue - anyone might have "separation anxiety" too if they were him!

[CathyBogart]

I'm having the same problem right now, my neighbors have complained to the landlord twice about Jasper's barking. He will pee and poop all over when left alone out of his crate, and frankly I am tired of cleaning the carpet all the time.

I've gotten several good suggestions, but what seems to have helped the most the fastest is working with him on obedience. His confidence is slowly improving, and as his confidence improves, I can leave him for longer amounts of time.

I've been pretending to leave, and standing out side of the door for a short period of time, then coming back in before he starts to bark. I've been able to bring that time up to about ten minutes from about thirty seconds in just a few days.

I've also made a point of ignoring him for parts of the day while I'm home, shutting him in the bedroom while I hang out in the living room, and ignoring him for the ten minutes leading up to me leaving and ten minutes after I get home. The result is that he's not quite so out of control happy about me getting home.

I know you said treats weren't an option, but I thought I'd throw this in there too. I got Jasper an Everlasting Treat Ball, which is a rubber ball which has custom treats that you jam into either end. It takes him about a week to go through one set of treats, and he's a pretty strong chewer.

Since you need a solution NOW, you could talk to your vet about getting him a mild sedative or anti-anxiety medication. These are meant to be temporary measures that you take so the neighbors don't kill your dog while you are working on solving the root of the problem. It sounds like these may be the quickest most effective option while you work on helping him feel more confident while you're not with him. (Star takes one called Clomepramine to help with her panic attacks...she once ate her way through a $2,000 solid oak door during a panic attack!)

I have more thoughts, but for fear of being ripped to shreds for my opinion, I'll PM them to you.

[luvofallhorses]

I agree with Kay on this one. I would NEVER consider de-barking my dogs in a million years. like I said, it's how they express themselves.

[applesmom]

As an absolute last resort, and only after everything else has been tried, I would not rule out debarking either.

An eight year old dog that has been placed unsuccessfully in multiple homes only to be dumped back in the shelter over and over again has run out of chances of ever finding a forever home until the problem is solved. To dump him and his problems on another unsuspecting owner rather than have him debarked if every other method had failed, would only add to his insecurities and would most certainly be the prelude to a death sentence!

As caring and determined as King2005 is, Mr Biggles problem will be resolved without her having to give more than a passing thought to either of those choices.

Good luck with finding a positive resoulution King2005! Mr Biggles is a lucky dog to have finally found such a caring owner.

[borzoimom]

As an absolute last resort, and only after everything else has been tried, I would not rule out debarking either.

An eight year old dog that has been placed unsuccessfully in multiple homes only to be dumped back in the shelter over and over again has run out of chances of ever finding a forever home until the problem is solved. To dump him and his problems on another unsuspecting owner rather than have him debarked if every other method had failed, would only add to his insecurities and would most certainly be the prelude to a death sentence!

As caring and determined as King2005 is, Mr Biggles problem will be resolved without her having to give more than a passing thought to either of those choices.

Good luck with finding a positive resoulution King2005! Mr Biggles is a lucky dog to have finally found such a caring owner.

I agree...

[king2005]

As an absolute last resort, and only after everything else has been tried, I would not rule out debarking either.

An eight year old dog that has been placed unsuccessfully in multiple homes only to be dumped back in the shelter over and over again has run out of chances of ever finding a forever home until the problem is solved. To dump him and his problems on another unsuspecting owner rather than have him debarked if every other method had failed, would only add to his insecurities and would most certainly be the prelude to a death sentence!

As caring and determined as King2005 is, Mr Biggles problem will be resolved without her having to give more than a passing thought to either of those choices.

Good luck with finding a positive resoulution King2005! Mr Biggles is a lucky dog to have finally found such a caring owner.

Thank you.. Its still not my fav choice if it comes to that, but its better then risking his life & sanity.

Here is a mug of the little guy
& no offence to my little man, hes not the most handsom guy around, with his extra teeth & screwed up jaw... But hes such a sweet dog


I'm gonna let his fur grow back out nice & LONG, so hes no longer pink & rat like lol

[finn's mom]

He's precious. I can see why you brought him into your family. I am truly sorry you're having to go through all this! I'm sure your stress levels aren't helping the situation either, I'd be going nuts trying to figure something out. I am not even going to voice an opinion publicly about the debarking and shock collars because people just get flat out nasty over things like that. If you wanna know how I feel, I'll pm you. But, I honestly don't see the situation getting to that point, so I hope the debate is over (something like 75% of what people worry and argue about never actually happens anyway!).

I know when I was training Finn as a puppy, I trained him how to bark on command so that I could tell him when to hush on command as well. I came up with a word and a hand signal (equipped with TONS of treats, but you could just use Mr Biggles' regular kibble if he can't have treats and give him one piece of kibble at a time) and he learned pretty quickly that if he barked when I asked him to, he got praised and stuff. Anyway, it's another thought. I wish you the best of luck. Poor little man.

[elizabethann]

Here is a mug of the little guy
& no offence to my little man, hes not the most handsom guy around, with his extra teeth & screwed up jaw... But hes such a sweet dog


I'm gonna let his fur grow back out nice & LONG, so hes no longer pink & rat like lol

Huh? I think he is adorable. He reminds me of Fenway (teeth and all). I think he would look even more like Fenway once his hair grows long. Good luck on the barking situation.

[pitc9]

If you loved the dog- and a medical fix would work- I would.. They love the dog- and rehoming is NOT an option... " just get rid of the dog"- is that the mentality you are endorsing?????

"If you loved the dog..."
The thought of mutilating the dog would never enter one's mind.

What if a dog thought it's owner talked too much??
Should it have their voice box removed??

What do you think the shelter you adopted him from would this of this?

[borzoimom]

lolllllllll.. I am not laughing at you but the statement- I have had a few neighbors that talked too much.. lol. and one lady- I swear you could hear her laugh through the walls when I lived in this apartment.. However- they could not call the cops-.. The rental office, because of the other apartment that had a baby there, they sent the people a letter to resonably control the noise after 10pm..

[kittycats_delight]

before I say anything I just want to let you all know I am not getting involved in an arguement so I am keeping my personal opinions to myself.

I wish you all the luck in the world with Mr. Biggles and hope time will be granted to you to work on his issues.

I basically just wanted to make a comment about pitc9 statement concerning the shelter.

From all I know the Toronto Humane Society is a kill shelter. And in that everyone knows that once an animal goes out their door their main concern is that the animal doesn't come back through it. If a surgery is going to keep that animal from being returned to them then I don't think they would have much of a problem with it. That is obviously not the right way to be but if it means keeping an animal out of their already over-crowded shelter than so be it. If Mr. Biggles was returned to them because of the barking situation once again do you think he would have much of a chance of getting adopted again? I highly doubt it as they would most likely see him as being not adoptable and he would be given an early ticket to the bridge.

I really hope your neighbors will be cooperative and give you the time you need. Exhaust all possiblities and good luck. Mr. Biggles deserves a good happy home and a chance at a normal life.

[pitc9]

lolllllllll.. I am not laughing at you but the statement- .

I'm beginning to find you and your comments very rude.
You take mutilating animals very lightly and I find it very disturbing to say the least.

[pitc9]

I basically just wanted to make a comment about pitc9 statement concerning the shelter.

From all I know the Toronto Humane Society is a kill shelter. And in that everyone knows that once an animal goes out their door their main concern is that the animal doesn't come back through it.

Is that true for this shelter in particular?
Or is this an opinion of yours about kill shelters in general?
(I don't know if you've had any dealings with this shelter... that's why I ask, I don't know anything about the Toronto Humane Society.)

[borzoimom]

I'm beginning to find you and your comments very rude.
You take mutilating animals very lightly and I find it very disturbing to say the least.

No- I do not take it lightly- as a matter of fact- its only a last resort to keep from rehoming the dogs.. And even in all my years, I have only met two out of all of them - TWO dogs that had this done..