Originally posted by jenluckenbach

Seems that barking is his only fault.


Barking ~ His only MAJOR Fault.



And it IS a Fault - A MAJOR, BIG-TYME, Serious, Deal-Breaking,
FAULT, Problem, Defect ,"Issue", etc!

Call it what you will-
his POWER BARKING is quite probably why he Has No Home!

I think the ONLY reason he ever <quieted down> the First Nite or
last night on the front porch was - He had to catch his breath and
take a Power Nap!

He came close to returning to life as a "Street Waif" last night!
He probably got IN off the porch due to a <pawz> in BARKING due to
needing (and taking) a Power Nap.
When BedTyme came - he reacted to being put in the Basement 'Partment with
almost constant, non-stop BARKING!

He probably went a good TWENTY Minutes at a
<BARK><BARK><BARK><BARK>{Breath}<BARK><BARK> ... rate!
The longest <quiet period> was maybe 15 minutes (Power Nap).

I finally drifted off to a combo of Power BARKING and the drone of the
IdiotVision box doing re-runs of Jay and ?Conan.
Morning arrived with Power BARKING and Katie's Today Show.

TYME for an "Behavioral ADJUSTMENT"!!
Down to the Bus (without so much as a "Hi Ya" to Mr. BARKY -
to fetch Cinder's ole Anti-BARK Collar!

Quick battery test (OK) and some <fumbling> to lengthen the collar;
and Tyme for a Trial Run!!

Put it on him and went half way up the steps ...
<BARK<>BARK><BARK><BARK> with GUSTO!!

NUTZ!
Bump it up to Stage 2 Shock power setting ...
and went half way up the steps...

<BARK><BARK><BARK><BARK> ... <BARK><BARK><BARK> ... <bark>

Did he <NOTICE> ????????

All the way upstairs and <close> the door ...

<BARK> . <BARK> .. <BARK> ... <BARK> ... ... ...
<BARK> ... ... ... ... ... <bark>

Is it ... izzit ... izzit Making a DIFFERENCE!??

In ten minutes he'd ALMOST <stopped> BARKING!!
(Meaning he was "down" to only one or two BARKS a minute!)

I told myself he'd been <quiet> for TWO whole minutes and
<dashed> down to tell him what a GUD Boy he was and let him
UPstairs.

Then it was OUTside on the tie-out for Poddy Tyme.
I sent Cinder along for "moral support".

Ten minutes went by - hadn't heard a <SOUND>!
Thinking Cinder had prolly <wandered off> - I looked out the windows ...
WOW! Cinder still in the front yard; but where's Hobo???

<SNARLED> up on a bush and <<QUIET>>!!

>>A-Mazing<<

We're all *IN* now, and Cinder initiated a Living Room CHASE Session -
SmokeMutt even participated again -
and I'm not sure WHO all was <Barking>??

It's probably WAY Too Soon to declare Victory in the BARKING War -
but we MAY have a solution in the making.

Now the BigMutt is making up for last night's Lost Sleep -
he's SOUND Asleep beside me!

A PS:
For those who think I'm being "CRUEL" with the EVIL Anti-Bark Shock Collar ...
Give me your Address - I'll send him over!
YOU try "explaining" the fine art of SHUTTING-UP to him!
And remember - he won't make a *peep* if he can <SEE> you -
THAT's all he wants - to BE with someone!

/s/ (tiurd) Phred