Look who's becoming a loud-mouth...

[Moose]

Moose has never been too much of a barker. Naturally, he's always barked when people come to the door, seen people walk by the house, etc. However, lately he seems to be barking at everything. And what's worse is that when he gets started, Zoey gets started -- and I think that riles him up even more.

It used to be that the second we told Moose to quiet down, he would. Zoey hasn't been too bad of a barker either since we got her, but they both seem to get each other going...and more often than not, Moose is the instigator.

It's not just barking while standing at the window either. We'll be watching TV, laying in bed, walking down the hall, etc. and he'll just start going crazy. It doesn't seem there like there is any certain thing that sets him off. At first I thought maybe he wanted attention or got excited when Josh and I were getting ready to go out, but he'll sit there and bark at us even if we are petting him. It's gotten ridiculous.

I refuse to make them wear those "anti-bark" collars -- I don't care how noisy they get.

Does anyone have any idea as to why he's suddenly become such a barker?

[GoldenRetrLuver]

I don't have any advice....sorry.

Molly is the same way, except it's excessive barking. I don't blame her when she barks at people walking by, coming to the door, etc., but when it's just at nothing...it can become pretty annoying. She's not bored, not outside for the whole day; so I'm guessing she's just being a typical Collie. Most of them are barkers. I also refuse to get her de-barked or wear one of those collars, and so do my parents. Daisy is usually quiet, and only really starts barking if she's playing or sees a squirrel/bird.

I hope you can figure something out. Good Luck.

[Moose]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
I hope you can figure something out. Good Luck.

Thanks

[Tonya]

Those antibark collars aren't that bad. I wore one myself before putting it on my dogs. lol. It doesn't hurt, it just startles them enough to stop the barking. But I think they're a waste of money. They never did work on Dusty. He'd just stop and sniff his butt wondering where in the heck that shock came from. Then he'd go right back to barking. MY RB Rosco, on the other hand, he wore it for two days and quit barking. I was able to take it off of him just about as soon as I bought it.

Anyways what I've done with Dusty is I hold his mouth shut and firmly and calmly tell him no. He *pretty much* knows now not to bark at nothing.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Drake used to be a braker when there was anyone at the door, yard, etc... He barks and growls when we play. But when we moved to Germany and into an apartment, his barking at the door was unacceptable!!

Luckily, I was at home most of the time, so when I heard someone coming up the stairs, I would run to Drake. Make him sit or lay down. If he barked, I would tell him to stop. Repetition is the key and treats. Now he sits at the door and listens when there is someone walking up the stairs!

Good luck with Moose.

[ramanth]

No advice... though I have heard that the Citronella anti-bark collars work really nice. No shocking at all.

Moose, stop barking!

[Tina]

I don't haven any advice for you either.

Since Ginger is our barker. She will bark at anything, heck she will bark at a fly on the wall We can tell her to stop and a few minutes later she is barking at something else. Maybe I should get a bark collar for her. But I doubt if it would help her.

I really hope you can find something to help.

[robinh]

My Max is our barker. He barks at everything, like Ginger. He even barks at nothing. I think he likes the sound of his voice. We have tried to get him to stop - short of the collars which I don't believe in - but he still barks. He even gets the others to bark. So I've finally come to the conclusion that dogs bark and I should adjust - cause he certainly won't.

Let me know if you find something to help.

[Lissa]

I don't know if it's true or not but I can believe it. I've heard that dogs can hear things like mice, termites, etc, in the walls and sometimes that is what sets them off. I don't know if its a possiblity at all, but I thought I would throw that in. Layla is pretty good. Alvin loves to get her worked up, normally all he has to do is make faces at her and she barks and runs in circles. Wierd pup. Wish I could help more.

[Moose]

Thanks for the comments/advice everybody.

I'm hoping something will work.

Souraya, I understand how it is...it's times like these that I'm so glad I live in a house. I don't know how people would be able to stand Moose's barking.