Gully, being a Collie, can be pretty barky too. So I first taught him to speak on command. I took a treat and held it in my hand, forming a fist. Then I'd put my fist up near my mouth and entice him to bark. "Speak, Gully, Speak". As soon as he barked, I'd give him the treat. Didn't take long before he'd bark, when I cued him with my fist near my mouth. So I can ask him any question and get a bark in response, because he's cueing off the hand signal, not what I'm saying.

After he got the barking command down good, I'd get him to bark and then as soon as he stopped, I'd put my finger to my lips and very softly say "shhhhhhh". Then quickly give him a treat and say "Good quiet". After he got that concept, I try to lengthen out the quiet time.

He also wants to bark out at the fence at people walking by. The finger to the lips with "shhhhh" doesn't work at all in that instance. So I started taking him out in the backyard with a pocket full of treats and as soon as he was distracted, I'd call him to "Come" and give him a treat. Then if I heard people coming, I'd call him to me. I just kept reinforcing "Come" to me and you'll get rewarded. So now if I need to be busy in the house, I leave the back door open and if he starts to bark at anybody I just call him to me and that breaks his pattern of barking.

I've seen quite a bit of improvement doing this. I doubt he'll ever be as quiet as Murph, but he's at least at a manageable level now.

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