Barking ...AGAIN! It just never stops, really. It's Dixie, my newly adopted in Feb., normally very sweet girl. We are at hour whit's end. I'm just venting ...and hoping someone might have another suggestion.
I have become used to her "watchdog" behavior when someone enters our courtyard. I can see that it's instinct to a certain degree ...and the rest is excitement. It's the walk that we continue to have trouble with. She practically leaps up on the leash and charges at any dog that walks by us. IF they approach, she is fine if they are calm. They sniff and we continue on in most cases.
We walk later in the evening, after dark, to avoid the many dogs right after dinner time. There's always one or two and it's the same every night. She howls and barks and jumps at the dog, which is usually a well trained Golden, who walks peacefully by his owner's side, looking at her like she's an uncivilized beast. And she is certainly acting like one.
Meanwhile, Belvedere, our male, sits and watches Dixie go nuts. Once the other dog passes by, she's ready to continue on with our walkies.
It may be my imagination but it does seem as if she's trying to protect me. Could that be the case? She literally half-circles around me as the other dog passes. My husband thinks it's more of the watchdog thing.
We are considering a professional trainer (referals for someone in Florida are welcome!) and we are trying to use the techniques for curbing barking that we've read on this forum. However, it seems to me that they are for eliminating constant, unnecessary barking. I may be way off with this but I don't think those methods will work in our case.
Venting ...but hoping for some advice. Dixie is a little love other than this. Could this be a behavior that we're stuck with?? :?
PS IF this post actually makes it to the board, on the 9th try, a big Thank You to whoever made it happen.
I have become used to her "watchdog" behavior when someone enters our courtyard. I can see that it's instinct to a certain degree ...and the rest is excitement. It's the walk that we continue to have trouble with. She practically leaps up on the leash and charges at any dog that walks by us. IF they approach, she is fine if they are calm. They sniff and we continue on in most cases.
We walk later in the evening, after dark, to avoid the many dogs right after dinner time. There's always one or two and it's the same every night. She howls and barks and jumps at the dog, which is usually a well trained Golden, who walks peacefully by his owner's side, looking at her like she's an uncivilized beast. And she is certainly acting like one.
Meanwhile, Belvedere, our male, sits and watches Dixie go nuts. Once the other dog passes by, she's ready to continue on with our walkies.
It may be my imagination but it does seem as if she's trying to protect me. Could that be the case? She literally half-circles around me as the other dog passes. My husband thinks it's more of the watchdog thing.
We are considering a professional trainer (referals for someone in Florida are welcome!) and we are trying to use the techniques for curbing barking that we've read on this forum. However, it seems to me that they are for eliminating constant, unnecessary barking. I may be way off with this but I don't think those methods will work in our case.
Venting ...but hoping for some advice. Dixie is a little love other than this. Could this be a behavior that we're stuck with?? :?
PS IF this post actually makes it to the board, on the 9th try, a big Thank You to whoever made it happen.
