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Gigi, our rescue Lab, is still very nervous and jumpy and she barks at every sound and every person except us. We don't have a lot of people come over, but she gets very protective of us (not altogether a bad thing, if the person were an intruder, but a very bad thing if the person is my dad or one of our friends!). She's too excitable right now and too nervous to take her to a class, so we've got to work on her at home first to get her somewhat calmer before we try a class. Right now, she'd just freak in a room full of strange dogs and people. I'm convinced she was abused before she found us -- she was certainly very neglected -- so it's no wonder she's like this, but we have to get her over it.
The first thing I'm trying to do is teach her to stop barking when I tell her to. I'm using a method I used on another dog that worked, but that was years ago and I don't remember how long it took to get through to that dog. When she barks and I want her to stop, I lay my hand on her muzzle or take her chin in my hand and say, "no barking." She does stop as long as I have my hand on her, but when I let go, off she goes again. With the other dog, eventually all I had to do was say "no barking" and she'd quit but as I said, I don't remember how long it took for her to get it.
All I hear is "take her to training class" but honestly, she wouldn't learn a thing right now. She'd just flip out over all the strange dogs and people. And having been abused, she has to be taught very gently and slowly. Any other suggestions?
The first thing I'm trying to do is teach her to stop barking when I tell her to. I'm using a method I used on another dog that worked, but that was years ago and I don't remember how long it took to get through to that dog. When she barks and I want her to stop, I lay my hand on her muzzle or take her chin in my hand and say, "no barking." She does stop as long as I have my hand on her, but when I let go, off she goes again. With the other dog, eventually all I had to do was say "no barking" and she'd quit but as I said, I don't remember how long it took for her to get it.
All I hear is "take her to training class" but honestly, she wouldn't learn a thing right now. She'd just flip out over all the strange dogs and people. And having been abused, she has to be taught very gently and slowly. Any other suggestions?