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MAJOR Barking Problem

33K views 9 replies 10 participants last post by  Mikey T 
#1 ·
Dallas is 1 year old and has a major barking issue. He barks at anything and everything. I am aware that the Basset Hound is a vocal breed, but I really think that this is a serious behavioral issue that is driving my parents mental.

I am looking for some suggestions from owners who have experienced the same problem with their Basset. Although I am against shock collars, I have resorted to having to use one because the issue is so bad. He just began to ignore the collar however, and would bark through the shocks. I don't want to have to get a stronger collar.

Help?
 
#2 ·
I don't know if this is the type of answer your hoping for but it works for us with our Basset hound Emmy and our pitbull Hideous. We watch the dog whisperer with Cesar Millan. He's amazing. He would probably say to disagree with the behavior. I've seen like every episode and we do exactly what he says if our dogs have a problem he's talking about. I suggest watching....
 
#3 · (Edited)
We need a better description of the problem and the circumstances that cause him to bark. Indoor/outdoor? When? How long? At what? How much exercxise does he get? What are you doing to keep his brain occupied? Dogs bark for all sorts of reasons, and the solution, if there is one, depends on why he is barking.
 
#4 ·
I'll second that ^ Our basset will bark at us when she is bored, literally just stand there and bark non stop. I will say 'Somebody tire out that basset!'. She loves to wrestle and play tug of war, we play with her until she flops over and sighs, then she is quiet.

Also on barking - We like Victoria Treadwell and she suggested teaching a word to get the dogs attention. Our dogs go crazy when someone comes in the door. We taught them "STOP". When they hear it they go sit by the treat jar. If they are quiet and still they get a treat. Works like a charm to calm them down and it is also a nice way for new people to meet them. I really believe in positive reinforcement, it sounds like the negative reinforcement (shock collar) obviously isn't fixing the problem.
 
#5 ·
I'll second that ^ Our basset will bark at us when she is bored, literally just stand there and bark non stop. I will say 'Somebody tire out that basset!'. She loves to wrestle and play tug of war, we play with her until she flops over and sighs, then she is quiet.

Also on barking - We like Victoria Treadwell and she suggested teaching a word to get the dogs attention. Our dogs go crazy when someone comes in the door. We taught them "STOP". When they hear it they go sit by the treat jar. If they are quiet and still they get a treat. Works like a charm to calm them down and it is also a nice way for new people to meet them. I really believe in positive reinforcement, it sounds like the negative reinforcement (shock collar) obviously isn't fixing the problem.
Good post, Lucia, with three right now, when a dog walks by the front window, it's insanely loud.

With patience, they are doing great with a single command used with positive reinforcement. I used a hand signal with a single command also.

Bassets are smart-my old guy used to sit everytime he heard plastic that sounded like the unwrrapping of a cheese slice.
 
#6 ·
I think your hound might need more mental stimulation and some general obedience, specially since you said he is one. Like many have stated before...he may be bored and wanting attention or to play and if he doesn't get it resorts to barking, which then gets your attention, so now he knows how to get your attention. If you are walking him and playing with him constantly but still barks...look into a behaviour specialist who can diagnose his issues and take the appropriate actions, do not try to fix him on your own, that's why there are professionals. Good luck!
 
#7 ·
Like Soudtrack said get to know why and when. I grew up with Shelties and they were bred to bark. We had a couple relentless ones. You are lucky having one barker. I do think V Sitwell had it right as far as a cue to get their attention but it has to be rewarding. Redirect with a sit or a down and build it up to sit, down, stay etc.... I used to ask them to speak ... teach them to bark on your command. Like M to Edde said as exercise, good mental exercise as well. I have a very good bad Basset and I taught her so many silly tricks. It kept her very clever brain occupied and happy.
 
#8 ·
Lololol @ good bad basset, good bad dog really describes most bassets, a good bad basset must be the enhanced version that my family is discovering as the weight drops slowly from our newer adopted hound lol. A challenge, but always rewarding :)


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#10 ·
He barks at anything and everything
if it is movement that sets him off you do not want to stop him from barking at all because uyou will not want to deter unwant approaches to the house/and have a means of alerting you when someone/something does approach. you what to be able to interupt the barking or train the dog to park once or twice then be quite.

1. if the dog barks at moving objec limit what it can see. if outside using a stockade/solid fence instead of one that can be seen through chain link is a simple management technique that can have a profounbd effect if the dog can not see a moving object he will not bark at it.

2. if the dog is tied outside stop the procedure. the barking is cause by fustration of either not being able to get to what ever is moving or fear of the moving either object. In either case is is quite coomon for that fustration and or fear to manifest itself in aggressive behavior over time.

3. shock collar while they develop a fast intial response are not good long term solutions because the recitivism rate is quite high often exceeding 90% I better long term solution is using a disruptive stimulus like a citronella collar and behavior modifacation technique of then training a more appropriate behaavior.

citronella Collar
ABSTRACT:
[...]The concept of "disruptive stimulus" results from behavioral patterns. It can be defined as a jarring stimulus that interrupts the course of the sequence, which produces an expectation stage enabling enticement of the pet to another (desired) activity. The present study starts from this definition to show the usefulness of a citronella spray (device called ABOISTOP?, by DYNAVET, France) as such a stimulus in dogs showing territorial barking. 52 dogs spending at least 4 hours a day in a garden adjacent to a busy street were included. The trial compares the effects of a punitive stimulus consisting of a garden-hose spraying water, to the ABOISTOP? collar. Treatment was allocated at random. Once a week, each owner noted the frequency of barking towards 10 pedestrians. A first control was done on day 0 (which provides the reference figure), then every seventh day till day 35 when therapy was stopped. Relapses were to be assessed on day 90. It should be noted that every bark interruption by the device was immediately followed by a play session initiated by the owner (redirection of behavior). [emphasis inserted by Doug] In the "punishment group" we could note a sudden cessation of barking, as early as on day 7, which was subsequently steady until day 28. In the "disruptive group" the decrease of barking was more gradual (48.6% barking on day 7 - 16.9% on day 14) and a total disappearance could be heard by day 21. In addition, the relapse rate on day 90 was 86% in the "punishment group" versus 3.8% in the "disruptive group".

 
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