Barking issue

[bmthmark]

Just wandered if anyone can offer any advice.
My dog Jett (16 months old) seems to bark lots when I let him out in to the garden.
I have been trying to figure out what is triggering it but it seems a mixture of a couple of things:
- I think he can tell that either a fox or a cat has been in the garden.
- He seems to get wound up by birds flying over his garden, he jumps up barking at them.

In the house I have trained him to 'Speak' on command and 'Be quiet' on command. This works well inside and he understands it and is quiet when told.

In the garden its a different story, he looks at me and barks (like he is trying to tell me something). He ignores the command and just runs like a nutter barking.

On walks he is completely fine and also off the lead (away from garden) he is fine. The only other time he barks is when he is chasing another spaniel and he cannot catch him.

With the garden barking I have tried letting him out a side door to try and change the routine, this didn't work.

He is treat driven so have tried treats but he is so worked up he takes no notice.

The only thing that works is by getting him on the lead and walking him around the garden. This is fine, but it would be nice for him to be able to play without restriction.
I think someone on this forum suggested this, so thank you to whoever said this as at least it saves my neighbours at 6.30am.

I'm hoping when the weather improves I can leave the back door open which may help. I've noticed that me actually opening the door gets him very excited so i'm thinking he is just getting worked up.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can improve this?

Thank you

[Londongirl]

Taking him out on the lead is the first step. This stops Jett being able to carry on rehearsing a behaviour you don’t want. It also breaks the habit of ‘I’m out, I bark!’

The next step is to watch him and get his attention BEFORE he barks. Have him on a longish lead so he can move around fairly normally, with you observing. As soon as you see his head go up, or him turning his attention to a squirrel or a bird overhead, get his attention immediately, before he gets the chance to bark. This is tricky at first as the timing is crucial but it gets easier. Because you have him on the lead you can quickly move in close. Do something fun but incompatiable with barking - we do hand touches, where Henry has to drive his nose into my hand then a treat magically appears in that hand, like a dog treat slot machine! Find something like that, practice it a lot in the house, then use it as a distraction in the garden.

We are still working on this, but I am finding that Henry’s garden barking is much decreased, and that if he does start, it’s easier to get him to stop as he remembers that the magic-hand-of-dog-treats is more fun than barking. I personally don’t think a ‘quiet’ command will ever work for an excitable cocker already ‘over threshold’ in a barking jag.

[bmthmark]

Taking him out on the lead is the first step. This stops Jett being able to carry on rehearsing a behaviour you don’t want. It also breaks the habit of ‘I’m out, I bark!’

The next step is to watch him and get his attention BEFORE he barks. Have him on a longish lead so he can move around fairly normally, with you observing. As soon as you see his head go up, or him turning his attention to a squirrel or a bird overhead, get his attention immediately, before he gets the chance to bark. This is tricky at first as the timing is crucial but it gets easier. Because you have him on the lead you can quickly move in close. Do something fun but incompatiable with barking - we do hand touches, where Henry has to drive his nose into my hand then a treat magically appears in that hand, like a dog treat slot machine! Find something like that, practice it a lot in the house, then use it as a distraction in the garden.

We are still working on this, but I am finding that Henry’s garden barking is much decreased, and that if he does start, it’s easier to get him to stop as he remembers that the magic-hand-of-dog-treats is more fun than barking. I personally don’t think a ‘quiet’ command will ever work for an excitable cocker already ‘over threshold’ in a barking jag.

Thank you Londongirl.
I will try the hand touch, it sounds like fun for the dog.
You are definitely right with 'quiet' command not working, he is in such a crazy mode he takes no notice.

I will also continue with the lead and as you suggested maybe a longer one and watch him carefully.
Its like he has a habit and he has to bark every time.

I'm really hoping to resolve this as he is so loud and I do feel for the neighbours. They must look at of their window and think Jett is some sort of crazy animal

[Londongirl]

I hear you, it’s exactly why we are trying to sort out Henry’s barking. When you live in the city and have close neighbours it’s a constant worry.  I have a feeling, though, that I notice it much more than my neighbours do! We were saying hello to a new neighbour over the fence at the weekend and Henry was going BONKERS. Neighbours just laughed but I was mortified.

[elaine.e]

It might have been me who posted before and suggested taking him out on lead to help break the habit.

I had to a few years ago for a while because William, always bombproof with noises, had a real fright when a neighbour let off an unseasonal loud banger type firework when poor Will was mid pee  .

After that William would rush out and bark, so I started calmly taking him out on his lead and standing in the middle of the garden so he could just listen and realise there was nothing to bark at. I'd keep him on lead for a minute or so until he relaxed into sniffing, then praised him quietly and let him off lead. It worked 

[bmthmark]

It might have been me who posted before and suggested taking him out on lead to help break the habit.

I had to a few years ago for a while because William, always bombproof with noises, had a real fright when a neighbour let off an unseasonal loud banger type firework when poor Will was mid pee  .

After that William would rush out and bark, so I started calmly taking him out on his lead and standing in the middle of the garden so he could just listen and realise there was nothing to bark at. I'd keep him on lead for a minute or so until he relaxed into sniffing, then praised him quietly and let him off lead. It worked 

I think it may of been you who came up with the idea to get him on his lead - Thank you, it’s always a daunting experience at 6.30am going out in rain/cold but the lead definitely stops him

Poor William, I think anyone would be nervous after a bang whilst going for a wee.
I've been thinking if anything has triggered Jett but cannot think of anything, other than we get a lot of foxes around here.

I think with Jett it’s the excitement of the door opening and him allowed to dash out. That's why I’m thinking when summer is here the door will be open most of the time so that sudden excitement may not necessarily happen.

[bmthmark]

Taking him out on the lead is the first step. This stops Jett being able to carry on rehearsing a behaviour you don’t want. It also breaks the habit of ‘I’m out, I bark!’

The next step is to watch him and get his attention BEFORE he barks. Have him on a longish lead so he can move around fairly normally, with you observing. As soon as you see his head go up, or him turning his attention to a squirrel or a bird overhead, get his attention immediately, before he gets the chance to bark. This is tricky at first as the timing is crucial but it gets easier. Because you have him on the lead you can quickly move in close. Do something fun but incompatiable with barking - we do hand touches, where Henry has to drive his nose into my hand then a treat magically appears in that hand, like a dog treat slot machine! Find something like that, practice it a lot in the house, then use it as a distraction in the garden.

We are still working on this, but I am finding that Henry’s garden barking is much decreased, and that if he does start, it’s easier to get him to stop as he remembers that the magic-hand-of-dog-treats is more fun than barking. I personally don’t think a ‘quiet’ command will ever work for an excitable cocker already ‘over threshold’ in a barking jag.

I started the touch training this morning. Did you just get him to touch his nose on your hand and then give him a treat? its just that i'm finding that Jett puts his paw up when I hold my hand up. I think he is getting confused with 'paw'. Do you also say a command at the same time?

Thanks

[bizzylizzy]

We fortunately (so far  ) don‘t have this problem so can‘t offer advice but its just an idea......   
I‘m wondering if you couldn‘t divert his attention from whatever it is that gets him excited by offering an alternative occupation while he‘s outside? I‘m thinking of sniffing out hidden treats, toys etc. Obviously its not a 6.30 am sort of exercise  but if you could spend some time in the day encouraging him to sniff out things (rather than just run and bark at the smells) perhaps you could possibly break this learned behaviour pattern? Another thing would be to try and practice a calmer „going through the door“ routine, perhaps make him sit for a second or two, slowly open the door and then ask him for a heel until you‘re both outside (I do this with Humphrey now to stop him tearing through the front door and yanking me head first down the steps), you could then start to get him to search for whatever  you‘ve hidden. Its obviously not a solution, the  advice from London Girl and Elaine sounds much better, but it might just help to break the habit of racing through the door and going into a full on vocal assault at whatever it is he thinks he‘s got to save the world from!!! 
I‘m finding Humphrey‘s little habits change on a weekly basis so I well expect we might face this problem at some time or other, when he can‘t think of anything else to challenge me with, so I‘m watching this space....! 

[bmthmark]

We fortunately (so far  ) don‘t have this problem so can‘t offer advice but its just an idea......   
I‘m wondering if you couldn‘t divert his attention from whatever it is that gets him excited by offering an alternative occupation while he‘s outside? I‘m thinking of sniffing out hidden treats, toys etc. Obviously its not a 6.30 am sort of exercise  but if you could spend some time in the day encouraging him to sniff out things (rather than just run and bark at the smells) perhaps you could possibly break this learned behaviour pattern? Another thing would be to try and practice a calmer „going through the door“ routine, perhaps make him sit for a second or two, slowly open the door and then ask him for a heel until you‘re both outside (I do this with Humphrey now to stop him tearing through the front door and yanking me head first down the steps), you could then start to get him to search for whatever  you‘ve hidden. Its obviously not a solution, the  advice from London Girl and Elaine sounds much better, but it might just help to break the habit of racing through the door and going into a full on vocal assault at whatever it is he thinks he‘s got to save the world from!!! 
I‘m finding Humphrey‘s little habits change on a weekly basis so I well expect we might face this problem at some time or other, when he can‘t think of anything else to challenge me with, so I‘m watching this space....! 

Thank you bizzylizzy

I really like the idea of hiding treats out there so it may divert the attention to that instead of barking at something else. He loves finding things so will try this.
I can get him to sit and stay, I can then open the door, at this point he is literally in a race position waiting for me to give him the release command (I will try and video it). As soon as I let him go he runs at 100mph out the door, i've even tried going out first and letting him go whilst I am in the garden.

I know what you mean about them changing. Jett is definitely changing, over the past few days he has become very vocal when he wants something. He knows every morning I do training after I have had my cup of tea, he literally sits starring at me, looks in the cup and barks/howls  I know exactly what he is telling me. Its 'Dad hurry up I want my training'. Once I have finished my tea, I then say 'training time' he goes absolutely crazy 

He is such a good boy really and I hope it doesn't sound like I am moaning about him. The barking issue is such a small thing and is just something that may get better as he gets older. He just gets very excited about everything 

I will try and video what he does, so you can see him going crazy

[bizzylizzy]

We fortunately (so far  ) don‘t have this problem so can‘t offer advice but its just an idea......   
I‘m wondering if you couldn‘t divert his attention from whatever it is that gets him excited by offering an alternative occupation while he‘s outside? I‘m thinking of sniffing out hidden treats, toys etc. Obviously its not a 6.30 am sort of exercise  but if you could spend some time in the day encouraging him to sniff out things (rather than just run and bark at the smells) perhaps you could possibly break this learned behaviour pattern? Another thing would be to try and practice a calmer „going through the door“ routine, perhaps make him sit for a second or two, slowly open the door and then ask him for a heel until you‘re both outside (I do this with Humphrey now to stop him tearing through the front door and yanking me head first down the steps), you could then start to get him to search for whatever  you‘ve hidden. Its obviously not a solution, the  advice from London Girl and Elaine sounds much better, but it might just help to break the habit of racing through the door and going into a full on vocal assault at whatever it is he thinks he‘s got to save the world from!!! 
I‘m finding Humphrey‘s little habits change on a weekly basis so I well expect we might face this problem at some time or other, when he can‘t think of anything else to challenge me with, so I‘m watching this space....! 

Thank you bizzylizzy

I really like the idea of hiding treats out there so it may divert the attention to that instead of barking at something else. He loves finding things so will try this.
I can get him to sit and stay, I can then open the door, at this point he is literally in a race position waiting for me to give him the release command (I will try and video it). As soon as I let him go he runs at 100mph out the door, i've even tried going out first and letting him go whilst I am in the garden.

I know what you mean about them changing. Jett is definitely changing, over the past few days he has become very vocal when he wants something. He knows every morning I do training after I have had my cup of tea, he literally sits starring at me, looks in the cup and barks/howls  I know exactly what he is telling me. Its 'Dad hurry up I want my training'. Once I have finished my tea, I then say 'training time' he goes absolutely crazy 

He is such a good boy really and I hope it doesn't sound like I am moaning about him. The barking issue is such a small thing and is just something that may get better as he gets older. He just gets very excited about everything 

I will try and video what he does, so you can see him going crazy

  oh we get that too - its like listening to an operatic aria!! No, I didn‘t think for one moment you were moaning, the joy of this forum is being able to get help with the little issues that niggle us and know that none of us are alone! We all love the enthusiasm for adventure and sheer love of life that these little cockers enjoy but it can be a bit wearing sometimes (like 6.30 am!  ) and its probably easier to try and control any little habits that might eventually develop into problems and nip them in the bud.
I remember a lady on here who trained a disciplined house exit by standing next to the door herself and closing it everytime her dog tried to charge through, she opened it slowly and he was only allowed to pass through when he she‘d got him calm enough to walk to heel through the door with her. (A good idea for people living on busy roads I‘d think)
Anyway, good luck and keep us posted, looking forward to the video!! 

[Londongirl]

To teach a hand touch, I keep my arm close by my side, with my palm facing out. Don’t move the hand at all - the dog needs to drive into it (eventually). Have treats in your other hand, held above the target hand. When your dog investigates the open hand, cup it and drop in a treat from the other hand. When your dog is reliably nosing the palm of your hand for a treat, start rewarding harder nose touches only. When your dog’s got that, start adding a bit of distance.

I don’t use a verbal cue (I use very few). I want Henry to see me hold me hand like that and take that at a signal to drive in. As you know they do like to turn their ears off when they are busy, and I find hand signals get a better response when we are out and about.