Barking At Reflection

[Annette]

Help!!

This sounds really trivial, but in fact it has reached the stage where it is affecting our lives a bit too much

Buddy has noticed his reflection in glass doors etc, but mostly in the oven door (I know I shouldn't have cleaned it!). He's obviously bothered by it, and has started barking at it, for long periods.

We have tried putting treats near the oven door, opening the door, getting down beside him and waving at our reflection (hope no-one was watching!), distracting him, ignoring him (but not much as it is sooooooo loud, we can't talk above it), and telling him to be quiet which is a total waste of breath. Obviously don't want to introduce him to the inside of the oven.

He's 4.5 months old and pretty vocal anyway.Lately he has also started reacting more to traffic when out on the lead, and weed over the sofa when I was using the vacuum cleaner last week. He barks at the dustpan and brush, floor cloths, brooms (oh, I AM a busy cleaner!!!!!), and pretty much anything else.


I was just wondering how to tackle the reflection thing really, think we have the means to tackle the rest, just told you that to give the full picture!

Any advice?

[dreamcatcher]

Sorry annette cant give you any advice but I hope somebody can soon. Shiloh tends to run away from things he does not like rather than bark at them. Soz had to laugh at the oven bit

[suki1964]

Know where you're at re the barking - Alfie can bark for england Today it was at the helicopter going over - even up on his hind legs so he could see it for longer and bark all the more His favourite place to bark is sitting on the end of our bed and looking out of the window - barks at anything that moves - now we keep the curtains closed

Can you not drape a t-towel over the door untill he forgets? Alfie also barked at the vaccum and mop and broom at that age, in fact i think the floors got cleaned more by his body then mop the way he clung to it but he did grow out of it by about 6 months. Nowdays I can vaccum away and he just lies in the way not bothered at all

[Annette]

Can you not drape a t-towel over the door untill he forgets?

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Tea-towel thief in residence!!

I'm making him sound a real demon aren't I? He IS today, but usually pretty good.

I'm beginning to feel a bit reassured about the barking. Hope he does grow out of it!

Thanks

[Luvly]

 

[Annette]

Have a read > here < your not alone
there have been other threads on this but i cant find them 

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Wow, that's actually a bit scary!!

I've put the bin in front of the oven now, but it might hamper my culinary creativity later!!!

[clairep4]

No advice on the barking at his reflection, I'm afraid - Bella just admires herself if she can see her reflection (especially if she has a new toy, she will seek out a mirror-like surface and sit in front of it holding the toy as if to say "gosh I am just SOOOOO beautiful, look at me with my new toy"!). On the mop thing I can totally sympathise, Bella latches herself onto it and nowadays has a very strong pull - mind you it has taught me how to mop the floor at lightning speed so she cannot get hold of it!    

Good luck with Buddy's barking - we have been lucky so far with Bella as she's fairly quiet (touch wood).

[Cob-Web]

Buddy has noticed his reflection in glass doors etc, but mostly in the oven door (I know I shouldn't have cleaned it!). He's obviously bothered by it, and has started barking at it, for long periods.

We have tried putting treats near the oven door, opening the door, getting down beside him and waving at our reflection (hope no-one was watching!), distracting him, ignoring him (but not much as it is sooooooo loud, we can't talk above it), and telling him to be quiet which is a total waste of breath. Obviously don't want to introduce him to the inside of the oven.

Hi Annette

Have you tried removing Buddy from the area of the door (or glass) if he barks and giving him a time out? He might just work out that if he barks he gets taken away from what he finds so exciting and ignored for a few minutes - so its in his best interest to keep quiet  

The other way to tackle it is to teach him how to 'speak' - then you can teach him how to 'be quiet'    In my experience you can only teach a dog to "be quiet" if they have been taught to 'speak' first - its so much easier this way around  

I think your right to want to nip it in the bud - its one of habits that could be a real pain to break if it allowed to become established  ::

[winewood]

Hi,
Indi hangs on to the broom so I put her outside so she just watches through the window, the other day I was trying to sweep the paving outside in the end every time she grabbed the broom I picked her up and locked her around the side it took about 4 or 5 times then the penny dropped   if I grab the broom she locks me away each time for a bit longer you could see it took a lot not to grab it but it did work for us try putting outside Indi is 5.5 months and a terror  

[~Jilly~]

I haven't really got any advice but Bella spotted her reflection yesterday in the patio door and started barking at it!

The 'other puppy' only comes out at night though, I would imagine with the oven door it could be a nightmare as the 'other puppy' would be there all the time

I've got to admit it did make me laugh :: but I'm sure I won't be laughing if she keeps doing it - it was the way she was backing away and then pouncing forward and going all low on the floor - she was obviously annoyed that the 'other puppy' was copying her every move and that's why she started barking. On the whole she is very quiet though. She went through the open half of the door afterwards, I think she was looking for the other puppy to play with

Edited to say - at least you have an excuse to not clean the oven now

[suzysu]

Have been racking my brains Annette, but can't think of anything but the tea towel idea for the reflection problem.  Guess its probably just a puppy thing and he will grow out of it - not much help now I know  

Hug for Buddy xxxxx

[tiggerbabe]

Could you not put a gate across the entrance to the kitchen to prevent him from gaining access for a while, just until he forgets about it?

I have to gate my kitchen as Sophie would steal the cats dinner otherwise!!  

[Annette]

Could you not put a gate across the entrance to the kitchen to prevent him from gaining access for a while, just until he forgets about it?

I have to gate my kitchen as Sophie would steal the cats dinner otherwise!! 

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No, it's a funny house, probably best to just describe it as open plan. Wasn't a problem until we got Buddy. My next house will have doors everywhere!

Thanks for all the advice. The bin in front of the oven kind of works, but he does sometimes manage to find the "other cocker" in the little strips either side of the bin.

Of course we get a plague of "other cockers" at nighttime. I think he actually enjoys the game, his tail is wagging furiously when he does it.

We have also tried threatening him with "time-out" (which he knows because of the mouthing problem) and that has worked a couple of times.

If this is the worst problem we have with him, we won't be doing too badly!