Barking at visitors

[KateandPolly]

Hi All

I need a bit of advice please (and sorry if this has been asked before). 

Polly is now 6 months old and since about two weeks ago she has started barking at visitors and will not shut up. 

She doesn't park at my mom, dad, daughters friends, neighbours that I see regularly, it is more at people she doesn't really know.  I understand that this might be fear on her part but tonight my friend came round with her little girl and Polly wouldn't stop barking and it frightened the little girl.  Any ideas how I can stop this. 

Tonight I made her go to her bed in the kitchen and stay there, I could hear the occasional bark and cry.  I let her back into the lounge a couple of times to see if she would stop but as soon as she got into the lounge it started again. 

I was a bit worked up before my friend came because I thought this would happen as it has happened on a few occasions before.  I realise that because I was worked up Polly could sense it and it could make her worse.  The whole time my friend was here I just kept thinking that I wanted her to go so that the problem would be resolved!

Also whilst out walking she will bark at men who are on their own.  If a couple are out walking she won't bark but if there is a single man she will continually bark at him??  Any ideas on this. 

Thanks in advance.

Kate x

[ludo]

sorry no ideas but I am sure there will be someone on here who will be able to advise you 

[clairep4]

Is she barking in a nervous way, backing off at the same time etc? Zorro tends to do this with new visitors, he is really wary of eye contact so any new visitor who looks him in the eye freaks him out. We have to tell people not to look at him and to approach him sideways on - non-doggie people think we're mad but it does seem to help a little bit.

I think I was reading on here (or maybe in a dog mag?) that someone who had a dog which did similar things with visitors, had a little tub of treats by the door and taught the dog to go to its bed when the doorbell went, and then the visitor would come and give it a treat, so it associated visitors with nice treats. Don't know if that would work though... 

[Cob-Web]

I think the first thing you need to do is take a deep breath and calm down - as you say, Polly will pick up on your anxiety which won't help either of you 

Try to put this in perspective - barking is a natural dog behaviour for any number of reasons, and I am sure that there are a lot of dog owners who would envy what many people would consider to be a fairly minor problem  I do appreciate that it is a problem for you though; but try not to make it bigger than it is 

Firstly, there is nothing wrong with putting Polly out of the room when you have visitors; if it helps manage your stress and her behaviour; leave her with a yummy chew or stuffed kong and I am sure she will be quiet while you have a chat and/or a coffee 

In the long term; how about you arrange a one-to-one session with a dog trainer? They will be able to assess the reasons for the barking, both at visitors and lone men while you are out; and they will recommend a training programme to help address it.
Try http://www.apdt.co.uk/list_trainers.asp for a trainer in your area 

[KateandPolly]

Some great advice, thanks very much. 

I agree with everything said, especially when you say that barking is natural and a minor problem for many.  I met a cocker owner when out and about today and told her, she laughed and said her dog does exactly the same thing - made me feel better to be honest, especially when she did not see it as a problem!

I think I will calm down and not worry so much and see how it goes, if it continues will look at a session with a dog trainer. 

Thanks all.

Kate x