Some people appreciate their German Shepherd barking to alert them if someone is at the front door. Do you know if your neighbor has teased them at any stage? Thanks for the tips! If your German Shepherd didn’t always bark at night it would be helpful to consider what changed when it started doing it. Learning the "Quiet" command should be part of every German Shepherd's obedience training. This has no effect on the price you pay and we are very grateful for any support. So firstly, keep in mind that puppies do go through fear phases. Any tips you may have please share them! I definitely want him to be comfy and confident around other dogs so I can take him with me places, just haven’t found anything great on approaches yet! It’s always traumatic for us too. Is she barking at and trying to herd the other dogs? I am reluctant to try to teach him to “speak” when it is all he does. Don’t give up when you see this happening. The German Shepherd is one of the favorite breeds for those who love dogs. You can look at the book Training Your German Shepherd on Amazon to get more tips about how you can train your GSD. It’s driving me crazy. So you’re working in the right direction. She is quite a nervous dog, and also very protective of me. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Hey!! It’ll help him get rid of that extra energy. And some dogs ‘act out’ less than others do. Or is this a new behavior? Thank you!!! No matter what you do, you can’t seem to get them to be quiet! I can’t restrict her access to the front porch because that’s how we let her in and out. And citronella collars are particularly aversive to an animal with a highly sensitive olfactory system. The two main reasons your german shepherd is going to bark on their walk is to protect their territory, when they’re excited, and when they’re scared. Follow the steps shown in the desensitizing and counter conditioning graphic in this article. I’m happy to help. Soon, he’ll learn that his barking doesn’t make you come running and he’ll stop. I have just adopted an 18 month old German shepherd mix. I always recommend Kong toys because they are safe and strong. Tethering him to you might be the answer, but just keeping the curtains drawn in the room he’s in can work too. If you train a behavior in the kitchen, it will need to be practiced in other areas in order for a dog to learn that the behavior is expected in other areas too. In a training session, each time your boy goes anywhere near the crate immediately click and reward. Thanks. Again, a few weeks after that we were at the vet for a nail trim and a young girl came up to pet her and she growled. She is currently wearing a bark collar, but I have let the battery go because I don’t like them. Your dog will let you know which treats she likes best! It’s a really tricky situation and I can relate since one of my neighbors has 10 dogs in an urban yard. Also, turning a radio on at a low volume will drown out a lot of the sounds. This would be more likely if it seems to bark at specific things at night such as by barking at the window. And no wonder he’s busted the screened porch – he’s frustrated. You don’t need to treat since you letting him is the reward. To desensitize Max, the next step is to pick a window and chill there with Max until a trigger appears so a kid on a bike, a random passerby. Thanks! I think the key here is to teach Stella to be okay with being ‘alone’ although she’s not alone. And after using her specific method, I have been able to use it over and over in other situations too. This article will answer the question do German Shepherds howl, as well as some of the reasons why German Shepherds may howl. The reason I recommend this is because SA does not get better if it’s not dealt with. He also gets so excited when we are on the way to the dog park that I could not drive if I did not have a seat belt harness on him. So the biggest problems are when we aren’t there and when we have to leave him outside. I have a three year old male GS that is driving me to my wits end with his barking. They’re still warm and protected from the elements. This is where you work at a comfortable distance from whatever his trigger is. But it’s not unsolvable. But you can give them things to keep them busy which might help. I lived in the UK for 8 years so I know how much the English LOVE dogs. To do that they had to survive scraps with predators that were not scared away. I recommend using pairing the speak and quiet command to teach your boy that he can bark in these situations but when you ask for a quiet, it means enough. We have tried things like a muzzle to a citronella caller and nothing has worked. A calm dog is easy to work with. So I now recommend the games I’ve detailed in this article above. The dos and don'ts of crate training. But it might help to start working on that more. I hope these tips help, let me know if you have any other questions, I’m happy to help. We found her on a hiking trail, and she’s been here about 3 months. Same build, height, features etc. So if you poke your head out to check on her at night she most likely can’t make out who or what you are. And when he offers the behavior they can treat and praise him. You’re going to have a hard time desensitizing to every little critter or dog voice in the area. This not only stimulates and enriches them but it also teaches them what we do want instead of focusing on what we don’t want. When your boy is not reacting or if he’s just about to react (but hasn’t) offer him a high-value reward. Especially because there’s aggression involved. He goes on a walk every second day outside the backyard which is biggish. Do you think that desensitization would work in this case? It might help to make his bed/den in your house in a space that’s as far away from windows and doors. Your German Shepherd could be as young as three years old, or as old as 15 years old, when their coat begins to grey. You also need to face the fact there’s a possibility you might only get your dog to 85% or 90% comfortable. hi ! As German Shepherd owners, we know our German Shepherds can be strong willed at times. I also sometimes use a muzzle to limit how loud she can bark. Our dog, Violet, is now around 10 months. The owners and their children never play with it and never take it for a walk/run. I have brought him to a dog park to try to stop this and he barked his way to the gate. So for this specific situation, I’d definitely seek help from someone who can work one-on-one with your girl. Always stay positive. She is driving me insane, is there anything I can do to get her to stop? I bought one for $10 dollars in Kmart. It could be the case that it has excess energy at night due to not getting enough exercise during the day. But going a step further and implementing the counter conditioning and desensitizing will help the refresher along. I also recommend teaching him to focus, which will be super helpful on walks. Socializing an older dog, even at 11 months old is a little more tricky. I’ve sent you an email with my advice. If she’s fine in these situations then you might be dealing with separation anxiety. But it's just as effective in altering excessive barking behavior. . I could tell it wasn’t quite the mean bark he has on walks. All advice will be helpful. Due to my dog being dominated at her first home, socialization was needed. In the case of the GSD, the breed-specific function is herding and guarding. Thanks! Once you get started and you have any other questions, I’m happy to help so just drop me a question in the comments here. I think you’re spot on in suspecting that the breeder used force with your dog. I have an awesome 9 month old pup black GSD/cattledog blue heeler mix. If you did, you might consider experimenting with the crate in different places/positions. Unfortunately he doesn’t like peanut butter, and it seems that he doesn’t interact with the bones when I am not there. He has several Kong toys (the only ones he does not destroy) but does not play with them alone, I have to participate. Pups go through fear phases, where they are easily spooked. Remember: Has anyone got any advice for me to help me control of his barking other than that he is the most loving dog ever. It will help if you train a specific release cue for this exercise. Puppies go through two fear periods during their development. The reason I suggest this is because you need to stop him from chewing the chair because it’s only reinforcing the unwanted behavior. Hope this helps. Before you start working with Angus on his vehicle manners, the first thing I suggest is teach him the focus command in the article I’ve directed you to. He knows upwards of 35 tricks and is generally a great dog. Also have you tried to move the crate to a different position, room, or area? [7] The watchdog's function ends here; a guard dog is then capable of attacking and/or restraining the intruder. If possible, you want to crate train your German Shepherd puppy starting the first night you bring them home. An experienced trainer will help you work with your dog to recondition and desensitize her. And no one wants unhappy neighbours either. Clearly he’s a bright dog to have the basics of Shutzhund mastered so if you play your cards right and take baby steps he’ll pick it up quickly. She’s out in the woods running around everyday so she gets her necessary exercise. Once your dog is barking open and close your hand as shown in the pictures – this is your hand signal. Hi, Our favorite: The German Shepherd Handbook (on Amazon) - Shows you all you need to know to keep your GSD happy, healthy and well-behaved. It can be painful in a car with the windows up). Although I would advise you against approaching her at night without making it very clear who you are through talking in your normal voice and if possible having enough light around so she can see who you are. If they are not listening when your neighbor’s dogs are out it’s got a lot to do with their triggers and thresholds. You can read more about positive reinforcement in some of my articles. You’re going to need high value treats for this training because you’re asking him to stop doing something that’s especially rewarding within itself. Hi, It’ll take time but she’ll soon understand that attention is not on tap. This dog is named Ace. Eventually, he understands that it’s okay if we reinforce that, but I was wondering if there is anything I can do to make it easier for him other than just continued exposure? German Shepherds also find barking self-rewarding. It sounds like you’re juggling a lot! By the end you'll have all the answers to the question; “how do you crate train a German Shepherd”. And a few minutes later, come back to the scenario and repeat. I did try purchasing a wire crate for the garage, but when I put him in there it made it worse. Since there is a chance that if you separate them it might increase the barking. Crate training will help. We try not to yell at him but it is very hard to keep calm. I also suggest giving the speak, quiet method a go. Was your GSD guard dog trained by a professional? We are wondering if this is a phase that she’s going through or if it may be due to her impending heat cycle. Each time he goes anywhere near the opening, click and reward immediately. Because she is in the conservatory she cant see me, which of course makes it worse. I have tried positive reward method to ignore the other dogs. she dosent bark at night, or all day, only barks and whines for 3 to 5 minutes when she is left alone in the house before she self calms and stops all vocalisation completely. Ps its 3.30am now. She has added my husband to her “to bark at” list, and will even take a nip at him as he ealks away from her, but loves him to pieces if I am not around. I remember when my dog was 7 months old, he gave me quite a headache by barking at every dog that he met outside the house. The fact that she’s picky about the dogs she reacts to makes me think they look like the dogs which attacked her. He is my first dog in many years. Also, setting time aside for training everyday is a great way to stimulate him mentally. I do recommend the speak/quiet command. For example, I’ve taught them things like not to bark at the window at folks, bikes, cars and other dogs passing by. Last night he kept me and the wife up all night long with his barking. In terms of her reaction to strangers and strange dogs, it’s likely a confidence issue. She was tolerant of the crate and never barked there but we could tell she wasn’t a huge fan. You’ll be amazed at how willing people are to help if you tell them you’re training your dog. we have given him guarding training. You should also generalize the behavior. He has a very intimidating bark and he almost seems like he’s going to bite the person. Only rewar if he’s near the gate. And you also need to be aware that there’s something called an extinction burst. We have been working on basic training. In terms of the crate issues, does it help at all if the light is left on when Koda is in his crate? Just wondering how you would suggest teaching ‘speak’ etc to a GSD who doesn’t bark while playing or at me – only at anyone who comes to the door. The interesting thing is that she doesn’t bark when I have her on leash. It sounds to me like your boy is barking at the dog park because he wants to play, but he might not have learned play etiquette. She is MUCH better than when we got her but One of our many challenges is she goes crazy w/ barking when I have her in the car and she sees other dogs outside the car. I’m suggesting very, very short time frames because it’s a really slow process that needs to be followed. I am desperate and I need help with the barking at the back of the garden! Hi Gabriella, She keeps this up with men, not women, and only men with deep voices. We have a seven month old male and a five months old female they are half siblings (same papa different Mamas.) According to our neighbors, it can go on for hours. And I do make sure to practice the speak/quiet command with her often, just to keep the behavior reinforced. With us and each other. This can be due to various reasons that rescue dogs inevitably experience before being rescued – neglect, abuse, instability in their previous homes, and a lack of the training required during key stages in their early development. He stops listening to my husband and barks and whines and jumps on the fence of his dog run. If you could set up something like that for Piper it should sort out the problem of barking at night. I’m around for questions. German Shepherd’s are very vocal dogs. A couple of months after adopting her, we were at the pet store and this mom and daughter asked if they could pet her and I said yes. I hope I’ve answered your question. If he lunging don’t tense up in your body or voice – he’ll pick up on it. And I think that’s the key here…. but he barks excess in the night especially if he sees cats and one of my neighbours pet dog around. Your sweet girl is lucky that she has you in her life to support and love her! Arthur doesn’t want to hurt anyone, he just wants to bark and wants to jump up at them, but thats his personality. If you want to speed things up, you can enlist the help of family or friends to walk by the window to facilitate your training. She’s a great dog but she seems more interested in receiving attention then obeying commands. In your German Shepherd's case, it's guarding and herding. Check out this article on how to do that. Always on a lead. Let me know if you have any other questions, I’m happy to help. So first, I think it’ll be useful to get Stella used to playing with some interactive toys by herself. After one week when we saw him there, his tail was thinner and not so hairy as before. Charley reacts in a similar way to what Violet does when it comes to older men who are tall with broad shoulders, deep voices and light hair. Please let me know what you discover by keeping a journal. To ensure that your girl stays engaged you might consider making her time off-leash shorter. They’re also much less likely to be triggered inside the house. The graphic in this article is a great way to learn how to do this. Since she’s an outside dog, is she barking at nocturnal critters, other barking dogs, or cats? You can see a graphic explanation on how to do this in the article above. I live in the middle of several hundred acres of bush with lots of wildlife — and I love my wildlife. I have a 11 month old German shepherd/husky mix and I try to take him to the dog park to socialize and get his energy out, but every time I take him he barks non stop. Ziva barks at everything. When our grandson is here he starts whining and barking and chewing on the chair where we are sitting. He is starting to whine then bark even when we know he does not have to go out or if hungry or needs water. And she does absolutely nothing about the constant barking. In my experience, this counts in your favor when it comes to your concern about your boy and potential burglars… Teaching him that the delivery guy or mailman is safe, won’t automatically teach him that other people are safe too. Like a certain corner of your yard. There are obviously certain things like toys, attention or activities that send your boy into over-excitement. And another bonus is he’ll also learn to look to you for guidance in situations he’s unsure of. But I’m not saying separate them, they will most likely bark more if you do. They constantly communicate. And it might be that when the medical folks were around it kind of turned into a type of phobia or habit for Kieran to exhibit this behavior. What I’d do in terms of the barking in the backyard is to manage the situation temporarily by only letting her out when you are with her to directly supervise. I’ve written extensively on enrichment and enrichment ideas. Thanks for reaching out. Usually it is when he has had enough of her and he can get up onto our trampoline for a play break. They also still have access to the kitchen area if the wish. However, I do not believe he was properly introduced to other dogs in the first year of his life and it shows. I have long working schedule so he is left alone for around 10 hours each day in the yard. And on top of that, the little dog barking doesn’t help. And dogs like to work and need to work, even if it’s as simple as a sit. If you want a happy and obedient German Shepherd, this is one of the best online dog training programs available right now. Do this for a few training sessions. . using the counter-conditioning and desensitization technique in this article. He loves everyone. The GSD is a highly intelligent dog and needs plenty of stimulation. But remember it’s an extinction burst and it’s only temporary. And the best part is that the skills they learn then spill over into all other areas of their lives. Possible reasons are that it is not getting enough exercise, you have inadvertently rewarded the behavior, fear, noises that it doesn’t like, a poor diet, separation anxiety, needing to pee or a problem with its sleeping environment. In many ways, male dogs are wired to be submissive to females in non-confrontational situations. Just found your site. They are way more defensive and protective. Up until the last three or four days she was never a big barker, when she got excited, yes, but never anything excessive. But it sounds like your boy is doing it because of stress. I am desperate for any and all recommendations to help her stop this behavior. Dog’s don’t like direct eye contact, if you watch dogs interact, you’ll notice that between them, they very rarely make direct eye contact with each other either. Then once your visitors have been around for 10 minutes you can give him a release cue to come and greet your guests. we have two male G Shepards from the same litter they are about ten months old. If he’s triggered he won’t respond to the offer of food rewards. Lately he stands near the fence when I leave home (my happy neighbors told me that ) and start barking at the chickens around 6 am. Hi, I have been scouring the internet in desperation, looking at different training methods to try and find a solution to an issue I am having. Is it when you shut the car door? Your german shepherd may be barking at night because they are not getting enough mental or physical stimulation during the day, because they are feeling neglected, or because they are sensing some danger. None of this means they actually see us humans as part of a ‘pack’. Once your dog fully understands the ‘speak command' it's time to teach the opposite cue, ‘quiet'. Some puppies experience this intensely while others don’t. Has she always barked this much? I know he’s trying to grab other dog’s attention for play but a lot of the times it can be overwhelming for the dogs and the daycare personnel. They have occurred in her crate, in place command next to us, and while we’re lounging on the couch; day or night. If he gets overexcited, take a break and try again tomorrow or later in the day. This is why they are often kept as guard dogs. These fits go on for 1-5 minutes whether we are present or not. But it’s totally worth the time. Hello! This last step will take a lot of commitment and a few weeks of being tired. Last night I resorted to putting her on leash in the yard to ensure she didn’t bark. Her stop this is really helpful in some cases, it ’ usually! 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