First time on here glad I found this community

[Holliee]

Wow I have been a member on medhelp since Oct 08 and thought only community for animals was the ask vet or large animal (cows etc) This is wonderful and I am thankful for this community. I have a Saint Bernard female 3 yrs old named Santana and she is like my child. She has one problem and it's barking!!!!!! Now she lives inside and goes outside use bathroom or for fresh air...But when she is outside on deck when she sees person cat etc she barks like crazy bothering others our homes are close together and she is a smart dog but hard make stop barking. Now I love her and any advise would help


Thanks Hollie

[Holliee]

hey thanks for the advise i will try that be so nice not always hear barking go dlove her little heart

[Jaybay]

Add a little white vinegar to the water mix - about one part vinegar to 3 parts water.  It won't hurt the dog and the smell really gets their attention.  

For behavior problems like this you kind of have to set up the situation.  Have someone walk their dog in front of your house, and as soon as your dog moves into barking position, you have to get up and block the dog.  Just stand in front of him and don't let him "see" the other dog.  If a firm touch on the neck and a "shhh!" won't redirect his attention to you, then use the squirt bottle right in the face.  Some dogs can be redirected with a different sound.  A Coke can filled with BBs or pennies works well sometimes.  Once you have the dog's attention redirected to YOU, have him sit or lay down and praise.

You'll might have to do this a hundred times with a dog whose behavior like this has been entrenched for a long time, but it slowly gets better.  He's just "protecting" his territory with the barking and giving you the alarm that somone or some dog has intruded.  If he sees his humans taking over the function of checking this out, he will eventually give up the job to you.  

I was able to accomplish this with my dog who did the same thing for almost 11 years before we figured out it was a territorial thing.  She didn't see us a leaders and took the job on herself.  It took a few weeks for her to give up the job, but she finally did.  Peace at last!  LOL!

[Holliee]

THANKS FOR TIPS AND I DON;T THINK I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE USING ONE OF THOSE COLLARS AT ALL. I HAVE TRIED WATER THING AND SHE LIKES WATER SO SHE THOUGHT I WAS PLAYING LOL BEEN WORKING HARD ON SHHHH ONE FOR BIT MAKING SOME PROGESS... SHE IS WONDERFUL DOG EXCEPT FOR THAT.....

[ginger899]

There are anti-bark collars on sale, but I wouldn't advise using one. They let out a high-pitched (therefore unpleasant) noise every time the dog barks. But I can tell you by experience they don't always work. And I don't know if keep bombarding a dog's ears with sounds like that is good.
I know a dog who barks a lot(not mine, a dog who visits us),he does it when excited, and he does it when he has to be shut in his owner's truck for even two minutes. His owner is a farmer, and bought the anti-bark collar. But eventually took it off because it didn't work.

A short spray of water straight in the face whenever barking starts is supposed to work as an aversion technique, but you would have to work hard to be right there, with the little water spray, every minute, and time it perfectly while you were doing the training. And that doesn't always work either. If done at the wrong moment, the dog can associate the water spray with something else (for instance...going too near the gate...greeting other people....being next to you....etc.)

I know it sounds silly, but have you tried "Ssshh!" and a firm quick nudge on the shoulder, not as a chastisement, but only to re-focus the dog's concentration onto you, instead of on the object of her barking? I found that helped. The dog SHOULD at that very second, look right up at you. The purpose of the sharp nudge is to focus her attention onto you suddenly. If when she does look up at you, you say SSHH! very sharply.
That technique will also mean you will have to devote some quality time to working with her on this, and never miss an opportunity, and keep consistent.
It is very important also, that IF  or WHEN she doesn't bark at something she USED to bark at, that she is rewarded immediately either with a small treat, or preferably with affection.