moona

Does anyone here use it? And if so, could you please teach me? I love that Roxy alerts me to things, so I don't want her to not bark, but I want a command that I can give her to let her know that she can stop. For instance, she's currently letting me know that the neighbor is cutting his grass. I'd like a command to mean to her...thanks for letting me know something was happening, I checked it out, all is well...please stop barking. Is this possible?

2gooddobes

I've been working on this for 1.5 years with Beetle and can't seem to get it down. I have heard if you train them to speak you can them train them not to do it so that's what I have been working on.

avalonandon

I have had some success with squirting the water spray bottle but only used it when it was obviously unnecessary for him to be barking (he has several different barks, some of them quite obviously forced, lol). I seriously doubt that if something is REALLY happening that they will refrain from barking - and this has been my experience with him, so I trust his responses.

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TracyJo

We've taught Chi to "speak" and "quiet" and it works GREAT when we're working on training and I have a handful of treats - but not so great when, like Avalonadon said, something is really happening. BUT and I'm just realizing this as I'm typing... She will quiet on command, it's just not the command "quiet", I could kick myself for not realizing this sooner... Chi will go to her kennel if I just whisper the word... When she barks at something until I'm ready to loose my mind, I'll tell her to kennel and she always goes and sits in her kennel nicely until I tell her "okay". I could be upstairs and hear her barking in the living room downstairs and holler down "kennel" and she'll go. But as I think of it, I'm just redirecting her attention to another task (ie. going to her kennel and waiting for the next command) from whatever it is that has her barking...
I could just as easily starting shooting her and saying "bang" for her to play dead rather than saying kennel.
Maybe you should approach it like that. When Roxy barks, redirect her and ask her to do something she knows really well - sit, down, heel, whatever. There will be a lapse in the barking (hopefully) as she thinks about and completes her task, calmly reward her with treats and praise (don't want to get her worked up again) and repeat as long as you have to to get her attention off of the evil lawnmower... It's worth a try...

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~Tracy

Doberman Talk Store

moona

Thanks everyone - I appreciate the feedback. I definitely don't want to discourage the barking, because I like that she's alerting me of things. What I was trying didn't seem to be working because I think Roxy can actually think one step ahead of me. When she would be barking at something, I'd get the treats out and tell her "quiet" and when she'd stop barking/growling/moaning (or whatever weird sound she'd be making), I'd give her a treat. Well, I think she figured out this process "noise, quiet, treat...repeat!" And it was the repeat part that wasn't part of my goal! I'll definitely try getting her to focus on something else and see how that works out.

voodoolizard

we have been trying the quiet command for over a year. it a really hard one, as all other commands they have to do something for this command they have to do nothing !! if you get what i mean LOL
when zeus whines we say quiet, if he is he gets a treat, but its hit and miss if it works !! good luck !!

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Zeus,Missy & Clare

moona

A year! Yikes! Sounds like this is a tough one to learn. I'll try redirecting her attention and see how that works.

K9Jarko

I've had pretty good luck teaching both Police Dogs and my SchH dogs to bark and quiet on command. IMO in order to be able to teach a reliable quiet (on command) the dog needs to have a bark command in place. No different then say..... teaching attention heeling - you really need a correct, reliable attention at sit/heel before you can take that first step....why should we expect for the dog to understand quiet...especially while in drive (whatever is causing the dog to bark) if we have not taught them the basics first. Assuming the dog has a bark command - while he is on lead I give him the bark command...as most dogs are usually standing/running when barking I give him the command while he is standing. After a couple of minutes of barking I tell them to sit....more likely then not they are still barking....now I very lightly (not a correction) apply pressure on the leash (I use a flat collar) straight upwards while saying quiet (calmly)....the moment the dog ceases to bark - reward. Gradually I work this, adding distractions ie., something he really wants to bark at out the window or in the yard - while he's barking I make sure that he sees that I am looking at what he is barking at, walk calmly up to him and place my hand in his collar, permitting him to continue barking...then I slowly apply pressure upwards (do not lift his front legs off the ground) which their default is usually to sit and then I calmly say quiet - reward the moment he stops. I permit them to remain there watching whatever they were barking at....acknowledging their quiet with random rewards. Pulling them or calling them away from the "distraction" at the beginning usually will only excite them even more, and the next time you try to take them away might be even more difficult..... plus most of us have no problem with them being observant...it's the barking we want to control or stop. I don't quiet from distances....until I know for a fact the dog understands what I'm asking for and is reliable at short distances from me. I also don't say quiet from a distance...at least in the beginning stages....unless I'm willing to get up off my butt and acknowledge what he is alerting me to....and reward him for his obedience to my command.

I admit there have been times where they have slipped...and not listened to the first command.....with my sport dogs I'm a little more forgiving and end up calling them to me, bring them inside and immediately place them on a down/stay for a couple of minutes then allow them back outside ......on the training field ie., call out from a bark and hold I just apply steady pressure straight upwards, then release when they are quiet and have made eye contact. When my PSD worked the streets....his mistake of barking could cost an officer their life at certain times ...so a bit of compulsion (grabbing him at the nape of the neck) was usually enough to let him know I was serious.

moona

[quote=K9Jarko;161241]I've had pretty good luck teaching both Police Dogs and my SchH dogs to bark and quiet on command. IMO in order to be able to teach a reliable quiet (on command) the dog needs to have a bark command in place.QUOTE]

Thanks K9Jarko - I appreciate the info. Roxy does not know the speak command. I know there was a post on that recently, so I'm going to look for it now. Thanks again for the detailed response.

2RescuedDobies

Too true. REdirecting is what works for my little girl too