Our Miniature Schauzer is 20 months old and on the whole is a dear little chap.  He goes to obedience classes,  is reasonably obedient, is a healthy loving little dog.  However,  ever since we had him ( as a small puppy) he has liked the sound of his own voice!  The problem is that when out on his lead he spots a dog in the distance he starts barking.  As anyone with a Mini Schnauzer will know,  it is a dreadfully  loud bark, and I do mean dreadful.  Off the lead it is just as bad.  We have tried everything and sometimes when seeing a dog in the distance I turn around and go the other way.  It is such a shame as he is  not in the least aggressive is in fact quite soppy.

Has anyone any suggestions on how to overcome this?  I thought it might improve with age but so far the situation remains (noisily) the same!

Any help gratefully received.

Does distraction work with treats etc?
Maybe a 121 trainer can work through it with you?

Don't despair, this is a topic that comes up on a regular basis. You will find lots of information/ideas in past threads: HERE. Good luck!

Have a go at this.  It's aimed at reactive dogs (through negative reasons) but it works really well for this sort of thing too.

https://www.choosepositivedogtraining.com/single-post/2014/07/01/The-Practice-of-SelfInterruption-The-EngageDisengage-Game

I agree Nikita I like this one it works well but can take time so not too be rushed

Brilliant link from Nikita, snowflake.

It really does work, but as FF says it needs to be done properly and you need to take your time with it.  It's worth it!

I haven't used it for barking but I've used it for a number of other things and love it - so do the dogs as they see it as a game - look at Mum, get a treat - Win/Win!

Now if they see a squirrel or a cat they turn back to me, tails wagging waiting for a reward.  Fab.

Good luck

As Nikita said, engage-disengage games are the trick here. I would only add that you start “playing” these games in an in environment with no distractions, like at home or in a garden. This will help with “there is no treat valuable enough” kind of problem. You still pick the most appealing treat and use it only for the game, but when you eventually introduce a distraction you’ll have both the treat and familiarity/routine/expectation on your side.

Nikita for those who don't use and can't work with a clicker (like me) can you just change the click with a command. Just thinking that also works too?  Like the word 'watch' as an example.

There is a poster on youtube called kikopup who has a great video on "positive interruption". She uses a lip-smacking "kiss" noise to get attention and a click or "yes" to mark the behaviour so very useful if you can't juggle a clicker for whatever reason.

I wonder if that would work with my Cavalier's very loud excitable barking when we are getting ready for our morning walk. Problem is I can't practice anywhere in a calm environment, as if I try to do it at home the other dogs will kick off and they all make each other more excited.......

suejaw - I think that using a marker word or sound can work just as well as clicking.  I think the trick is to work on making the sound/word the same every time which can take a bit of practice.  (The clicker has the advantage of being "neutral" and always sounding the same).  Timing is very important - but that's true whether you're using a clicker or your voice.

Your marker word should be a special one that you do not use for anything else.

I use a word instead of the clicker sometimes - on occasions when I don't have a hand to spare to click!  It works well.

Like poodlenoodle I love the kikopup videos.  Really helpful.

I don't have this issue but ive never used a clicker. 1 trainer made me try and i failed badly. I find a command and treat much easier and no issues on timing on that front.
Just wondered for the OP or anyone reading that a marker word should work instead of a click. I thought it would but as Nikita is a trainer i wanted to double check

As blay says the clicker is neutral always sounding the same which is one rreason they are favoured .a clicked  ant sound cross or frustrated.
I seem to be  good at losing clickers and not having enough hands for everything so I started clicking with my tongue and that seems to work just as well .

The link which Nikita posted says "clicker or verbal marker"

That makes perfect sense Suejaw.

I use a clicker and "yes" fairly interchangeably with mine, but use the clicker for the on/off (engage/disengage game ^ posted above) as I found it more accurate as initially you mark them noticing the thing, which at the time was such a huge focus for the eldest it took the clicker sound to get ANY of his attention.

Clickers are hard in class/club I always think, when someone has a clicker the same pitch/brand as mine and I see our dogs twitching when one another are clicked! Wonderful at home and in 1:1 sessions.

When training together I use "*name* yes! Good *command*" to mark as clicker is too confusing and if we're walking too hard to juggle with 2 leads.

I use a verbal marker too, rather than a physical clicker. “Yes” for the cat, and a double tongue click for the rabbits (basically me trying to imitate the clicker noise).

Interestingly enough my partner makes a different click noise to me - a single noise with the jaw open but the mouth closed so it sounds a little like “clock” - and the rabbits have never been confused. In fact it’s really useful because we can train together with one working with each rabbit, they know which human makes which noise and therefore who the marker is for.

Verbal markers are especially good when you need both hands free (like when luring, having the animal jump through your arms, etc.)

Another Kikopup fan here too! I’m learning a lot from her.. :)

> Nikita for those who don't use and can't work with a clicker (like me) can you just change the click with a command. Just thinking that also works too?  Like the word 'watch' as an example.

Absolutely.  I rarely use a clicker these days so I have a couple of verbal markers instead, and I very rarely suggest it for training clients as I've found that most people just can't cope with lead, dog, treats, managing distance, watching their surroundings etc *and* a clicker on top!  I use 'good!' or 'yes!'.  Or occasionally 'woohoo!'

Thank goodness I am normal !!! Thought it was just me who couldn't multitask and stand upright too

Thank you for your suggestions.  When our fella (the mini schnauzer) is on lead and meets or spots another dog I can see the sense of giving him treats so he passes by (reasonably) quietly!  More difficult when off lead.  Has razor sharp vision and can spot dogs way in the distance and is then off like a rocket (can run like the very devil).  It is amazing how dogs and owners come out of of the woodwork just when you are sure the coast is clear ......

Went on a group walk this morning (mostly humans just him and one other dog).  When we arrived the schnauzer immediately spotted the other dog in the group (a well behaved cockerpoo).  He let rip with several minutes of furious barking but then did quieten down.  I will keep trying and hopefully he may improve with age.

When u are doing training like this u will have to keep him on a long line or lead as every chance he gets to do the behaviour u don't want will reinforce the problem

Maybe its the recall part and you being so much more fun than any other dog. He remains on a long line until he is fully trained on that part

Thank you!   I should know this as I have had other young ones  on the long line before - had forgotten.  But thanks for reminding me!!!

More difficult when off lead.

My 1st Shepherd used to want to charge off to any other dog to say hello which was not always appreciated :-(

When you are out bend down so your head is dog level and see where the horizon is, then stand up and do the same, the distance between the two - less the distance your dog is away from you - so better limited with a long line is when you can see the other dog but your own dog can't. At this point call and reward.
My boy used to recall, wait till his lead was back on then look round for the other dog :-)