hi all
i have a 16 week old english bull terrier bitch,every time i take her out first thing in the morning & we see somebody else she starts barking & her hackles go up!
but when walking around in the park where's there is lots of people she doesnt!
has anybody got any idea why she does this??
thanks in advance!

She believes she could take on an individual if she had to, but not a whole pack.........  But she'd really rather not do either, which is why she's making herself look as big and fierce as she can - she's actually needing you to make her feel safe and protect her (but not molly coddle her)

That's one of those places where I make a certain correction. I don't want the dog to never bark because it's what they do. So, I don't say "NO." And yes, a pup may be somewhat apprehensive about this person. But, at the same time, it needs to know that when you say, "enough" it must stop. There is no need for anger or loud, cross words. But I would, if it were me....(and it has been me. LOL) give a small correction on the collar, a pull and a firm tone like "I mean business", "enough." He needs to zip it. If it doesn't, my firm collar correction will get firmer and I'll say, "eh-eh-enough!" It got my Dobe to settle right down.....no more unnecessary barking from him at all. He realizes that it's normal to see people and he knows he must behave gentlemanly. Don't forget to make a fuss out of how nice he's being when he does stop. "goooood enough." (or whatever your word is for stop barking) Just keep on socializing the dog all along the way....A LOT....every single day.

Carrie

i agree with carrie.  "enough" is a great command.  it isn't saying "you cannot ever bark, it is bad"  it is saying "go ahead and bark till i say it is okay and to stop."
this is an important destinction.  dogs bark.  it is thier job to bark to warn/protect us and themselves.  i like it when my dog barks if someone or something is at my house.  that way, when im showering, or vaccuming, or whatever, i know someone is here.  however, when i see who or what it is that he is barking at and i like it....i say "okay Eli, that is enough".  and he should stop.  (it doesn't mean he always stops.....i mean, he isn't perfect--lol)  but most of the time, he does.

Hello

I had exactly the same problem with my BC whose 5 months.  We have managed to get him more interested in chasing balls etc. so that comes with me all the time and if we see someone out on our own the ball comes out and he completely ignores the people.  Another thing that worked - if they are into food - is get them to sit down while waiting for a treat from you, let the people pass and then give him the treat if he doesn't bark.  That certainly lessened it for me.

I do sympathise though because it embarressing and people think you can't keep your dog under control when really they just seem to be a little scared about it all. 

Claire

The novelty factor.  Dogs are very contextual and she is at the age where the socialisation window is about to close; hence why massive exposure to practically everything must be conducted during the first 4 months of life and then maintained in order to reduce the "surprise" factor.  Person on own first thing = odd, people in park = normal.

I would not chastise your dog for this, on the contrary; if she is already feeling slightly fearful/uncomfortable in this situation why increase this feeling?  Seems rather pointless to me.  I would not get more comfortable if someone said "stop being so silly this minute" the minute I saw a man with a gun; I would however feel more at ease if and when I discovered there was actually nothing to be concerned about because he was an armed policeman as opposed to a gangster!

Therefore I think the jolly hockey sticks approach is best so that you don't make an issue of it or alternatively get lots of people to give her a treat if THEY feel comfortable about it, I should think this behaviour would soon extinguish itself!

Difficult to judge from this perspective the degree of the "problem" but either of the above should work with no stress to either you or the dog :D

i certainly did not mean to "chastise" your dog when she barks.  she is just a puppy.  when i say "enough"...i say it in a very friendly, non-commanding sort of way.  as i did state in my above post, it is more to say "it is okay, that is just a person, or whatever."  it is more of a comforting "okay its okay"  tone of voice.

but you do not want to pat the dog excessively or coddle too much.  that will only teach the dog that when it is afraid, he will get praised.  dogs are particularily literal with cause and effect.  "oh, i bark, i get pet".  you don't want that message to get accross.   just a simple "it is okay, enought" is the right way to do it. 

yes, and be SURE to super socialize your pup.  take him/her everywhere to get used to ALL situations.  i took my dog to grocery store parking lots where there were lots of people and carts and action going on.  i took mine to the park, to the city, to where kids were playing, to people's houses.  etc etc etc.  now my dog is not phased by too much except the vaccum cleaner, hahaha....  but crowded rooms with loud poeple is okay, or quiet homes where im visiting.  anyhow, this socialization is imperative.

good luck.

I have found that asking a dog to stop barking without making a federal case out it or being cross, but insisting that it settles down, does NOT increase their fear. On the contrary...it eases their fear. My dogs look to me for guidance and suggestions when they're flailing around like that. When I check them with their collar and firmly tell them to zip it, they are looking much more relieved...."Ah....someone has taken control of this situation. I have nothing to fear. Mom says there's nothing to be barking about or fearing." The body language is there. They relax. They become interested in checking out the person they're barking at. Disciplining dogs or children, telling them what they are allowed to do and not allowed to do gives security to them. It does not have to increase fear. Discipline does not mean punishment, anger, viciousness, frightening them. It means teaching or showing something. Pulling up on the collar and giving a firm command is showing what you mean and it's showing it with certainty, not indecisiveness. They will tend to flail if you don't make things known to them. That is my opinion. That is what I have seen work. My Doberman went from barking needlessly to only barking when there's "good" reason. He's figured it out. And he is unafraid of most everything. But again.....socialization...keep it up.

I can only explain what has worked for me and my dogs over the years. I've done it, seen it over and over. They have all turned out great, happy and well adjusted. I'm sure there are other theories. My way of thinking is that yes....one can spend a lot of time trying to psychoanalyze them, trying to work around all their little hangups. But meanwhile these behaviors are allowed to continue and turn into habits that are very hard to undo. IMO there is nothing wrong with stopping the behavior and sometimes that comes first before curing the core problem instead of the other way around. It's like this: If you are sad and you look in the mirror and make a gastly, funny face, you may start laughing. When you start laughing, hormones are automatically released to the part of your brain that tells you that you're happy. (this is a medical fact) You don't always have to feel happy first to smile. You can often smile/laugh first, then you feel happy or happier.

This is the same thing. The dog can stop that barking now whether he feels like it or not. Then when he does, he often discovers that "hey, that's not so bad after all. I don't need to bark do I."

Carrie

I didn't see the OP ask for advice.......... but you guys seem to have all the bases covered ;)

digger, what do you mean you didn't see the original poster asking for advise?  of course they did, and you in fact answered and gave advise in the second or so post!!!  so, what do you mean????

This is a dog forum. It is here for the purpose of sharing stories, asking questions, answering questions telling about antidotes that work for various people and thier dogs and what people have done in certain types of situations. This is not a professional seminar. It is an informal forum, nothing more, nothing less. I am not a professional. I can only talk about what I've observed and been successful with with my dogs. I think that's what most people are doing. That is what a forum is. Hello.

Carrie