Hello All, I am new to this forum so please bear with me!  I love all dogs and have been surrounded by them my whole life!  My passion has always been pugs though - I adore them and finally last year we got our little girl who is the love of our lives.
We have recently started having a problem with her barking though.  She has started barking at every little sound.  It used to just be birds and sirens but now she barks at lots of different things.
Are there any pug owners or breeders out there who can help me?  Is this normal?  She has never been a big barker and I wondered if she has just found her voice!
I hope to be able to chat to lots of dog lovers and especially pug devotees on this forum!
Thanks

How old is your Pug?

Hello, just turned 1 year old.

I think I'd be inclined to use a CD with various noises that dogs can be sensitive to - start playing it VERY low and play with her at the same time, or play it quietly at meal times, so she is distracted, and slowly over a period of days turn the volume up until she's hearing the noise, but not reacting to it.

It might also be worth having her hearing checked, just to make sure there isn't an underlying ear infection or something else which could be altering her perception of what she's hearing.

Hello Digger, I have heard of those cd's, do they work?  It might be worth a try.  We are taking her to the vets soon so I think we will mention it to the vet, maybe there is a problem with her hearing?!?!  Thanks for the advice.

welcome to champ dogs,

Just out of interest what do you do when she starts barking?

Hello Chloe and Bufy, We have tried a variety of things.  Firstly our instinct was to shout 'Quiet' which didn't work at all.  Then we tried shaking a tin can which had dried beans in it cause it makes her turn around.  We then praised her because she was quiet.  It works hardly ever though and she just goes back to barking.
The odd thing is that the barking has gotten worse since we moved house - although we've only moved 2 doors down so the surroundings aren't new.  We thought it was that at first but it's so frequent now.
Arrrgggh - its driving us mad!

Its a horrid noise... buffy the terrier can make sucha din!  We tried the quiet.....but then we were told that by shouting we were just joining in!!

We now have to ignore her, and if she starts get up and  leave the room. We have new neighbours, the house has been empty since buffy arrived, and the minute they moved in, they were also refubing the house she barked constantly (awful noise!!) you can imagine what they thought... oh no we have bought a house with an awful yappy dog next door!! now she is used to them she doesn't even bother!! so you may find once she gets used the new noises... wilst only two doors down, they might be things you cant here that she now can, she may get better.

ignore the bad and reward the good, even if the attention u give is negative it is still attention!

We also squirt Buffy with a water pistol if shes really bad and wont snap out of it, a gentle one mind you, no super soakers!! but some on here will say no to this, whatever suits you and your dog!

But you have to remember that she is a dog and she will bark...

Hi and welcome,

I am the owner of a 7 year old pug Gambole, or Gambi for short, I must admit this is not a problem we have ever had with gambi, he very rarely barks, and when he does,it usually cause someone is at the door.  How are you finding you little one, I have never know such a loving little one with a personality all of his own, I must admit he is the baby of our family and spoilt rotten what he wants he knows how to get it.   Good luck with your baby

Gail, Gambi

Hi Gail and Gambi, sorry for the very late reply - I haven't checked this thread in a while!  Thanks for your message.  Your Gambi sounds like our Lola - she is spoilt rotten too! And because we don't have any kids she's definately made herself the baby of the family.  Sometimes it's annoying, most of the time it's cute!  She'll actually sit there and mope if she hasn't had hugs in a while and will just stand on her back legs and scratch at our legs until we pick her up.  I've had 4 dogs in total, 1 afghan, the rest were cross-breeds and I've NEVER seen this in a dog.  I read that pugs often think they are human but I didn't believe it until I saw it.  God knows how she'll react when we do have a baby! 
I'm glad your Gambi doesn't bark much.  Lola never used to up until she was about 9 months old and then she started barking at everything.  My husband now sits there and has a conversation with her when she barks.  He tells her thank you for letting him know there is a noise outside and that she can stop now! I don't know who is daftest.
I look forward to chatting on this board and getting to know other pug owners like yourself.
Thanks

Hi glad to hear from you.  Gambi is definatley the baby of the family, I have got two daughters lou is 20 and ainsley is 13.  Gambi goes and sits in his basket if no one is taking any notice of him, also he will howl at us, or cry.  when I sit down of a evening, there he is on my lap as soon as me bums on the chair. He's quiet a character.  We have recently lost our other two pekes that we had, so gambi is now on his own, I dont think he has realised this yet.  He's naughty to if we leave any doors open while we are out and there is a bin in there, its out and what ever he can eat he will, he eat a whole chicken carcus once, which did not effect him thankfully, he has also taken tomatoes out of their packed, liqure chocolates, u name it he's tried it.  But we love him to bits hope to hear more about u and lola

Gail