Why have all other topics got so many replies and mine has none??? Is it more for people who know each other?
Does anyone have a collie or have any strategies for stopping her barking? She is just 1 but barks outside and on the lead but not if a stranger comes into the house so she cant be defending us!
THANKS
ELAINE

What sort of collie? JH

She is a border collie and from a farm so it probably is to be expected. I worry about her being bored but shes really settled most of the time and she does have enough excercise, toys and Jovie our other dog to mither. Its just when kids are playing outside or on the way to a walk that her barking is bad. Thanks for the reply!
Elaine

Elaine, if your collie is farm breed it is part of her nature, she has been bred to round up sheep and in the absents of sheep children will do. You will need someone with more experiance than I have to help you with this one. You could try working her in obedence or better still agility or both. Jackie H

It is probably people like me thinking someone else will reply.

My bark stopper is a well aimed jet of water in the face of said barking dog from an water spray bottle set to jet. I have found the empty Fronline bottles, or the Canovel one good for the job.

It should work with the colie as I stopped my friends collies from screaming and barking in the car (how she can drive with that din is a mysterry), at least while I am in it, an within sight!

If the barking is in the Garden, another good tactic is to call the dog into the house each and every time, and give command of quiet, once quiet, praise and let out again! If she barks repeat ad nauseum. You will find that she/he would rather be outside q2uiet than sent in doors each time.

The canovel bottle seems capable of quite a powerful jet so that I can get them at 20 feet if they igtnore the Quiet command!

I asked what breed Brainless because if it's a Border it's probable board out of it's skull. JH

I will try thanks!

Hi Brainless (!!!!)
I feel guilty now for complaining about the lack of replies. I will try the water
Elaine

Hi Elaine
I don't think its a case of this being for people who know each other-I'm new to the message board but have tried to involve myself in the discussions and have felt welcome
I have a dog that barks at strangers outside at night so I don't allow him to stay out unless I am out there with him to tell him QUIET.Teach him the command quiet-I used a water spray/washing up bottle full of water and go out with him until he learns it is unacceptable.Take a jiff lemon with water on when you have him on a lead and squirt it tell him no when he barks.Hope this works-it did for me but every case is different

Ill let you know how I go on!

Hi Elaine

A lady who used to take our puppy obedience class used either a squirty washing up bottle with water in, or an old coke tin with stones in sealed up. Every time the dogs barked at another one walking past, they would either get squirted or the tin rattled at them.

Not sure if this is an effective way of curbing the problem, but it certainly worked in the puppy class.

Regards

natasha

Elaine,

Can you check if there is something annoying your dog in the garden?

My dog used to bark a lot in the garden, but not when I was with her. One day I found that the boy next door was throwing things at the fence or into my garden to annoy her.

Your dog does not bark at strangers in the house. But presumably you let them in. Collies are very intelligent. I assume your dog knows the strangers are friendly from you. (You are not frightened of them.)

Michael
23 June 2002

Collie's do need a lot of work and training as they are so cleaver. Purhaps you can also get advice from a trainer near you or even your vet could offer some advice. I have a Boarder Collie Molly and we take her to flyball training and I have to keep her occupied most of the day when she has her nap in the afternoon its LOVELY!! Molly is 4 years old now and just love her to bits.

Julieann

Hi Michael
You are right.On a quiet day as long as she has 2 good walks shes really quiet and settled in the garden but especially since the world cup with kids playing football outside the gate both dogs have got really wound up and are doing alot of barking. Its not out of boredom I dont think as its never unprovoked.

Elaine,

Do you get annoyed by the children playing football by your gate? Dogs can pick up your emotions. If it annoys you, it annoys them too and they bark at it! Try to keep calm!

Also, playing football is something unusual for your dog. Dogs bark at the unusual. Your dog may get used to it and stop barking.

Michael
25 June 2002

Michael,
probably I do get agitated. I teach children but out of school yes the noise winds me up!
elaine

Elaine,

That may be the reason, then.

The only alternative I can think of is that dogs are pack animals and if they are outside while you are inside and they see the ball games as a threat they are barking to call the rest of the pack (i.e. you!) to help them see off the intruders!

Do they go quiet, if you go outside and reassure them that it is alright?

Michael
25 June 2002

Im not too good at this my replies keep going to the wrong posts!

Hi Natasha
Lots of people seem to recommend this so I will have ago...mind you she loves water and playing with the hose pipe is a favourite hobby!

Yes I dont mind how daft i look in the street I will try it ! Thanks for the ideas.

Observations: I've seen a collie lying down,barking at a wall....nothing there,blank wall.Walking down the collie/sheltie aisles at a benched show,noted a good half were de-barked.

I don't understand what you're getting at?

Fiona

I couldnt have that done anyway Im too soft

Not in the UK surely. JH

um am confused here?

Julieann

I think Gitemgang must be a USA citizen, we do not de-bark in the UK. And any bored dog will bark at the wall or anything else that takes their fancy, not just Collies. JH

My cocker will sit outside in the garden and bark for no apparant reason. There's nothing upsetting her and nothing catching her attention.

I've come to the conclusion that she's barking because she can and for no other reason. :)

Fiona
x x x

Hi Fiona
Yes alot of time I think its excitement such as when we start our walks and when she sees people playing ball. Still its a bit embarrassing!

Elaine this is typical collie behaviour and she is only young, give her plenty to do, try the water jet, lots of patients, lots of love and wait for her to grow up. Oh! and who cares what people think. JH

Hi!
I am assuming from your wording that you are in USA, debarking is not an option in the UK!

I would reccomend a citronella collar, everytime the dog barks it shoots a spray of citronella towards the dogs chin, they are said to work wonders. Never ever would i even consider de-barking a dog, its just aweful seeing a dog trying to silently express itself :( Im no expert on border collies, but coming from a working farm to a townhouse backyard your collie would need alot of stimulation to prevent boredom, walks and doggie sports may be enough to satisfy her physically but mentally she may need challenges to keep her brain working, like toy games such as kongs, hiding toys for her find, even consider building a sandpit for you to bury her toys in so that she has to dig around in it to find them, and yes they can be trained to dig only in the sandpit and not in your lawn :)
Hope this helps

Only trouble with the Citronella collars is that they will go off with other noise and vibration. A football being kicjed against the wall may well do it, so you will have one confused dog! It can also make them depressed whenas a resulot of external noise they are bing punished at random!

hello Nicki
I have heard of these collars but have been unsure as to whether theyre cruel. About the Kong ...i did buy one for each of my 2 dogs but neither have been very keen,however, they love a ball with a hole in which is the same idea I suppose and I have made her a sandpit as she loves digging or just sitting in it looking quite proud with a toy in her mouth! I think if the water idea doesnt work ill try a collar as youve said Thanks Elaine

"De-barking not an option in the UK..." Now you've got me curious. Why not?Not "allowed"?Not "done"? Too expensive?
Like your handle,btw;-)

I think it would be virtually impossible to find any veterinary surgeon in the UK to carry out surgery to debark a dog. It would be completely against their code of ethics. Nor would it be considered acceptable practice by the vast majority of the UK population.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

the word cruel springs to mind !! :(
Also sound s like a quick fix positively sickening

They have beaten me to it! :D

We have had debarked dogs in my breed imported to UK as adults. they sound like an old dog with a sore throat. You still get a bark but it has no resonance.

For me the word WHY springs to mind????? My son is noisy and tempted as I am I wouldn't de-bark him:D
Also wasn't this the person who posted about 'stupid questions.......?'
Anita

Yes! You hit the nail on the head there Anita! this is the same person. Heavens preserve us from silly children posting stupid comments!

To Mattie,Brainless ,Reefer (!) and Fleetgold,
Just wanted to make sure that you all know I have no intention of de barking my noisy but beautiful collie even if none of the suggestions work!
Elaine

Didn't think for one minute you did:D You were just wondering why and what you could do, absolutley no harm in that and I've enjoyed reading some of the replies;) There are two collie's around by us and my dog loves to play with them and they him so long as he doesn't pinch their ball:D
Anita

I believe debarking is actually illegal in the UK.

Janet

It is. JH

I HAVE MY ANTI BARKING AID NEXT TO THE COMPUTER, AND IT IS QUITE SIMPLE, AN EMPTY POP CAN FILLED WITH A 3 OR 4 PEBBLES, THEN SEALED OVER WITH CELLOTAPE. ALWAYS HAVE IT AT HAND AND AS SOON AS THE BARK HAPPENS, ITHER SHAKE THE CAN OR THOUGH THE CAN NEAR TO HER. WORKS WITH MY THREE SHIH TZUS WHEN THEY GO REALLY WILD

Please put the can down and turn off the Caps lock, very difficult to read. JH

Yes making a noise seems to stop her for a while. Im wondering about this bark buster thing I saw advertised for on walks. It gives out a high frequency noise or whatever but am unsure.

Does your collie enjoy retreiving? My old collie always went out for a walk carrying her beloved rubber ring. Perhaps this would work for yours, as it wont be able to bark with something in its mouth!!!

But please not sticks. Jackie H

Elaine have you had enough replies yet? :) :) :) Jackie H

Jackie
Yes thanks everyone for the advice! Making a loud noise deters her in the yard but on the way to her walks she still barks and sometimes runs up to people wagging but barking madly which is bad I suppose but shes only 1 and really good in the house and comes when called so shes not all bad.
Do you know of this high frequency sound thing which is supposed to stop barking?
Elaine