One of my two paps is a real menace barking at just about anything and setting my other quieter one off.  Today my neighbours complained that for the last few days it's been unbearable.  (This only happens when I'm out because when I'm home I tell them to shut up and they do!).

I'm thinking of trying a citronella anti-bark collar - if they make them small enough for papillons.   Any comments?

In the meantime I have said I will shut the dogs indoors when I go out and not allow them access to the garden.

> I'm thinking of trying a citronella anti-bark collar - if they make them small enough for papillons.   Any comments?

I wouldn't leave a dog alone wearing one of these.

We have a dog that barks at the boundaries when anyone or anything is perceived to be a threat/nuisance (squirrels, tractors, pigeons, the dog next door, car door etc).  We don't have that many close neighbours but I find it hugely annoying and he does not always stop on command.  We tried one of these collars and didn't find it terribly effective unless it was very very well managed by me which wasn't always possible when gardening or hanging laundry out!  I think that in order to be effective they must be used in conjunction with you and not instead of you.  If you aren't there to reinforce the message your dog will not understand what is happening and will be very stressed by the situation.  Also another dog barking in proximity will also set it off.

I ditched my collar as I was concerned about what messages I was giving my dog and now try and remember to use a training line when I think it may be an issue (Sunday afternoon strollers are a bugbear!! :).  The other thing we did is reduce access to the front fence and when it's busy I also keep him away from the front windows otherwise he gets over stimulated :)

You have my sympathies - we have the same issue as you with owning a barking dog; but we also have a barker next door too and next year they are thinking of leaving her outside for 8 hours at a time - heaven forbid!!

Thanks for your response.  I've agreed to shut my 2 indoors for a week or so when I go out and may then try allowing just one (the quiet one) access to the garden when I'm out.  It's not possible for me to restrict them to just one part of the garden and none of my immediate neighbours have any dogs.  I don't know what's setting this one off all of a sudden, unless it's just that he's found he can get away with it.  If anyone has any suggestions for my problem I'd welcome them. 

Can I ask why they have access to outside when there is no-one there? Are they in a run, or just the garden?

I, personally, would not leave my dogs outside if I wasn't there to supervise them. If you can keep them indoors then they won't bark as much, therefore they won't disturb anyone.

Mind you, I'd be frightened they would come to harm/get stolen if left outside on their own.

I have a good sized garden completely enclosed with a high wall so the dogs are very safe there.  They have access indoors as well as the garden so can come and go as they please.  I thought it would be nice for them to have this freedom plus I don't need to worry about them "crossing their legs" if I'm out a little longer than expected.  Also, in summer it's too hot for me to want to have to shut them in all the time, although it's not summer anymore so I have several months to think about that.

no i would certaintly not use any of those anti bark collars i dont know much about them have never used one and never will i dont like the sound of them and i am sure they could be dangerous in some way, as some one has allready said some one elses dog could easily set it off and your poor little fella is getting the punishment, obviously something is bothering him or it could be the simple  fact that he has been allowed to get into this habit.then saying that when you think about a dogs hearing sences it could be anything, cats a little mouse, foxes the wind,how old is your dog? he could just feel the need to protect the property or he feels insecure  when no one is at home, would it be such a problem to leave them both in the house when you go out? why not put one or both in a crate until you return.there has been plenty of puppy and dog thefts around the country and burgalaries as they time how long the dog is barking for and if its in the garden this only says one thing there is no one at home.All dogs bark some of the time we wouldnt want it any other way with some it is just a habit i do not know much about your breed but normally dogs  are barking for a reason. hope you can sort this problem you  dont need  to get the neighbours backs up.best of luck molly.

Hi, I wasn't being judgemental, but was puzzled as to why you would leave them outside :-)

I would keep them indoors when you are out. Dogs will usually sleep when there is no-one to interact with. You may have inadvertantly now taught him that it's ok to bark when there is no-one at home, as molly has said. Unfortunately it is not easy to teach him not to bark, now that he has learnt that it is ok.

To be honest any dog left unsupervised will bark when there is outside stimulus, and if you have neighbours, callers etc this is inevitable, so unless you live somewhere remote or where the dogs cannot be disturbed or disturb anyone leaving them out to their own devises when you are absent is bound to cause problems.

It is best to keep them indoors, where they cannot see out, and also have the Radio or TV on for them so they are not excited/disturbed by outside sounds.

The dog has learnt to bark at everything as it has the opportunity to practise this behaviour which it finds rewarding or stress relieving or whatever.

By giving them free reign and no boundaries it has encouraged them to be territorial, hence the barking.  If you give boundaries and take away freedoms when you are not there then it will help control the barking.  They will just curl up and go to sleep until you get home!

yes learnt behaviour, he thinks he is doing the right thing as no one is there to teach him otherwise, when you go out i would put them both in the house, at least if they carry on barking in there it shall be muffled and not  so unbearable for your neighbours, if they can still hear the dogs and its still agravating  i would use the crate or crates or maybe put them in seperate rooms until you return, this way they may learn if they are  quite you shall come home all the best hope what ever you decide  works out .

i agree with granitecitygirl above.....if you limit where they can go in the house, ie) don't allow them upstairs if they can jump on your bed to see outside (maybe use a stairgate?)

now i've started to only allow my dogs the use of the lounge, hallway and kitchen, and also by keeping a radio on for background noise, the barking has dramatically decreased!

Thanks everyone for your comments.  At least everyone is saying more or less the same thing.  When I went out this morning I left the dogs shut indoors.  No adverse comments from neighbours and no apparent tantrums in the house (such as chewing or peeing).  The dogs only have access to the large living room and, whilst the weather's not too cold, the 'porch' room.  In the colder weather it'll be the living room only.  My problem will be what happens next summer but that's a long way off so no point in worrying about that yet.

Just to put the record straight, the dogs have never been shut outside.  They have had free access to inside and outside.  Also, as I said earlier, I have high walls all round the garden so there has never been a view of anything outside of that.  They are both 3 years old but the 'problem' dog was nearly a year old before I got him, having previously lived in the breeder's kennels.

i am glad things seem to be taking a turn for the better, they shall soon get fed up with there own voices if you like, when there is nothing to bark at, next summer is a long way away and i am sure your problem shall be resolved by then be consistant all the best.