Advice would be appreciated please for Jazz (samoyed, 8, rescue, neutered) He is normally very good and he doesn't bark in the house. However! When it come to social situations Jazz is my little nightmare...

I took him a while ago to a small doggy social event (greyhound remembrance day) at which there were about 14 people and about 20 dogs. After 5 minutes, all Jazz does is BARK. Uncontrollable barking, bark-till-he-is-hoarse barking. At the event I had to keep him shut up by feeding him little treats frequently, if I wasn't focusing entirely on him. I ended up having to be unsociable to stop him causing a complete and utter nuicance to everyone, lol.

It seems to be that he will just bark uncontrollably when he gets excited or he is not getting your 100% full attention - e.g. you are speaking to someone, you look at another dog. Now I really want to take him to a funday show in a couple of weeks' time but I can envisage the nightmare bark-bark-barking already! I'd like to work on controlling his barking a bit more. I don't expect results within 2 weeks but he's a clever boy and I think if we have something to start on I'll probably see an improvement by then.

Does anyone have any tips to help us with getting Jazz to control his barking? I would hate him to miss out on all the fun that this day is going to be, and want him to relax and enjoy himself!

So far we have tried ignoring him (no results), telling him no (he thinks you're joining in or something), closing his mouth and telling him no (goes berserk to get away and bark more), and reassuring him (no results).

Can't really help you on this one but I think it is something in the breed. At our training club there are two and they bark non stop (drives everyone else mad).

Think you need to speak to someone in Samoyeds about this, they may have a solution. Try a google search and visit a few websites, I am sure if you rang a breeder they would help you.

It is indeed part of the breed's nature to be very noisy! However it can be controlled as in the case of Jazz at home, and we hope we can sort it out for events too!

Have already posted on a sammy board too but as this kind of problem (I think) also applies to a few of the spitz breeds I decided to post here too ;)

There is an elastic muzzle like contra\ption called a husher. It is made of four elastic panels, and means that the dog finds it very tiring to open it's mouth against the resistance.

My own breed can be vocal in a similar way, as they find the barking rewarding not only in itself but because it gets your attention, even if the atention is negative.

The only real solution is shock/surprise and then distraction to an alternative behaviour. I use water to spray right in the face/eyes in a jet, which stops them momentarily. I then praise for the desired, or alternative behaviour, use food also if that helps. Your timing has to be spot on, and you must never show ammusement or make the water sporaying a game.

Works for my suburban living pack of Four.