Hi
We rescued a one year old lab in January and she is a really lovely dog but not a very well behaved one :rolleyes:
I have enquired about training classes in my area and am on a waiting list for a class to start in 6 weeks time.  However I'd like to get some advice if possible on how to stop her barking all the time as we are finding it hard to cope with.

Basically she comes from a home where she was owned by a single parent of 5 children who never had time to do much training with her or indeed take her out for walks.  Therefore she is a nightmare on the lead (she bucks like a horse), and she will only do as she's told if there is a food treat involved.  She knows how to sit but wont do it unless we give her something for doing it, otherwise she just looks at us and barks.  Whatever I try to get her to do she will just bark at me and wont stop, and she does it in a kind of cheeky way as if to say I'm not doing it and thats that.  I've tried being firm with her but my hard work and perseverance isn't paying off.  I'm willing to put in the time and effort and have spent time each day with her trying to train her but I am at a loss as I have never had a dog that takes no notice whatsoever.  She will also bark if she is put into the kitchen when I have to go out for a short time (I cant let her have the run of the house because she wrecks it), and she also barks constantly when I come home and jumps up and down like a mad thing.  If I tell her to stop or be quiet she just barks louder.

Personality wise she is very loving and there is no malice in her at all, infact she is very submissive with other dogs.  Our family love her very much and want to do right by her, we just dont have the experience with such a naughty strong willed dog so I guess we need training too.  I was wondering if anyone had tried one of those anti barking collars?  From what I have seen they are safe and not cruel in any way to the dog, they just emit either a sound or a lemon spray to discourage the dog from barking.  I have been considering one of these but wanted to get advice first.  Please help - this lovely dog is making our house chaotic!  I'm sure that armed with the right knowledge we can turn her into the perfect family dog as she is brilliant with my children and anyone who visits.  She is fed on a good food (Burns), so I dont think it is her diet that is making her hyperactive and naughty.  I know she is only a year old and we have had dogs before so know what to expect with a young dog.  I dont mind naughtiness but I feel I have no control over her at all and the barking drives us all insane! 

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Casey

Don't forget that dogs "learn how to learn"  and this poor dog has never had the chance to learn anything.

When you say she will sit for a food treat, but not when there's no food treat involved, what do you mean?  How does she know which times she's going to get a treat and which times not?

I wouldn't use an anti-barking collar on her.  She is obviously a very stressed dog already due to her treatment at her previous home, and the barking is her way of dealing with (or communicating) her stress.  If she is not allowed that outlet the stress could well manifest itself in other ways which are even less desirable.  It's far better to deal with her stress directly and stop that, so that she in turn doesn't feel the need to bark anymore. 

Give her time and keep working on the training and you'll get there.

She sounds fairly normal, if untrained <g> but, I wonder, is there a chance that she could be hard of hearing or else deaf?
It could explain why she responds only to treats as she would probably get a kind of hand signal which she would understand, and why she ignores you the rest of the time when you want her to do something. Dogs can be so aware of vibration, also using their sight etc that it can be hard to tell a deaf dog. You'd need to check with your vet at first.

Another suggestion is that, if the dog has not been used to any boundaries, has had no training, and has had to put up with 5 kids (who may not have been very good with the dog, or at the least will have no doubt been very exciteable and probbly inciting the dog to play rougn etc) it may just be how she is for now.

In which case, you need to almost start at the beginnig as if she was a puppy, put in basic boundaries, start training from the beginning. IME also, dogs who bark when they are "told" to do something often benefit from the owner relaxing and making training very enjoyable, as a disobedient dog is often just an undertained one who has no motivation to obey and who is often very confused. So she may bark out of worry and frustration, although it can look like "naughtiness" or the dog being stubborn :)

Is the class you are going to an apdt one? I suggest this may be best - the classes are often more structured than those which have you marching around the hall making the dog heel :P and you can often go on organised training days, social walks, games nights etc which will help the bonding process.

Good luck anyway, it will take time but I'm sure she will end up a great companion for you.

Lindsay
x

Hi I can say i was in the same position myself some years ago when i took in a cocker spaniel all he did was bark and try to run off ,he had no manners at all poor boy .When he came to me i took him to the vet for hearing check but it was fine ,he told me that he was so stressed out and did not no what was expected of him ,so i went back to basics and went to a trainning class. when we got to class the trainer told me to provide him with a safe haven somewhere he could call his own where he would relax and not be so stressed, so i purchased a creat and made a cover to fit over the top so it felt like a den i put in a nice peice of vet bed and he loved it , i did not close the door as i thought that it might stress him more .I took him out around our village and then in to the town just to get used to all the noises he went to training club every week and within about 7 weeks he had no need to bark or run off and his manners are now spot on and he has been with me now for 9 years so alittle love and good basic trainning made him feel safe and he knew his place .Now he is in his senior years it is nice to see him happy and i am so glad that i stuck with him and got him through a uncertain start in live and we share a wonderfull life (so do not give up as she just needs to find her place in your life and she will and when that time comes you will be so thrilled to have come so far with her )