[clb62]

Hello
My sweet 10 month old female dachshund has been socialized since she was 8 weeks old to all sorts of people and animals. She is a registered pet therapy dog since I am confined to a wheelchair. I take her shopping and almost everywhere I go and she usually behaves like an angel and tolerates all sorts of attention from people, kids and other dogs.

When we are back in out apartment, however, she will bark at almost anything or anyone who goes by our patio or comes to our door. We live in a second floor apartment and have many people stopping by or walking past. It doesn't seem to matter whether she knows the people or dogs or not. I have tried everything from distracting with noises and treats, whistles, praise. I feel like I am the alpha dog in all other areas but this barking is causing a lot of frustration. My condition makes me hyper-sensitive to loud noises and believe me her barks are loud and startling. Lately, I have begun to chase her down and put her in her crate. I even got a muzzle but that feels wrong. Did I pick the wrong breed or can someone please help me before I decide to give her away?

Thank you,
Connie

[labman]

I hate to see you use the muzzle. I am not sure I like seeing the crate used to punish her. Perhaps call her to you and down stay her. If somebody trained her for you, ask them for help. Dachshunds are bad about barking, but so are many other smaller dogs. You can also try telling her no and holding your hand in front of her mouth. Don't do anything she will interpret as you joining in with her in the barking.

I am not seeing many other answers to the barking questions. Somebody disapproved my last one without sharing her superior wisdom with us. I admitted in that answer I lack experience fixing barking and the training manual I have from the dog guide school doesn't mention it. My reading suggests the distraction you said you tried and it didn't work.

[RubyPitbull]

Ugh. This is such a toughie. clb62, many dogs do this. I am sure there is no question that you are the alpha. Your dog is doing what she views as part of her job. The lower ones in the pack "sound the alarms" when a stranger approaches. The alpha investigates and takes the first step in remedying the "problem," with the lower ones joining in the defense of the territory.

My dog doesn't utter a peep when I am not around. When I am home, she barks at every noise too. But, I trained her to do that. I am in a very isolated area and if someone shows up, I want her to "sound all the alarms."

So, what is probably happening for you is that she is letting you know, her leader, that something is outside and, she is letting those others outside know that "others" better watch themselves. As I said, she is just doing her job of protecting her territory.

This is not such an easy fix. I don't recommend muzzles or crating. They won't have the effect you hope for. Please, do not even consider a shock collar. You have a good dog. Anything other than signals from you will possibly undermine all the training she has had. You want to attempt to fix this in a way the dog will understand.

Here is a technique I use when mine is being a little too annoying. You need to ignore the noises outside and look at her intently. "Bark" at her. Low, deep, and quick barking noises directed at her, to startle her into looking directly at you. When she does, look her right in the eye. Quickly utter a kind of low and guttural repeated "K" or "Ch" sound. "Keh keh keh keh" or "Ch Ch Ch" short staccato noises. This is kind of hard to teach over the internet. But, it is a sharp, low, loud, short noise that gets her attention. My dog looks at me when I do it, and I stare her straight in the eye and repeat the sound. While making this noise and when she is in this unsure stage, pet her along the length of her back. Long firm strokes, pushing that little strip of hair along her back that is standing up, pushing it down.

When I do this, my dog gives me a look as though I just beat her or something. LOL. She immediately breaks eye contact while I continue to maintain mine, and doing my barking and stroking. Her barking trails off to a whine and then she stops. Doing this is kind of the doggy equivalent of reminding her that you are the alpha and you will deal with these outsiders.

This is the best I can offer up to you. Let me know if I haven't been clear enough. Give it a week or so to see what her response is, then let us know how it worked.