Should I try to curb the barking?

[Kerie]

In all honesty, Oscar has been a pretty good boy lately. We fenced in the yard during the summer. He is really enjoying being out there, and he comes running right back to the house at 90mph when I call. That makes me feel so loved! Our neighbor's cat has taken to teasing Oscar by sitting up on the fence and staring at Oscar, who tries but cannot reach him. When this is going on, Oscar is usually barking. Also, there are other dogs on our street. When Oscar is outside and he hears one bark, he begins the barking. He also barks when our neighbors receive deliveries, which seems to be often. He barks a lot more outside than inside (normal, I assume). I'm sure that the barking goes with the territory of Oscar being a definite alpha male, protective of his territory, etc. He is enjoying his time out there, and most of his barking is in response to the cat and the other local dogs. But I often call him inside so that he does not disturb the neighbors. I don't think I would get very far if I tried to control the barking. Should I try? I'd let him run and play outside more but I don't want to annoy the neighbors.

PS. Of course he also barks when he is chasing squirrels. Some of you may recall that he caught one a few weeks ago. Well, now he tries to climb trees to get at squirrels. Sometimes he makes a running start to try to jump up a tree that is much taller than our house!

[Tex]

That's a tough one.....I agree that it would probably be hard to control barking, especially outside......does he know a command like "quiet" or "enough"??? We use that for inside when our 2 decide to bark at a neighbor (apartment living is rough). I would htink if there are other dogs in the neighborhood, most neighbors would be used to barking by now :scratch: . Good luck!

[areese]

I think it would be awfully hard to stop him but I know I hate listening to my neighbor's dogs barking. Maybe you could ask your neighbors if he bothers them?? And let them know if he does to let you know and you'll put him in?

[Da Brat]

You could try the citronella collar thingie if you do decide to try to curb it. Other than that, all I can offer are :bigrayz: that you have understanding neighbors!!

Our neighbor has a schnauzer that barks at EVERYTHING including us when we are outside, it was really annoying at first but we've just learned to tune him out and it's no big deal.

[Chris]

If it was the middle of the night or he was out there at 6:00 am i would try to stop him even if it meant you had to walk him on the leash in those wee hours. but he is outside using his outside voice and he is reacting to the cat. He is not just randomly nuisance barking he seems to be barking about something. And as a doxie he can't control the fact that his "voice" is resonant and deep compared to other dogs his size.

I would say citronella collars are a good alternative but IMHO you should not try to correct him from following his instinct as that might confuse him. You would want him to bark if a stranger tried to climb your fence. This cat is that to him. And as far as the delivery folks, Oscar is letting you know someone is there. And he doesn't know how to be selective to know who you want him to warn you about and not.

If he was baring his teeth at the cat or the people that would probably be a different story

But that is just my feeble opinion.

I have also heard of this:
The other option is to not just let him "go outside" besides going to the bathroom. Don't just leave him out there an hour or however long that is because that is when he will get into trouble defending his property and barking at whatever captures his attention when left to his own devices. Make him associate that besides a quick potty the yard is where activities happen. make it a point to play with him and then bring him right back in the house when you are not. I know that sounds like "what is the point of the fence then". but he might stop associating it with him "being on patrol" .
I have not tried that but i heard it.

[Lori]

I'd ask the neighbors if it bothering them. I have a rescued large macaw who had/has screaming problems (she is better but not perfect) and nothing sounds as loud as that so I talked with the neighbors about it. No one has been bothered at all but when I take her outside I do it no earlier than 10:30am and I bring her in by 4:00pm and I don't leave her outside that whole time IF she is having a screamy day. So you could let him run and bark his fool head off in the yard for a half and hour then bring him in for an hour or so then let him out again. However I'd ask the neighbors if his barking bothers them, it may not and you can relax about it. Just make sure his outside time for play is during the day and that people next door do not work a night shift LOL. I haven't had my guy long enough to know if barking will be a problem. I did have a shepherd once who barked way too much outside and we used a barking collar. Before the citronella (sp?) collars were out. We only had to turn it on once on the lowest setting, after that we just put it on when she went outside but didn't turn it on. It worked for her. I make friends with all my neighbors because of the parrots who can get very loud. Everyone has my phone number in case they are bothered and I worried about the people behind me with the baby girl. The mom is wonderful and said nah don't worry she is never bothered by your birds she sleeps fiine and I enjoy when they do that talk fest in the afternoon. Our lot is very large but this house is the one behind us. I have found talking to the neighbors is the best thing, if they have a baby who naps at a certain you can find out and keep your fellow inside for those two hours IF they think it might bother the baby which it probably won't.

[Linus]

Yolanda uses something cool from PetCo...can't remember the name though, but it attaches to an outlet, not to Oscar, so its definitely safer.