Help with dog problem

[alan36]

My dog keeps barking randomly through the night and its doing my nut in. I live in a semi detatched house and its only a matter of time before the neighbours start complaining. I cant just leave him to do it as its very loud. There doesnt seem to be anything wrong I just think he gets bored downstairs. He has a bed that he flips over and starts barking at, if I remove the bed he just barks constantly. It happens around every 4 hours 2 or 3 times a night. I cant take him upstairs with us as his snoring is extremely loud and we wouldnt be able to sleep. When I come down to him I tell him off and make him get back in bed which only works for a few hours and it starts again.

Anyone had this sort of problem or any ideas as to what to do.

Alan

[Wildsea]

With my dog, I leave a radio on for him, this helps, adding background noise. Have you tried using a boredom buster toy, basically a toy, which has bits of food or paste in it and this may help him pass the time, and cut down on the noise.

[singlecoil]

Water pistol. Bark, squirt. Bark, squirt. I'd be surprised if you have to squirt him more than a couple of times

HTH

[siscar]

If it wasn't for the neighbour I'd say ignoring it is the best action, it could be a call for attention which you give if you go downstairs. But the neighbour may not be willing to put up with that for the time it takes to work....

[The_Burg]

I have similar ish problem with my dog, every f@cking morning 6am he starts.
Doesn't matter what time we go to bed or what time of year it's the same 7 days a week.
Which is fine in the week because we're getting up anyway. It's not the light or neighbours going out either.
I swear he can tell the time!

[alan36]

I have tried the water thing for ages now, doesnt seem to works for me. He seems to be very head strong and persistant with this. I have left toys downstairs before but hes just not interested in them. He sleeps for about 18 hours a day and I make sure he gets a good walk later at night in the faint hope it will tire him out to sleep through but to no avail.

[rhinochopig]

You can get citronella collars. He barks, it squirts citronella up his nose. These are supposed to work, although I've never tried one.

[bull996]

Take his bed upstairs and at the end of your bed.

Instant success.

[Fatboy]

The_Burg said:

I have similar ish problem with my dog, every f@cking morning 6am he starts.
Doesn't matter what time we go to bed or what time of year it's the same 7 days a week.
Which is fine in the week because we're getting up anyway. It's not the light or neighbours going out either.
I swear he can tell the time!

Wind the clock in the kitchen back an hour- that'll confuse him.

[alan36]

I dont know about the collars, hes a British Bulldog and I struggled to get a normal collar for the size of his neck and his nose is halfway up his flat face. Also I cant take him upstairs as hes too loud (extremely loud snoring).

[CommanderJameson]

alan36 said:

I have tried the water thing for ages now, doesnt seem to works for me. He seems to be very head strong and persistant with this. I have left toys downstairs before but hes just not interested in them. He sleeps for about 18 hours a day and I make sure he gets a good walk later at night in the faint hope it will tire him out to sleep through but to no avail.

The thing with punishing a dog for bad behaviour is that your timing has to be absolutely cock-on, or you're wasting your time and confusing the dog.

It has to be >Bark! Squirt!<. Not >bark! walk downstairs find water squirter have a pee stub toe squirt!<

It's instructive to watch an older dog and a puppy at play. If the puppy oversteps the mark, the older dog reacts instantly with a nip. Timing is everything.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Saturday 14th February 09:59

[cptsideways]

Sounds like he needs a mate, borrow someone elses hound for a few days & see if that fixes it

[alan36]

I try to get downstairs as quick as possible to stop him waking my daughter. He is still barking when I walk in, squirt with water and put back to bed, 3 or 4 hours later he starts again.

[rhinochopig]

alan36 said:

I try to get downstairs as quick as possible to stop him waking my daughter. He is still barking when I walk in, squirt with water and put back to bed, 3 or 4 hours later he starts again.

Get him a fk buddy.

[alan36]

1 dog is definately enough, I had his nuts removed to try and stop the testosterone thing and him starting to get a little aggresive towards other people which has worked a treat, hes much calmer now and that has worked a treat but the barking hasnt stopped.

[Silent1]

rhinochopig said:

You can get citronella collars. He barks, it squirts citronella up his nose. These are supposed to work, although I've never tried one.

They're awesome, we've got one for out German Short Haired Pointer, he barks a lot at anything, so a good thing to do is put it on him and it sprays when he barks, it's more the shock than anything that stops him.

If you do get one though, don't leave it on all the time and don't watch tv with it on as if you've got a decent sound system the bass will set it off.

This is the one we have and you can buy it from here (no affiliation):
http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/aboistop.php

Make sure you have plenty of refills as the refill cans are small (the size of a redbull can) and they can be a pain to get hold of.

ETA.
don't bother with the odourless or mustard sprays, they either don't work or work too well and the dog keeps barking regardless because it's hurt.

Whereas the citronella ones smell but they don't continue to irritate the dog.
http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/sprayspares.php

Edited by Silent1 on Saturday 14th February 10:14

[deviant]

siscar said:

If it wasn't for the neighbour I'd say ignoring it is the best action, it could be a call for attention which you give if you go downstairs. But the neighbour may not be willing to put up with that for the time it takes to work....

Thats exactly what it is. For some reason he is bored or lonely so barks. Even if he is being punished its still attention so he is not making the right links and stopping the behaviour.

Maybe have a word with the neighbour and say you know there is a problem but would they mind bearing with you for a while.

Does he have his own room downstairs? We fostered a dog for a while and he was a problem for a while but we managed to get him to settle by finding the right combination of closed and open doors and letting him have that territory at night.

[Jagdpanther]

OP

Your house is haunted

[rhinochopig]

deviant said:

siscar said:

If it wasn't for the neighbour I'd say ignoring it is the best action, it could be a call for attention which you give if you go downstairs. But the neighbour may not be willing to put up with that for the time it takes to work....

Thats exactly what it is. For some reason he is bored or lonely so barks. Even if he is being punished its still attention so he is not making the right links and stopping the behaviour.

Maybe have a word with the neighbour and say you know there is a problem but would they mind bearing with you for a while.

Does he have his own room downstairs? We fostered a dog for a while and he was a problem for a while but we managed to get him to settle by finding the right combination of closed and open doors and letting him have that territory at night.

Crates work quite well in that situation - we cover ours in an old blanket so it is nice and dark.

[Wildsea]

alan36 said:

. He sleeps for about 18 hours a day and I make sure he gets a good walk later at night in the faint hope it will tire him out to sleep through but to no avail.

Is there any chance you can stop him sleeping in the day???