How do I train my beagles to bark less?

[Rosie]

I know it probably sounds like an oxy-moron "Beagles & barking less", but I have two beagle sisters that are 9 months old that love to bark. I have read book after book, but they don't seem to help with my problem. They bark when they play which is fine, but a lot of times they bark because they want me to go hang outside with them even if I've been with them all day. I know beagles love to be with their owners, but it can't be 24/7. They are fine when they don't think I am home, but if they see me they will yap for my attention. Is it wrong to go outside and hold their muzzle and say "No Barking" everytime?

[Dax]

There are several things you can try (for you & your neighbors)

1) get a supersoaker. When they bark spray them a stream right in the kisser and say NO BARKING!!

2) try an antibark collar which works whether you are around to see them or not

3) talk to your vet about removing their voice box (not all that expensive with few long term side effects)

Our german shepard barked at everything & everbody all day long, she howled when left alone, etc. We had the surgery done and she recovered fully in about a week. She could still bark but it lacked the volume that would make the neighbors crazy.

[Rosie]

Have you tried the super soaker method? Of the three ideas that sounded the best, but I wonder how effective it would be? I looked into the collars, but since I have two dogs the other would wrestle and chew the collar either breaking it our causing it to tighten ( which is why I can't put collars on my dogs if they are unattended). Lastly, I don't think I could de-bark them--it just sounds to cruel. I don't know if it is, but I don't think I could do it. Thanks a bunch for your ideas--maybe I will try the watergun unless I get some other ideas! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[dogluva_nz]

Is there any way you can have them in an area where they can't see you?
Do you completely ignore this behavior? And by ignore I mean, don't speak to them, don't even look at them.
The best thing to try is a citronella bark collar. It is more humane than electronic ones.
The other thing I would suggest is calling a dog behaviorist. They can see you with your dogs and assess the problem.
Nothing against you doglover. I don't know what your situation was with your German Shepherd but De-barking should be an absolute last resort.

[Dax]

The soaker didn't work for my shepard because we weren't home all day and she barked sometimes constantly.

The de-bark is actually very humane as it still lets them be dogs. They go thru all the motions and even still make noise it just doesn't have the volume. I thought the same thing before I had her done (ie. that I was mutilating her) It was about 12 years ago and the training collars back then weren't very good. If I had known, I would have done it sooner. We were at the point of having this done or getting rid of her. Some breeds have it breed into them to be noise makers. I listed them in order that I would try them but it is nice to know there is a fix if everything else fails.

My rotti cross actually learned to SPEAK from her and can make the same bark sound (no volume). After about a month she didn't even notice.

[ May 30, 2004, 10:10 AM: Message edited by: doglover ]

[sambucca/whiskey]

I dont know about debarking. So no coment. My dog LOVES water so that is out of the question, I just ordered the sonic sound portable unit to place in my apartment to keep my dog from barking when people go by. I will let you know how it works.

[dogluva_nz]

Doglover I realise that de-barking is humane. Like I had said nothing against you. However Rosies beagles are still young and I think there may be other underlying problems going by her other post under the dog training topic.
As a dog behaviorist I would suggest she find out whats going on before having these dogs go to the vet. If it comes down to losing the dog then I would suggest de-barking. I understand that you were just listing all ways of help. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Dax]

dogluva_nz, part of the "Beagle" problem is perhaps that there are two of them. You know how one gets the other going & so forth.

About T'Pau (My shepard) it was right at the time (12+ years ago). If to do over, I might try the training collars again.

[goombaya]

difficult problem..

IMO chronic barking is almost always associated with seperation anxiety. I dont think your situation descirbes that however. Particularly since its 2 dogs.

My opnion is that you'll need the ELECTRONIC bark collar, not the citronella spray collar. Couple of reasons why,

A) you need 2 and the citronella is more exspensive.

B) Citronella wont work.. here's why, almost all citronella spray collars are activated by a MIC not vibration (as the electronic collars are)

With a MIC when the bark is picked up the spray is released thus if EITHER dog barks - BOTH get correction.. with a vibration senser as in the electronic collars, if the dog barks it senses the vibration on its neck and administers the correction, so only the dog that barks receives the correction... hope i explained that well.

This is my humble understanding of how these devices work.

[erdog3]

Have you had both of your dogs from puppies, did they come together, or is one older?
Did they always bark, right from the beginning?
How much time do you actually spend with them?
Are they allowed inside, or near the house?
Do they have their own area (den)?
What stimulation do you provide for them?
All the things suggested are good ideas, but mainly involve cosmetic remedies, they don't actually solve the problem in a sense. Barking is always for a reason, if you find the reason, quite often you can fix the problem.