Barking

Hi can anyone help me with my nearly 2 year old staff, he is the most loving dog i have ever known and dont want people thinking he is vicious just because of his breed. When we are out walking or in the car he barks at other dogs and people and its not just a soft bark lol. Has anyone got any advise on how i can stop this pleeeaaassseee. xxx

The easiest way to tackle this normally (provided it's excitement rather than aggression) is to teach the 'watch' command.

Hold a treat in front of your face & as soon as he looks at you say "watch" and give him the treat. After a while say "watch" before you hold the treat up & if he looks, treat him. If he doesn't, don't worry, go back tithe beginning.

Then try it outside, without distractions. Once he's doing it outside, try saying "watch" when houses a dog. Keep on until he associates seeing a dog with "watch". He should hopefully then look at you rather than bark at the dog.

Thank you i will try this

You could also teach him to bark on command and then teach him quiet.

jstaff wrote:You could also teach him to bark on command and then teach him quiet.

Just what I was going to suggest, thats what I started doing with Ledger at training school now when we have eye contact and I touch my ear he will bark still working on the stopping when he instigates the bark although thats my fault for letting the training fall away after we stopped going to the classes