Barking at my wife....

Hey guys. Marley is progressing well and growing at 11 weeks. Quiet the confident lady. House breaking is going very well and we are sticking to her routine.

Only one hiccup... She barks at my wife. my wife absoulety adores marley. we dont understand why these barking spells. she vocalizes pretty good, with barks and growls. she is standing up straight, head not bowed and her tail has a nice loose wag to it. all will be fine with playing or just relaxing and then the braking and growling will kick in. my wife would be sitting next to me and its only directed to her. we live in a very modern open floor house, the only place where we can isolate her for a timeout is in her crate. i have told my wife to completely ignore her when she gets like that. i can see the disappointment in her face.

Also she doesnt really like to cuddle much anymore on the sofa with us, unless she is really sleepy.

Bacchus takes more liberties with my wife than with me. I think it could be the tone of voice, not sure. Also my wife doesn't log in to this forum so doesn't get the benefit of these guys' experience and tends to ask me to take over when he misbehaves. She is also not nearly firm enough which I think is the biggest problem. He tries to mount her a lot which would suggest he is trying to assert himself over her.

The cuddles will come. At the moment when Marley is awake there are soooo many distractions so she will tend to be either hyper or out for the count.

Ralph barks at me too. I just started ignoring the barking so he knows he won't get any attention by being mouthy! I stroke him when he stops.

He also dies listen to the OH more than me, as Rodger says it may be the tone, I don't know. Although, I am a bit if a soft touch where He is concerned. Ralph that is, not the OH.

thx guys and gals, i will tell my wife to hang in there. working on getting her more involved with feeding and walking etc. when she does feel like cuddling she heads straight to my wife lol. little stinker.

Getting her more involved in feeding, training and exercise will be a big help

I don't get any cuddles any more

Kuchar barks at me, especially in the evenings. It's play with me, give me treats, entertain me sort of barks. And he does it to me as my son just stares at the telly and barks back at him, so Kuchar knows that I will be the only one who will fulfill his needs. Which I do.

The only cuddles I get is when I go to bed at night, when I look a bit like Dave, only not as handsome!

Lynda wrote:
The only cuddles I get is when I go to bed at night, when I look a bit like Dave, only not as handsome!

I am the soft touch in the family. Dave says mayhem breaks out as soon as I walk in the door. Both dogs run to the treat cupboard and bark at me until they get their treats and Jasper my cat meows for England until he has been cuddled and fed. None of the animals do it when Dave or Liam walk in.

Wrapped around their little paws, I do think

Loki used to always bark/growl/cry at me because he wanted to misbehave. It goes, just her thinking she can get away with it with your wife. Get her more involved in everything if she isn't already. Also the cuddling will come. Loki used to never want any affection, he just wanted to bite, scratch, jump and play but now he adores it. Just that there's so much playfulness that sitting still seems out of the question until they're a bit older...except when they're tired.

Lately Honey has been doing this to me often in the middle of a play session with my husband and I. She will then bite my clothing. I have tried ignoring, yelping, walking away and confronting her- walking towards her and saying no! In a deep voice. She sometimes listens but most of the time does not. I do everything for her- walk, bath, feed, take her out to toilet and she spends most of her time with me?? Any ideas????

Nici, I think Honey has you as her substitute Mum! Like Kuchar has with me. And mums are the first place babies run to when things get a bit much for them.

I'm sticking my neck out here, but if Honey has had enough of the play session with you and your husband, and is very possibly over-excited at the same time, she just may run to you as her "mum" to take over the situation.

How old is she now?

Hi Lynda,

Thanks for replying! She is 15 weeks yesterday! She is getting big and certainly testing the boundaries. I hope your right and if we keep "yelping, ignoring" and worst comes to worst putting her outside for 1 minute time out. She will soon get the message that this is not how we play. Your pup is very cute by the way- more photos please

Ah thanks Nici! Kuchar was certainly a cute little puppy but he's bigger now and I really ought to take some photos and change my avatar, but I'm rubbish at taking photos.

Honey's still young enough for the yelping/ignoring ploy to work, although I found that as Kuchar got older (he's now nearly 13months now) it doesn't work so well. The nipping has lessened (when he does it now he is definitely wanting a good old rough and tumble play) but the barking for attention continues, so now (if I cannot indulge him for more treats or play) I ignore him totally and he is now learning that I mean it and will lie down.

This has just been my experience and all dogs are different.

Good luck with Honey (what a good name for her, the colour of honey and she IS a honey)

Thank you again- great advice. We have been ignoring her for 30 secs to 1 minute and it really works and she settles. That is after a good play session. Good luck and thanks again