help to stop barking

hi all, we have a slight problem with roo barking at every slight bang, or when people walk past house or the sound of a car starting or door been shut, this happens while we are in the front room with her, she is a nervous dog due to a bad past, but we really need to stop this or at least try, when we go out she is shut in the kitchen and the same when we go to bed, but when shes got the full run of all down staires she barks at every noise (even at her own farts hahahaha ) so can any body suggest any thing she never barks at night thanks for any info

The easiest (!) way to stop a dog barking is to teach it to bark on command!

When she barks, stay calm, get some treats & say "speak". Then, offer the treat but don't give it to her yet. When she stops barking to look at the treat, say "stop" or whatever woed you want to use, tell her good girl & give her the treat & calm praise. You'll need to do this A LOT before she'll catch on, but it'll work eventually, so that when you say "stop" she will. You have to stay calm, though, or you'll feed her insecurities.

If you can do this during the day, it may make her less nervous overall & it'll help at night. If she barks at night, keep some treats handy so you know where they are and follow the above, it'll just mean you have to get up a few times a night. Once she's caught on, you should be able to shout "stop" from your room, and she'll do it.

That's the theory, anyway!

ok caryll I have to admit your good with the doggies! I have always taught the dogs i have owned to say please, tell me you love me etc.... neverr really thought about a double negative in regards to teaching a dog not to bark.

I have always taught the dogs i've owned to say please, tell me you love me etc... However although i've never had this problem I can see how this reversed method of training should work well. Good advice.
I did not mean to make twwo seprete comments. appoligies..

I wish Max would bark more he only barks when I hold his food bowl for a second too long!

thanks for that advice its great i will give it a good go with her, i think she barks down to nervousness due to her past, but we want to stop her barking at every single bang, its not a problem her doing it when someone knocks at the door, its just when people walk past or she hears people talking outside etc etc and cars starting up or people closing car doors

My Mia(borjack) is the same, she only barks because the mutts across the street bark, i tell her to shut up but as she's like her Mum- a stubborn bitch she doesn't listen and then sets Harley off, he has a really loud deep bark(most of the time he barks in my ears). So what i do is use "duck" on them, it's a duck caller. Or sometimes i use "squanta"(her squeaky santa toy) that usually has her come running and she takes her baby instead and shuts up, until the mutts across the street start again.

Do u have a high secure fence that your staffy can't see out of? We do and i think that's half Mia's problem as she can't see what she's barking at.

HazelJ wrote:My Mia(borjack) is the same, she only barks because the mutts across the street bark, i tell her to shut up but as she's like her Mum- a stubborn bitch she doesn't listen and then sets Harley off, he has a really loud deep bark(most of the time he barks in my ears). So what i do is use "duck" on them, it's a duck caller. Or sometimes i use "squanta"(her squeaky santa toy) that usually has her come running and she takes her baby instead and shuts up, until the mutts across the street start again.

Do u have a high secure fence that your staffy can't see out of? We do and i think that's half Mia's problem as she can't see what she's barking at.

hi, yeah we do have a high secure fence out in our back yard that she cant see over, and when shes out back she just seems to bark when she hears any thing or one going up or down lane,but the worst of the barking is mainly in the front room when shes in and can hear things out side, but saying that shes not been too bad today