Yap yap yap

[Feral007]

Shall I put a piccy of a brown and white kelpie then? He only howls when there is a ute ful of dogs going past, or some dog howling a kilometre or 10 away. He does bark tho.
My dogs do bark but we live in the country - when we moved here I was paranoid about our little barking dog - came from animal welfare and had a shocking barking habit. Little B@stard used to sit on a hill in the paddock and bark nonstop for a while. The kids informed me that he was barking at the barking dog across the road - I couldn't hear it over the noise of ours. He did settle down after he got used to the roo's, the cows, the horses. He never got used to the wombat.
I used a collar on him when we lived in the city. It gave a noise that they can hear but we can't and it isn't nice to hear. No shocks or anything like that. But he learned to stop barking when he was wearing it. Got a bit expensive in the country tho as I had to buy a new one everytime he took it swimming in the dam.
I've found that puppies will whinge a fair bit when they are alone for a week or two, and then usually settle.
We have two dogs, so they are never alone. They do spend all day alone when I'm working (parttime), but they go for huge runs on the fire trail except in snakey summer when it's just chasing the ball in the house yard (which is not small - just try mowing it to see.)
I must admit tho, that when there were burglaries around us we never got targeted. And our immediate neighbours either. So barking can have it's upside.
I would def. recommend playing the barking back at volume to give them a taste of their own!
Have you ever lived near a teenager learning to play a musical instrument? Trumpet? Electric guitar? OMG drums! Give me a barking dog anyday! Ali

[zazen999]

I must admit tho, that when there were burglaries around us we never got targeted. And our immediate neighbours either. So barking can have it's upside.

The howler house is the one that I caught burglers in the back yard just a couple of months ago...

[Headfry]

Zaz....get a cockerel!!!!

[Glutton4...]

The howler house is the one that I caught burglers in the back yard just a couple of months ago...

They don't need a guard-dog with you next door!

[Feral007]

I guess my dogs just look scarier as well. The gas man and the electricity meter reader are pretty scared of our younger dog. The Red dog barks more but then runs for cover. The girl puts the ruff up and looks like she means business. Never touched anyone, but you wouldn't want to take a chance. Ali

[VirginVegGrower]

The UPS man once tried to deliver to our house and I found him shaking at the bottom of the path. Our old postie always brings dog chews and they know if it's him. Two bottoms stand at the door, tails up, heads are cocked on the side, ears pricked, tails start wagging, chews are thrown through kitchen window if open. Letters get posted in a box on the wall. I've never had a door letter box since I've owned a dog.

[VirginVegGrower]

The howler house is the one that I caught burglers in the back yard just a couple of months ago...

But where was the dog? Not there I assume...

[Feral007]

Our red kelpie was barking up a storm one morning just after the kids left for the school bus. Having a bit of a sleep in I looks out and spies the Country Energy truck (electricity) and thinks to meself (b*gger the bill won't be far behind then) But I stayed put, they can read the meter on their own. Next the laundry door hits the wall and the kelpie flies into the bedroom and lands on the bed with an 'OMG mum - there's a MAN in the yard' look on his face. Big brave dog that he is (not). Of course, in my pj's and with bed hair there's no way I'm going out, man or no man Ali

[Glutton4...]

Now I'd have gone out. I'm MUCH more frightening in that state than ANY Dog!

[Feral007]

Now I'd have gone out. I'm MUCH more frightening in that state than ANY Dog!

Well, yes G4 I'm a pretty frightening too, that was the point.....if I'm after a man it won't be with bed hair lol.
Edited to add: Oh dear, hijacked the barking dog thread sorry

[OverWyreGrower]

About 2 weeks ago, 2 guys from the groundworks company came to collect a dumper truck we had on hire.

Completely ignoring the signs on the gate which say "Caution - Dogs Running Free" and "Watch Out - Boxers About"...

And completely ignoring the 12 stone of barking, growling, snapping, hackles-up Boxers on the other side, they came through the gate...

Cue me, rushing outside (I'd been putting shoes on) and finding 2 huge workmen cornered in my garden, absolutely bricking themselves, whilst Max and Murphy stood about 2ft away, barking and lunging, standing on their hind legs and 'boxing', for all they were worth, pretty pleased that they'd 'apprehended' the burglars....

You'd think that being able to see and hear dogs as they approached the fence/gate would have given them pause...

[its hilly]

I'm a fan of recording it all then playing it back at equal volume at some time when they are home being quiet, like weekend maybe. I feel sorry for the dog, but even as a lifelong dog owner I can't stand a constantly barking dog.
I was horrified when our neighbours daughter told us that Cass was howling when we were out. Then we asked another neighbour if she could hear her too. She told us that it wasn't when we were out, it was as we turned up the drive, and stopped when we got in. Phew.
We once had a bloke sneak over our wall to have a pee in the corner, I've never seen anyone move so fast as when we opened the door and 6 1/2 stone of german shepherd rocketed down the path with its hackles up..baying. I don't know if he ended up with wet trousers...but I bet they needed washing....

[VirginVegGrower]

About 2 weeks ago, 2 guys from the groundworks company came to collect a dumper truck we had on hire.

Completely ignoring the signs on the gate which say "Caution - Dogs Running Free" and "Watch Out - Boxers About"...

And completely ignoring the 12 stone of barking, growling, snapping, hackles-up Boxers on the other side, they came through the gate...

Cue me, rushing outside (I'd been putting shoes on) and finding 2 huge workmen cornered in my garden, absolutely bricking themselves, whilst Max and Murphy stood about 2ft away, barking and lunging, standing on their hind legs and 'boxing', for all they were worth, pretty pleased that they'd 'apprehended' the burglars....

You'd think that being able to see and hear dogs as they approached the fence/gate would have given them pause...

I used to have a five and a half stone solid muscle boxer called Henry, after Mr Cooper
He pulled me into a lamppost once and gave me a black eye and a busted arm...he saw a cat!
RIP Henny boy

[Two_Sheds]

I'm a fan of recording it all then playing it back at equal volume

As you know, I'm a fan of recording it and putting it on you tube

I was horrified ... that Cass was howling when we were out.

I started crate training Tink from day one, and left her in there regularly throughout the day (when I was in another room) because she would have to get used to being left alone for a few hours

It took only a couple of weeks, she got it really quickly. I've since left the camcorder on in her room while I've been at school, and she just goes to sleep now

[Hilary B]

Our dogs react to 'intruders', much more when we are around than otherwise (with 2, they keep each other company), their definition of 'intruder' can be rather broader than we like (such as 2 people talking as they walk past...). Fortunately our neighbours don't get upset about it.
When the weather gets hot, they HAVE to stay home, otherwise they spend a few hours in the car while we are working, get a run on the way home, and then doze in sight of us as we do computer stuff (some of which is part of work).