Bark Worse Than Bite?

[mrdreamjeans]

I’m being a bit facetious. Of course, a dog’s bite is worse than its bark. But after the past few days, I can tell you that a dog’s bark is annoying ... teeth grating ... when it starts daily at 6am and goes on continuously for three hours ...

Our dog Dixie is 14 years old ... an all American mutt, a mix of Golden Retriever and Chow. She has always been an outside dog, lovingly cared for, but not in the house. (It’s not an option with my Mom.) She’s beginning to lose her hearing and some of her eyesight. She’s got the best personality you can imagine, but recently she’s begun this early morning ritual of incessant barking.

I’ve been getting up at 7am, giving her a morning bone, a bit of lovin’ and filling up her water bowls. She has a large fenced-in yard, shelter from the sun, a cozy house to snooze in or retreat from the rain. Seconds after she finishes the bone, the barking recommences. With my Dad needing rest to recover from his heart attack and Mom requiring extra rest to handle the pace of the care-giving, the barking has to stop. My folks’ bedroom is on the back of the house right above Dixie’s yard. Her bark is so loud, she might as well be in the room with them.

Dixie has always barked at white trucks. Her surprisingly low, butch bark has been aimed at the donkeys in the pasture backing up to ours; people walking past on the road; and at the skunk family living in the adjacent acre. I have studied how to make her stop. I don’t yell at her. I’m not going to hit her. I speak firmly and make eye contact with her. Today, when all else failed, I brought her into the basement and kept her in until Mom and Dad were up. My instincts tell me that she is acting out ... that she recognizes that something has happened to Dad. I’d like to think the barking is her way of showing us she’s protecting us, that she’s still on duty, tilting at windmills. But again, we’ve got to change the behavior.

I know that I have a lot of animal lovers on my friends list. I’d like to ask for advice. Am I missing the mark when it comes to stopping Dixie’s bad habit? What would you do? We are trying our best to give her the same level of attention she had prior to Dad’s heart attack and strokes. Anyone have a suggestion as to how to curtail her barking? It only happens in the early morning and at dusk. We need sleep.

Comments

[tdjohnsn.livejournal.com]

Well, the first step is taking Dixie to the vet for a check up. She is at the age where her sight and hearing are starting to go, so that is going to cause a lot of anxiety for her. Old dogs start getting really jumpy as their senses start to go, or there may be some other old dog medical condition that is keeping her on edge. Making sure there isn't some sort of physical or mental change that is causing the barking is pretty important at her age.

With your dad sick, she is probably mistakenly believing that she is in charge now, which puts a lot of pressure on her. Doing some obedience training (not because she is generally poorly behaved, but so you can assert your self as the new Alpha) will probably help, as will taking her places for walks and stuff. Anything where you can let her know you are in charge.

You have to be careful about giving her a bone while she is barking. She is likely to see that as a reward for guarding the property. Make sure she does a trick, (preferably something like rolling over that makes her vulnerable and therefor you in the dominate role) before she gets the bone so there is a direct behavior and reward relationship.

There are collars that give a small shock when the dog barks, as well as techniques with cans of rocks (the loud noise startles them), but it sounds more like anxiety from both her own and your dads old age more than anything else. The vet might be able to prescribe a mild anti-anxiety drug for her as well, but giving her a strong leader in her old age will help the most.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

What wonderful advice! I have been careful not to reward her for the barking. The bone doesn't come till that behavior is at a standstill. Since I wrote this, I've taken Dixie upstairs and out to the front porch for Dad to pet her, then took her for a long walk. She seems to be enjoying it. I've spoken to my folks about taking Dixie to the vet. Thanks so much!

[detailbear.livejournal.com]

Dawn and dusk? I'd be getting her vision checked. If she's losing her sight, she may be barking at normal daytime sounds but think that it's nighttime.

Agree with Troy, that the bone needs to be given for another behaviour than barking. Preferrably for stopping the barking if you can. Also, your Dad isn't an early riser, is he? If Dixie's used to seeing him early in the morning and then again at nightfall "checking" the house, she may be worried he isn't doing his job.

If you can handle it for a while, maybe get up before the barking starts and take her for a walk, if you're able to go back to bed when you return. If she's reluctant to go, she's probably guarding excessively. If she's thrilled to go, she may be feeling a lack of attention. Asserting yourself as the new Alpha should help.

If your Dad isn't getting out to see Dixie much, is there an old piece of clothing of his she can sleep with? Familiar smells can help calm a dog down, too.

Hope you get a good solution soon.

HUGS.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Asserting myself in the proper manner is the key. My Dad was always an early riser. Even before the stroke and subsequent heart attack, he wasn't negotiating the stairs to the basement well. I took over the activity just because it was easier on everyone. I've taken over making breakfasts for both parents and other tasks in the morning. I'm going to bed about 9:30pm ... (I"m used to going to bed at 1am:)

I do believe that Dixie's having some vision loss. (We knew about the hearing for a couple of years.) I've noticed that she cringes when you reach to pet her sometimes. None of us ever hits her, so she must not see the hand coming. She's due for a checkup next month. As I said in my previous comment, I've been taking her for walks in the evening toward sunset. She seems to be really happy about that.

Thanks for the caring advice. HUGS!

[bearfaced.livejournal.com]

Reading this advice just reminds me how great the LJ community is, I mean where else would you get such excellent suggestions?

I'm sorry I can't add more but then I don't think I need to!

[abearius.livejournal.com]

I had the same reaction. Animals are like us more than they are different from us.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Some animals more than others ... like bears? *grin*

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I completely agree. I knew I'd get some terrific advice and I have.

[perkk.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear Dixie is being difficult. Dogs often need to be given instructions. Not just sit & stay, but approval. If faced with new stresses, like your father being ill, she may need additional attention, both to reassure and to guide her. It should be important to make clear the behaviors you do and do not want.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

She isn't really being difficult. Like Gwen, she's a sweetie! However, she's out in a big yard with a metal fence where she can see for a mile (If she can); there's a lot of stimuli. I don't want to discourage her from reacting to legitimate threats like the skunks or coyotes, just try to curtail her early morning barking at the imaginary.

I want to be clear that I haven't been giving her a bone to shut her up. A bone is part of her routine. I wait until she's silent ... get her attention ... talk to her a bit and pet her. Then when she's divorced from the barking, I give her a bone. It's gotten better in the past couple of days. I've been varying the routine and taking her for walks at dusk, making sure she sees Dad in the evening, so that she knows he's around.

How's the roofing going in the heat you've been having? Hugs, my friend ...