Any suggestions -- barking "problem"..

[Muggie'sMum]

Morrie is 11 months old and we are currently in our third level of agility training. He is incredibly intelligent, he picks up things likethat - there doesn't seem to be any sense of "learning" for him - one day I am asking him to do something and he can't, and the next day he does, just like that. I really couldn't ask for more... but we do have one minor annoyance.

He gets very agitated if I am not focusing on him 100% - not out on the field, but when we are standing around, getting direction from our teacher, he will bark and whine at the end of the leash until I pay attention to him. It's not a real PROBLEM, it's just slightly disruptive, and I get distracted and miss most of the things the teacher is saying.

To reprimand him is giving him exactly what he wants -- attention, but if I let him bark, it gets other dogs in the class started. Help!

 

[Delisay]

MM, there's lots of great barking advice here:

http://www.barkingdogs.net/detailedexplainhead.shtml

Delisay

 

[sam]

Pop him in a crate when he barks at you- he is being rude and demanding and like you said if you ackowledge him at that point you a reinforcing the barking. Let him out when your ready to work him. It's good to fix this now because the more excited and intense they get about agility the worse it gets. If he barks in the crate, cover it. He will learn really fast if you are consistent and have good timing- and like you say- he picks things up quickly.

Have you read Shaping Success by Susan Garrett? She talks about barking- it's also probably one of the best agility books ever written.
BTW - be careful how much agility you are doing at this point your dog shouldn't be doing jumping or weaves until his/her growth plates are closed after a year or so.

 

[cindr]

My dog does the same thing. She just has to be noticed and to do that she vocals herself. So what I do with her is get her in a sit position and or a down position give her the command and if she carries on. State RUDE. The dog looks at me and goes. OOOPsie Okay mom done. It is in the attitude that you use to your commands. Do not yell and or say stop it. Its NO Rude. Done deal Good luck

 

[Muggie'sMum]

Sam, I am not sure that it would be possible for me to put him in a crate, since we are just milling around in our class for five-ish minutes max getting instruction before we apply things, and it happens 5-10 times per class, so will talk to my instructor and see what she has to say. He is almost always in a sit or down when he does it, no jumping up or otherwise trying to get my attention.

Also, Sam we're not doing any *real* weaves, just two by two training (giving a "go through" command through poles that will eventually be turned), and jumping six-ish inches (he's 19" and almost a year old) occasionally - not through the whole session, lots of contact work, etc - don't worry, my trainers have been very strict about what he may and may not do.

 

[Muggie'sMum]

... I understand WHY he's barking just not sure what to do about it.