I'm at the end of rope, and in tears. (Long, but please read if you have time)

[4dogs3cats]

I can't take this anymore.

Kody barks and howls NON STOP.

Disclaimer: I KNOW he is a beagle and I KNOW beagles like to bark. I KNOW he needs to get out more. I have tried this.

The only time he doesnt care if a dog walks past our window is if he had just spent 3 hours at the dog park and is out cold. I just dont have that kind of time every day.

He is wearing a bark collar right now, and every time he barks, he follows it with a yelp and it's breaking my heart. But I can't get any complaints. My parents live across the street and 2 houses down and THEY can hear him from their house.

Luckilly he picked up on the collar, and isn't barking currently. But I just feel so mean.

I had him and Chance on tie outs attached to my cars tire while me and my dad were out front weed wacking.

A 10 year old kid walked by with his dog across the street and Kody went NUTS into a barking fit (pre collar.)

I grabbed him and tossed him in the house, and as I turn around, Chance had SNAPPED the line he was on and was halfway across the street barking running towards this 10 year old boy and his dog. Luckily when he got there, I grabbed him, and the dogs actually started sniffing and playing. The boy and his dog were fine, I stayed with him for a few minutes, just to make sure he wasnt traumatized.

I feel like I am in over my head with these two. Now I was just sick for a full week in bed, so they are under exercised at the moment.

I just dont know how to get Kody to stop barking all the time. I spend time with him working on it too. I sit by the front door, with just the security screen closed. If I see a dog, I put Kody in a sit, and I tell him to stay and if he starts to get worked up I calm him down.

But even just sitting there, with No dogs walking by or anywhere in sight, he sits, and he shakes and he whines. He is ALWAYS high strung. And he doesnt have the low pitched beagle howl. Its high pitched, its screechy, and his "voice" breaks and stuff during it. Its really the most annoying beagle bark ever, lol.

Does anyone have any ideas I can try. He, unfortunately cannot be crated, because he shakes violently and barks NON STOP if hes in a crate. The other 2 get crated when I leave.

I am desperate.

 

[bubbatd]

Feel for you ! Have never been in that situation and hope someone here helps you .

 

[4dogs3cats]

Feel for you ! Have never been in that situation and hope someone here helps you .

Thanks. Its just so hard because at times he does so well. I think I need Victoria Stillwell, lol.

Like right now, they are all asleep in the living room. He just has his moments.

 

[PoodleMommy]

Does he have an anxiety problem? This is what it sounds like from your description, the shaking, whining, etc. You could try asking the doctor about medicine for him.

 

[4dogs3cats]

Does he have an anxiety problem? This is what it sounds like from your description, the shaking, whining, etc. You could try asking the doctor about medicine for him.

Thats what I am thinking. Im crying just writing about it.

This. This people, is why you dont buy a dog from a BYB. If anyone needs a reason, come see Kody.

He just... I can really describe it. I feel like he has SA, and a general anxiety issue.

I just cant imagine him being on meds for the rest of his life.

And I know this is selfish, but my sister in law has NEVER taken her lab mix or chi for a walk, or anything. They never play with them, and the dogs are nice and calm and docile. They dont eat her couches, they dont chase little kids. They just... coexist.

 

[Fran101]

Have you tried talking to your vet? there may be an anxiety med you can give him, some kind of sedative.. so atleast when you leave he doesnt disrupt the neighbors and cause a mess..

I can hear your pain just reading that. I hate to say this but if its really that much of a problem you may want to look into de-barking surgery. I dont usually approve of that kind of thing, but if your at the end of the rope im sure kody would rather lose his bark then his home..

 

[Brattina88]

Poor you, and poor Kody. I'm sorry your going through a rough time (((((hugs))))))

Don't feel too bad about the collar. While its not many's favorite method of choice I, for one, very much prefer that to the dog being homeless. And I know that for some, its just that... not a choice.

I might not hurt to get a vet check-up. Just in case there is an underlying health issue feeding into the anxiety. I know some in the rescue who've had really good results with products like rescue remedy, or essential oils. Or even light therapy.

And I feel ya! I know with our PITA dog (no names, no names LOL) he can walk for over an our, or run at the park, and STILL be a pita. Sometimes a metal work out (puppy push ups, hide and seek games, puzzle cubes) are more useful in wearing him out

 

[4dogs3cats]

Have you tried talking to your vet? there may be an anxiety med you can give him, some kind of sedative.. so atleast when you leave he doesnt disrupt the neighbors and cause a mess..

I can hear your pain just reading that. I hate to say this but if its really that much of a problem you may want to look into de-barking surgery. I dont usually approve of that kind of thing, but if your at the end of the rope im sure kody would rather lose his bark then his home..

This would have to be the final resort. I just feel like taking a beagles bark is like taking... he very core of what makes him a beagle, ya know? I feel the same way you do about it.

I had talked to a vet before when I lived in an apartment and he would bark 24/7 regardless of how much we hiked or ran that day. The vet at that time diagnosed him with OCD, and said we'd have to do bloodwork before we could get him on any meds.

Does anyone know of a really good herbal suppliment I can give him or something I can like.. plug into the wall to calm him down? One that works.

 

[Pam111]

This would have to be the final resort. I just feel like taking a beagles bark is like taking... he very core of what makes him a beagle, ya know? I feel the same way you do about it.

I had talked to a vet before when I lived in an apartment and he would bark 24/7 regardless of how much we hiked or ran that day. The vet at that time diagnosed him with OCD, and said we'd have to do bloodwork before we could get him on any meds.

Does anyone know of a really good herbal suppliment I can give him or something I can like.. plug into the wall to calm him down? One that works.

Some people hve success with REscue remedy. I've never personally used it.
Good luck!

 

[4dogs3cats]

Poor you, and poor Kody. I'm sorry your going through a rough time (((((hugs))))))

Don't feel too bad about the collar. While its not many's favorite method of choice I, for one, very much prefer that to the dog being homeless. And I know that for some, its just that... not a choice.

I might not hurt to get a vet check-up. Just in case there is an underlying health issue feeding into the anxiety. I know some in the rescue who've had really good results with products like rescue remedy, or essential oils. Or even light therapy.

And I feel ya! I know with our PITA dog (no names, no names LOL) he can walk for over an our, or run at the park, and STILL be a pita. Sometimes a metal work out (puppy push ups, hide and seek games, puzzle cubes) are more useful in wearing him out

ah you posted same time I did. Rescue remedy. I have heard of that. What do I do with it? When I get my tax return I think I might take him in for a checkup.

The thing with the collar, is he has had it on now for an hour, and he isnt barking. The problem I had with it last time was he got into a howling FIT, and the collar I have auto shocks when they bark, and theres 6 levels. So he zapped it up to level 6 in a matter of seconds, and then was crying out in so much pain it KEPT shocking him. It broke my heart and I RIPPED the thing off of him, and I do think it traumatized him a little bit. But if the alternative is him being homeless, I'd rather he be a little scared of the collar. I make up for it by showering him with love and affection.

 

[4dogs3cats]

Some people hve success with REscue remedy. I've never personally used it.
Good luck!

I just looked it up online and its like 10 bucks. Im calling petsmart right now to see if they carry it.

Im excited to try this!

 

[lizzybeth727]

And I know this is selfish, but my sister in law has NEVER taken her lab mix or chi for a walk, or anything. They never play with them, and the dogs are nice and calm and docile. They dont eat her couches, they dont chase little kids. They just... coexist.

Some dogs are like this, some dogs are like Kody. Some people are olympic athletes, some people are happy to sit on the couch all day. The bright side here is that you've learned from your past and will be able to make a better choice next time you get a dog.

I just dont know how to get Kody to stop barking all the time. I spend time with him working on it too. I sit by the front door, with just the security screen closed. If I see a dog, I put Kody in a sit, and I tell him to stay and if he starts to get worked up I calm him down.

A LOT of people use this method - when dog is emotionally worked up, put him in a sit-stay - and frankly I have no idea who started it but I'd love to chew him out. If dogs are scared/nervous/anxious, putting them in a stationary position is only going to frustrate them, because they feel trapped.... it will probably also frustrate you because they will break the stay and ruin all of the good training you've done up to that point.

Have you read "Click to Calm"? There's also another one called "Chill Out, Fido! - How to Calm Your Dog" which I think will be excellent for you to use with Kody.

ETA: I really believe strongly that drugs should be used as a last resort. Often we (including myself, for sure!) think that we've tried "everything" to solve a problem, but the fact is we've only tried everything that we know to do. Before going to your vet you should at least consult with a behaviorist to see if there is a behavior modification protocol that would work.

 

[lizzybeth727]

I just looked it up online and its like 10 bucks. Im calling petsmart right now to see if they carry it.

They don't.

 

[4dogs3cats]

Some dogs are like this, some dogs are like Kody. Some people are olympic athletes, some people are happy to sit on the couch all day. The bright side here is that you've learned from your past and will be able to make a better choice next time you get a dog.

The thing about it though is that beagle are my breed. I love them. I do love Kody, with all my heart and soul. I really do. But I just am at my wits end with him being so crazy all the time.

A LOT of people use this method - when dog is emotionally worked up, put him in a sit-stay - and frankly I have no idea who started it but I'd love to chew him out. If dogs are scared/nervous/anxious, putting them in a stationary position is only going to frustrate them, because they feel trapped.... it will probably also frustrate you because they will break the stay and ruin all of the good training you've done up to that point.

Have you read "Click to Calm"? There's also another one called "Chill Out, Fido! - How to Calm Your Dog" which I think will be excellent for you to use with Kody.

That makes sense. I'll look into that book. And no I havent learned about clock to calm. Kody is clicker trained. But its just like tricks basically. He sits, begs, rolls over, asks, crawls. That stuff. He is a very smart dog, and he is already good with the clicker, so maybe this will help!

 

[4dogs3cats]

They don't.

haha thats what they said. they carry "pet ease" though. Is that comparable to pick up until I get the rescue remedy shipped?

 

[darkchild16]

try a health food store. I know the one I worked at carried it. Its made by Bachs. You can buy it in human form to and it works for dogs just give less.

 

[lizzybeth727]

The thing about it though is that beagle are my breed. I love them. I do love Kody, with all my heart and soul. I really do. But I just am at my wits end with him being so crazy all the time.

Yeah, but not even all dogs of the same breed are the same. My friend - a professional trainer - has a manchester terrier - a breed known for being brave and "tough" - which she got from an excellent breeder. This dog, even 4 years later, has more fear issues than I can even count... and she's better now than she used to be. My friend is a huge believer in +R/clicker training, and the dog has always been trained like this; my friend is also very good at counter-conditioning/desensetization training and has always worked through the dog's issues using these methods.... But the dog is still extremely insecure. :dunno:

haha thats what they said. they carry "pet ease" though. Is that comparable to pick up until I get the rescue remedy shipped?

It's kind of a watered-down version. It might work, though, probably better than nothing.

 

[Artfish]

If Kody is dog-sociable, maybe doggy daycare several times a week will help him release some of his energies. It might be worth looking into. For some dogs it doesn't help, for others it makes a huge difference. Good luck, we have an extremely annoying barker in the family and every day I thank my lucky stars that that beagle doesn't live with me!

 

[Maxy24]

You can do some "look at that" work with the clicker. first start using the clicker again so he remembers what it means (TREATS are coming) and then start using it for training. Go in your doorway like you were before and click the second he sees the person/dog. Then give a treat. Again as soon as he looks click and treat. Clicking should make him look away because he wants to look at you for his treat. If he barks close the door or remove him by his leash. The goal however is to prevent the barking so you can break the habit and reward quiet as much as possible. If he cannot stand to be quiet the whole time the person is walking by simply click two or three times and then close the door so you end the stimulus before he gets worked up.

Using this method does have a downside, the dog must be prevented from seeing the stimulus that causes barking until training is advanced/complete unless you are training. Otherwise any good behavior will go unnoticed and he'll start barking which will undo the training.

To be honestly I'd rather see a dog be de-barked than repeatedly shocked by one of those collars, like you said Beagles like to bark, a de-barked dog can do that as much as he wants, it just won't bother anybody. Obviously surgery should be more of a last resort but I couldn't do the shocking thing, surgery would come first for me, after training, relaxation techniques and medication. But that is just me, everyone feels differently, I know you are just trying to do what you think is best and are running out of options. I wish you luck and hope you can find a way to stop the barking before it gets you and Kody in trouble.

 

[elegy]

another option you could try is melatonin. it didn't work for my storm phobic dog, but other people have had good success with it. it's a human supplement so available at a regular health food store. usual dose is 3mg for a 35-100 pound dog, 1.5 mg for a smaller dog.