We have a 3 year old Bernese Mountain Dog. Very sweet, great personality. Fairly well trained with basic commands. (Sit, down, stay, come, shake, and speak) VERY, VERY treat motivated.
Here is the issue: often at night, we go to the basement (or sometimes to the den) to watch T.V. In the past, we used to grab a treat or two to take it down with us to give to the dog. For some time now, when we go downstairs the dog runs down with us. But after a few minutes, he will look at us and start barking, as if he is demanding his treats. We think he recognizes a pattern-- "my parents are sitting down together, I get a chance to do a sit, down, shake, or speak to get a couple of treats." He will continue barking like this for some time. He is not grasping/ and or choosing to follow the "quite" command at all.
I have tried saying "quite" and then petting him and saying "good boy" when he stops. But invariably, he starts barking again right away, as if he simply does not understand the command, or does not wish to comply. If I have a treat in hand, he will sit very quitely, staring at me intently until I give him the treat. Since he isn't barking, I can't tell him "quite" and then reward the correct behavior. The "speak" command only gets on little "woof"-- not a continual barking where I can then tell him to be quite. When he gets really mouthy, I will give him a "down" comand. That usually quites him up for a bit, but five minutes or so later, we start getting the forlorn bark or whine ("I want a treat. Why doesn't anyone love me?"), which then breaks out in to full blown barking (I WANT MY TREATS!!) When this happens, I will sometimes lead him out of the room and shut the door. He will flop down on the floor and is quite then. But I don't want him out of the room; I want him inside with us being quite.
He is not a barky dog at all in other situations. He does not bark at other dogs, strangers, at anything out the window, or even at strange sounds. It is just when he gets in this "Give me my treat!" mode that he barks. I don't mind giving him a few treats, but I don't like the idea that he expects the treats.
Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.
Here is the issue: often at night, we go to the basement (or sometimes to the den) to watch T.V. In the past, we used to grab a treat or two to take it down with us to give to the dog. For some time now, when we go downstairs the dog runs down with us. But after a few minutes, he will look at us and start barking, as if he is demanding his treats. We think he recognizes a pattern-- "my parents are sitting down together, I get a chance to do a sit, down, shake, or speak to get a couple of treats." He will continue barking like this for some time. He is not grasping/ and or choosing to follow the "quite" command at all.
I have tried saying "quite" and then petting him and saying "good boy" when he stops. But invariably, he starts barking again right away, as if he simply does not understand the command, or does not wish to comply. If I have a treat in hand, he will sit very quitely, staring at me intently until I give him the treat. Since he isn't barking, I can't tell him "quite" and then reward the correct behavior. The "speak" command only gets on little "woof"-- not a continual barking where I can then tell him to be quite. When he gets really mouthy, I will give him a "down" comand. That usually quites him up for a bit, but five minutes or so later, we start getting the forlorn bark or whine ("I want a treat. Why doesn't anyone love me?"), which then breaks out in to full blown barking (I WANT MY TREATS!!) When this happens, I will sometimes lead him out of the room and shut the door. He will flop down on the floor and is quite then. But I don't want him out of the room; I want him inside with us being quite.
He is not a barky dog at all in other situations. He does not bark at other dogs, strangers, at anything out the window, or even at strange sounds. It is just when he gets in this "Give me my treat!" mode that he barks. I don't mind giving him a few treats, but I don't like the idea that he expects the treats.
Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.
