Is there anything I can do to train a crazy blue healer that snarls and barks at me everytime I go out my gate? I cannot enjoy my side yard at all and the old lady who owns him doesn't seem overly concerned. After a few incessant minutes she'll call him in...but by then I am a basket case. I have never done anything to make this dog this way, and my dog doesn't bark at all. I tried to feed him a dog treat, but he snarled and growled the whole time. I don't want to make him think his crazy barking and snarling are reasons for reward. Does anyone have any solution? She has two of them, the other is totally feral, will not even come to her when called, but I think he is only following the other dogs lead. HELP!
neighbor's vicious barking dog making me crazy
- Thread starter Jacey
- Start date
I would toss treats over the fence as you walk by anyhow, even there is snarling and barking. You stand a good chance of making a positive association of yourself to this dog. I don't think he's too aware of his own behavior to connect anytime soon, the treats as a reward for his behavior of barking/snarling specifically. He's doing all kinds of other behaviors too and it will take a while for him to rule out this one behavior and make a reward connection. He's just hardwired this way...to react, bark and snarl. It's pretty automatic and instinctive. Talk in a sweet voice if he can't see you....let him know that you're not some unknown, scary thing. You might even hang around close to the fence and weed your garden or something to let him get more habituated to your presence, all the while, frequently for now, throwing treats over the fence. (as long as you're safe.) How tall and how strong is the fence? Don't reach your hand over it or anything....as I'm sure I don't need to say. lol. Over time, he may get so he's more accepting of your presence and less reactive as he gets use to you.
You could toss a handful of treats as you pass, don't give them to him directly, just throw them through and move on. He'll know you threw them and once you're far enough he'll probably eat them. Eventually I think it'd sink in that you walk by and give treats, YAY! But you never know, he might still bark. There is also the possibility that this would upset your neighbor, she might not like you giving food to her dog so you might want to keep this in mind.
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2011
- Messages
- 8
- Likes
- 0
- Points
- 0
Personally, if I found out someone was tossing dog treats over at my dogs I would get a little irritated. Like I don't give my dogs just any treats they get a special kind so it could cause some serious stomach upset.
Not that the dog snarling etc is okay! But what I would do is talk to your neighbor and see if it was okay for you to maybe meet the dog (if its safe) and ask permission about throwing treats over the fence.
Just make sure the dogs owner is at least aware of what is going on before you do anything
Not that the dog snarling etc is okay! But what I would do is talk to your neighbor and see if it was okay for you to maybe meet the dog (if its safe) and ask permission about throwing treats over the fence.
Just make sure the dogs owner is at least aware of what is going on before you do anything
Sorry..it took awhile for me to find my own post! Appreciate all your comments. Yes, it's been years. This lady is ok with the treats. I ask her if she could maybe be alittle bit proactive towards peace, that maybe he would stop his behaviour if she could help some. She just said, FAT CHANCE..not sure if she meant FAT CHANCE she'd try to help, or FAT CHANCE it would do any good. This dog is really crazy. Both of these dogs were feral and running thru our back pastures..(we now have cattle panel fencing between us)..My dog took off after them, but I broke it up, thinking the healer belonged to another neighbor and I'm always trying to keep the peace. Believe it or not, this lady actually knew about the incident between my dog and these wild ones, and she goes an adopts them both. The other one was pregant and wild, and she had several feral pups, that could never be tamed. All but one got hit by a car. Several years ago she had so many packed up that they killed my goat. I demanded she tie them all up or I would have them put down. Now she just lets them run and do whatever..she even denies that her dogs killed my goat. For the sake of peace in the valley I have chosen the path of least resistance...but now I need this to stop. Like I said, she is old, from another country, and who knows..maybe she's the one needs the training