# Mal Puppy Won't Stop Barking



## Jen Houser

Hi everyone. I have an 11-week-old Belgium Malinois that has a tendency to bark at _everything_. And I mean everything. He is perfectly friendly with people and other dogs once they get close enough, but he usually scares most people away by excessive barking. I constantly have to let people know he is only a puppy (and a friendly one at that). At first I though he was being protective of me (and sometimes he is), but now that I can tell the difference between his barks, I know this isn’t just him being protective. Do any of you have tips on how to train him to distinguish the difference between barking at a threat and being behaved at non-threats? I’m not sure if this is just a puppy phase or not. He also barks at inanimate objects, which seems mostly like a fear thing and once he sniffs it out, he is OK. I just don’t want him to go ballistic at people and other dogs. I have tried distracting him with treats, making him sit (which he does perfectly while still barking like a crazy puppy), and reassuring him. Any help you could give me would be appreciated!


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## Chris Michalek

that's what they do. I've had rotties for the past 17 years and got my first mali on election day. Rotties are mostly silent and this pup will bark for hours on end. 

When I bring him to training he'll bark for 3-4 hours non-stop. The pup is almost 5mo old now and I think the Rotts have had an affect on his barking. He's still a nut but doesn't bark like he did during the first few weeks.

While in the house, he's learned that nothing good happens when he barks. He never gets let out of his crate for excessive barking and since we've been doing that he rarely barks in his crate.

He still drives me crazy because almost every night he barks at little sounds in the house. If one of the other loose dog walks the house and the puppy hears the clicking of the nails on the hardwood floors then he goes off.

My pup barks at everything, flys on the wall, balls that stop moving, the other dogs, his empty food dish, holes in the ground. I believe Malinois are nuts and just deal with it, as long as his hits hard and bites, I don't care.


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## Anna Kasho

What's his overall demeanor and body language when barking? 

I can't say my two mals were constant barking. Cyko used to light up at things he thought threatening, and complain when he couldn't get to me (or whatever else he wanted). He pretty much outgew it. Havoc used to complain when I passed him up to walk or train with another dog. Now he does the deep tough-guy bark at strangers from behind the gate (its all talk though). That's about it. He doesn't bark much at all.

It's a difference from my dog who doesn't say anything, but not excessive barking by any means.


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## Jen Houser

Anna,

He usually gets in a nice stance when barking, or he sits when I tell him to. He will bark until I am able to get him away from whoever is walking past us. His tail isn't wagging during this, so it isn't that he wants to play. And it isn't a high-pitched playful bark either.

If he is afraid of something (which is usually some object on the ground instead of another dog or person) he barks while backing up. That I don’t mind, and he seems to be growing out of it. When he is being protective of me, he throws in a growl or two. He also barks when he can’t get to me, etc., which is fine. I just want to be able to control his barking around other people/dogs. I don’t want it to hinder his socialization because people are afraid to come up to him (and he really is all bark). It seems like he is barking just to bark and to intimidate. I know he is a little young for him to completely learn the difference between a threat and non-threat, but I’m not sure how to teach him the difference, or if it is something he will naturally learn on his own.

Thankfully, he doesn’t bark 3-4 hours non-stop like your pup, Chris. He does much better in his crate now. In the house, he barks when he plays, but outside, his demeanor changes and he is “on” and tries to scare everyone/ everything away.


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## Anna Kasho

I've only ever raised 3 pups, so don't take this as gospel...

I can't think a 11 week old pup would be "protective" as of yet. Seems too young to me. Anyone know?? I didn't see "protective" with Cyko untill he was much much older (almost mature), and not at all yet with Havoc...

What I did with Cyko was, when I saw him "target locking" on something,(best I can describe it, tail up ears up very intent focus, sometimes hair up), I'd recall and praise the heck out of him for coming, then do some quick OB with treats, then start off again with him in a good mood. If his attention was on me, and I was fine with whatever, he was fine too. I didn't have people pet him, and it didn't change anything, he is demanding and obnoxious and pushy to get attention if I let him. I would say he turned out pretty social, and only looks less social because he knows I don't like it. 

Havoc was way more outgoing and friendly with everybody (very annoyingly so) and nervous of new/scary things, hackling and backing up. With him I used a ball, reward that would immediately put him in drive and make him tune out whatever made him nervous. Usually it was enough to bounce the ball, focus on me, go past whatever-it-was still focused on me, and reward, playing tug with the ball. It imprinted the behavior I want. He's still a big goofy immature pup, but better now, at 16 months.

I don't like for everybody to pet my dogs, and I think if he's worried, no need to make him be petted. Just go out where he can see lots of people without being pressured to do anything. Best way is if you get together with friends who will all ignore him. He will choose to approach, or not.


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## Jen Houser

This is my first Mal, so I certainly can admit I have a ton to learn, but it does seem like protection to me. He only does it when certain men walk by me at the park. He will put himself between me and the man, and start growling in a really low tone. This is completely different from his barking at passing people or dogs. Once the man walks far enough away, he snaps out of it and get back into his puppy playful self. He did this for the first time at 8 weeks.


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## Anne Vaini

Jen Houser said:


> I have tried distracting him with treats, making him sit (which he does perfectly while still barking like a crazy puppy), and reassuring him.


That's the problem. 

Ignore it. I mean really ignore it. 

Put pup on a leash and set something out that you KNOW he will bark at. Wait for him to stop barking. Do nothing. Don't sigh, change positions, no expression. He will eventually stop. Wait 5 seconds after the last bark. Mark it with a "Yes!" or click, and then REWARD. I mean raw meat, hotdogs, cheese, favorite toy, the crazy-good stuff.

It won't take long. 

I'm working with a 19 week old Mal pup over here. Day 1 - let puppy out of the crate and ZOOM! she's off biting, jumping, grabbing, tugging. Day 3 - let puppy out of the crate, she sits and looks at me. What's the difference? I ignore the puppy crazies totally and reward the appropriate behavior - in this case, the sit. 

It's very difficult to communicate to a dog what you DON'T want it to do. Teach it what you DO want it to do.

For simply ignoring the barking, you'll need nerves of steel and some earplugs too. Google "extinction burst" to learn what you can expect. Don't have anyone around that will respond to the pup. It can set you back days and WEEKS in training. 

Jen, you can't let a pup choose what is and isn't a threat. Most dog nites are inflicted on family members - interpret this as the dog's perception of a "threat" is not accurate. When you give the dog freedom to choose what it perceives as a threat, you are creating a dangerous dog. End the behavior without suppressing it as the behavior is needed in later sport or protection training.


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## Chris Michalek

my puppy seriously invents things to bark at. I often wonder what is going on in his head. He likes to get tennis balls and put them in all the food dishes and then he barks at them. I've also seen him put his ball in the crate then he goes to the outside of the crate and barks at the ball that is in the crate. He's nuts.

Jen, you might want to make him work. Every day I take a tennis ball and hide it somewhere in the house and tell him to find it. Sometimes it takes 1 minute sometimes it's 10 minutes... he never stops working and what's nice is he doesn't bark when he's working like that.

With a young pup you can create scent pads, where you stomp out a rectangle in the yard and spread out his kibble within the scent pad.


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## Jen Houser

> It's very difficult to communicate to a dog what you DON'T want it to do. Teach it what you DO want it to do.


Thanks. I didn't quite think of it like that. He's getting better and learning what I want him to do, and maybe amping up the yummy treats will speed the process up a bit.




> Jen, you might want to make him work. Every day I take a tennis ball and hide it somewhere in the house and tell him to find it. Sometimes it takes 1 minute sometimes it's 10 minutes... he never stops working and what's nice is he doesn't bark when he's working like that.


My boyfriend and I switch between doing tracking games and other fun exercises when we take him outside to play. I think its a great idea to start incorporating hiding games like that in the house. It will definitely keep him occupied and I know he will love it.

Thanks for all the advice!


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## Maren Bell Jones

Anna Kasho said:


> What I did with Cyko was, when I saw him "target locking" on something,(best I can describe it, tail up ears up very intent focus, sometimes hair up), I'd recall and praise the heck out of him for coming, then do some quick OB with treats, then start off again with him in a good mood. If his attention was on me, and I was fine with whatever, he was fine too. I didn't have people pet him, and it didn't change anything, he is demanding and obnoxious and pushy to get attention if I let him. I would say he turned out pretty social, and only looks less social because he knows I don't like it.


I've likewise only raised 3 pups, but what's funny is that Fawkes is almost the exact opposite. I painstakingly socialized him, strangers giving him treats, the whole deal, and he's still selectively social at best, on the sharper side at worst. He's usually alright in public, but he still has to be officially introduced for him to really accept people. They have to ignore him with no eye contact, he has to be on a down stay, and I will give the person a small treat to give to them to give to him and then he's kind of like "well, alright, if you say so, but I know where the treat _really_ comes from..." Then he's okay with a little petting under the chin or on the chest, some on the head if he's known them for a little while. Otherwise, he just walks away. 

Regarding the barking, he's REALLY good at having the Malinois Meltdown (kind of like a cross between a GSD's vocalizations and the "you're killing me!" vocalizations of a husky or Malamute) if he gets excited (like if I jingle the prong collar, meaning we're going out on an outing) and correcting usually doesn't help. What does is getting him in on a down stay and just constantly giving a high priority treat. He still may vibrate in excitement, but the loud high pitched "woo woo woos" are not as intense, and now we lengthen the interval of the mark and reward.


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## Anna Kasho

Maren Bell Jones said:


> I've likewise only raised 3 pups, but what's funny is that Fawkes is almost the exact opposite.
> 
> Regarding the barking, he's REALLY good at having the Malinois Meltdown (kind of like a cross between a GSD's vocalizations and the "you're killing me!" vocalizations of a husky or Malamute) if he gets excited (like if I jingle the prong collar, meaning we're going out on an outing) and correcting usually doesn't help.


That is truly funny, yes, Cyko is completely the opposite, although I'd say he is the sharper of the two. Havoc is a little more like you describe Fawkes, but his aloofness comes more from nervousness and being unsure about someone. Normally, he is stupidly social. 

And, have no idea what Malinois Meltdown is, or what GSD vocalizations you mean . The worst my guys do is squeaking, grumbling, and snarking at eachother. And that GSD prey-drive whine when they are wound up beyond barking, trying to hunt something.


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## Maren Bell Jones

It's truly indescribable! :lol: It's like a squealing, excited whine/bark thing. And Lily the girl has this "maow maow maow" sound when she's excited, or she chatters her teeth or shakes in excitement. Then there's Zoso, so with his GSD influence, he sounds more like a wookie. :roll:


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## Bob Scott

I wouldn't use it on a pup but I need to keep a bark collar on Thunder most of the time at home if I'm not with him. He has a very irritating, continuious "yip" for no reason at all. Seems to just like hearing himself.
Trooper is almost silent at home except when fence fighting the neighbor's Bearded Collies though it's hard to shut him up at club once I put his agitation collar on.


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## Jeff Oehlsen

I like to slap the shit out of them. I don't like all this fancy schmancy stuff with basic behaviour problems. I say shut up, and then I slap them. How ****ing hard do you need to make this ???[-X [-X [-X [-X 

OP please note that one of the posters here wasted 2 years clicker training a retrieve on a dog that should have been shot in the head. Do yourself a favor, get the newspaper out, and say "shut up" and then crack his little butt with a newspaper.

I like to slap them in the head, but I have a lot more experience than others. Your dog should look to YOU to be in charge and fiddle ****ing around with all this shit is goofy. LOL

Hope it helps.


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## Anne Vaini

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> I like to slap the shit out of them. I don't like all this fancy schmancy stuff with basic behaviour problems. I say shut up, and then I slap them. How ****ing hard do you need to make this ???[-X [-X [-X [-X
> 
> OP please note that one of the posters here wasted 2 years clicker training a retrieve on a dog that should have been shot in the head. Do yourself a favor, get the newspaper out, and say "shut up" and then crack his little butt with a newspaper.
> 
> I like to slap them in the head, but I have a lot more experience than others. Your dog should look to YOU to be in charge and fiddle ****ing around with all this shit is goofy. LOL
> 
> Hope it helps.


Umm... I "wasted" 2 years prepping a stunt dog for performance. Check her out at www.stuntdog.com :lol:


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## Maren Bell Jones

Jeff, I've correct Fawkes HARD on a prong collar for his tomfoolery when he gets over excited about going somewhere and he gets all the more cranked up and does this "ki yay yay yay" thing which is all the more annoying. I've had better luck getting him in a downstay and rewarding for quiet as it keeps the whining to a _relative_ minimum. *shrug* I'm not adverse to giving the dogs a swat if they deserve it, but it didn't help in this case. :-k


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## Anne Vaini

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Jeff, I've correct Fawkes HARD on a prong collar for his tomfoolery when he gets over excited about going somewhere and he gets all the more cranked up and does this "ki yay yay yay" thing which is all the more annoying. I've had better luck getting him in a downstay and rewarding for quiet as it keeps the whining to a _relative_ minimum. *shrug* I'm not adverse to giving the dogs a swat if they deserve it, but it didn't help in this case. :-k



Prong collar correction will amp a dog so not so great for a vocal dog, unless the dog is rather soft. Maren, if you got a nylon choke collar, the kind Ed calls a Dominant Dog Collar, you would get a different reaction. ... can't bark if you can't breathe. :duckandcover:


Note: That is NOT a recommendation to the OP or an addendum to my previously posted advice. Kids, don't try this at home...


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## Maren Bell Jones

I think I remember from one of his videos that one single hard correction has a tendency to lower drive, while a couple lighter pops can increase it, though that's certainly temperament dependent of course. Both seem to increase it in his case, so we'll stick with what sorta works, I guess.


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## Jen Houser

I've had to smack my pup on the rump a time or two when he goes after the cat. I try to not go that route since I am worried he will become overly shy. He sure knows when he is punished though. He will go lay down away from me and "pout" for 10 minutes or so. So far that has only worked with him getting into stuff; not so much the barking. 

I've read so much about the dangers of overcorrecting a Mal. Is there a general rule of thumb on what to let go with a puppy? Keep in mind, he is only 11 weeks right now. I don't punish him for the biting, chewing and other destructive habits. I just replace whatever he has in his mouth with a chew toy.

Oh, and he is definitely getting more "talkative" the older he gets. I can't help but burst out laughing at some of the weird noises he comes up with!


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## Maren Bell Jones

Jen Houser said:


> I've read so much about the dangers of overcorrecting a Mal. Is there a general rule of thumb on what to let go with a puppy? Keep in mind, he is only 11 weeks right now. I don't punish him for the biting, chewing and other destructive habits. I just replace whatever he has in his mouth with a chew toy.
> 
> Oh, and he is definitely getting more "talkative" the older he gets. I can't help but burst out laughing at some of the weird noises he comes up with!


Just totally my opinion and I'm not advocating you smack the crap out a puppy (or adult), but in terms of house rules, if you don't want him biting you, correct him for it at least verbally and then re-direct. If he's that fragile and you "ruin" his drive by saying "ah ah!" or "no" or with a *light* correction when he chews or bites, it could be questionable how much drive he had to begin with. Once again, I'm not recommending being overly heavy handed, but at least make that distinction to him that hey, that's not appropriate to destroy if you'd like to remain a house dog but this object is. JMHO, but it's just easier in my mind for the dog to make the distinction between what they are doing is not acceptable versus what is if you both correct for being wrong and praise/reward for being right. Hope that makes sense.

Btw...what are the "dangers" of overcorrecting a Mal?


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## Anne Vaini

Maren Bell Jones said:


> I think I remember from one of his videos that one single hard correction has a tendency to lower drive, while a couple lighter pops can increase it.


True. Using light pops can give some giddy-up to a dog that lags or to help amp up/agitate a dog for bitework.

For self-rewarding vocalization, it takes one heck of a prong correction to get the same reaction as a lighter correction on a choke. I'm all for using the least amount of force required.

Can your dog vocalize while holding an object in his mouth? If no, I'd teach the cue "plug it" or "put a cork in it" to pick up a toy an hold it until he calms down.


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## Jen Houser

He gets verbally corrected a lot. Most of the time he listens, but when he is in "the zone" he doesn't. I'm still working on that one. He does relatively well in the house. He listens and pays attention. Outside is a different story. He gets incredibly focused on everything, but me. I know that is my fault as his "trainer" but it is a learning process for me as well. Thankfully, he doesn’t see something and take off down the street or park. He listens real well in that aspect. He is naturally really good at staying by my side when we are outside and off-leash.

I've read that being overbearing on a Mal will make them too submissive and shy, but I think you are right in that it depends on their drive to begin with. I've heard several people say how easy it is to "mess up" a Mal with incorrect training, so I may just be worrying alittle too much. I tend to overanalyze everything anyways.


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## Kadi Thingvall

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Jeff, I've correct Fawkes HARD on a prong collar for his tomfoolery when he gets over excited about going somewhere and he gets all the more cranked up and does this "ki yay yay yay" thing which is all the more annoying. I've had better luck getting him in a downstay and rewarding for quiet as it keeps the whining to a _relative_ minimum. *shrug* I'm not adverse to giving the dogs a swat if they deserve it, but it didn't help in this case. :-k


LOL that's because he is his daddy's son. I've found very few corrections work to shut Mac up, and the ones that do work are very temporary, not to mention harder then I'm really comfortable with. Most of the corrections just increase his drive levels. A choke did work better then a pinch, but then I started to see problems with his breathing, it was damaging his neck. I've had much better luck channeling the drive/energy into a capping behavior (sit and focus, then you can go bite, have your tug, whatever). Hasn't really carried over into trials though, since I can't just stand there and wait for him to go "oh yeah, I have to cap myself before I can go", once that horn honks I have to send him. 

With pups I'm pretty much death on excess barking, I've found if I can stop the behavior early, quiet becomes a habit that lasts into adulthood. If I don't, then it's a constant battle. Because of this I have no problem putting a no-bark collar on a pup, once they are big enough LOL I still work the redirection, verbal corrections when I'm around, etc but for when I'm not there, or the pup is outside playing, I find a no-bark set on a low level (a reminder of "quiet" more then a hard correction) works pretty well. They will run, play, wrestle with another dog, etc, they just do it quietly. 

And I LOVE the term Malinois Meltdown, it's so appropriate


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## Chris Michalek

I think it's funny that no admits to smacking their dogs until Jeff suggests to give 'em a beat down. Now all y'alls is coming out of the woodwork like a bunch of recovering alcoholics.


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## Maren Bell Jones

Anne Vaini said:


> Can your dog vocalize while holding an object in his mouth? If no, I'd teach the cue "plug it" or "put a cork in it" to pick up a toy an hold it until he calms down.


Actually the same idea just occurred to me the day before yesterday. Great minds think alike.  He tends to get really wound up in the car as we're heading out to the lake we go to frequently for some off leash fun. I brought his tennis ball day before yesterday and he'll carry that thing and search for it under tall grass, even while my other dogs are play bowing and barking at him to never mind that silly ball, let's run! I gave him the tennis ball to hold on the way home and he seemed calmer (although they're always calmer when they've had a good 45-60 minute off leash run and swim). I'll try that on the way out next time, like a pacifier.


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## Maren Bell Jones

Chris Michalek said:


> I think it's funny that no admits to smacking their dogs until Jeff suggests to give 'em a beat down. Now all y'alls is coming out of the woodwork like a bunch of recovering alcoholics.


Just like with kids, there's a difference between beating the tar out of them with a belt or switch (or worse!) and a pretty light smack of the hand though.


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## Chris Michalek

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Actually the same idea just occurred to me the day before yesterday. Great minds think alike.  He tends to get really wound up in the car as we're heading out to the lake we go to frequently for some off leash fun. I brought his tennis ball day before yesterday and he'll carry that thing and search for it under tall grass, even while my other dogs are play bowing and barking at him to never mind that silly ball, let's run! I gave him the tennis ball to hold on the way home and he seemed calmer (although they're always calmer when they've had a good 45-60 minute off leash run and swim). I'll try that on the way out next time, like a pacifier.



carrying things doesn't my my mal puppy stop. I've seen him bark with a chew rope, rubber ring and ball in his mouth at the same time. When he get bigger I can imagine he'll be yapping with two or more tennis balls in his mouth.


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## Anna Kasho

Kadi Thingvall said:


> With pups I'm pretty much death on excess barking, I've found if I can stop the behavior early, quiet becomes a habit that lasts into adulthood. If I don't, then it's a constant battle.


Well, huh... That little bit right there just explained to me why my dogs don't have Malinois Meltdowns. That, and different breeding. One of the first things I teach is a still/quiet command, and then a bark command. Bark, after Quiet, was a lot harder to get. Now it doesn't get offered as much, without command there's no reward. 

They all bark teritorrially, as a warning, defensively, when they feel like it. That part of it didn't change.




Maren Bell Jones said:


> Actually the same idea just occurred to me the day before yesterday. Great minds think alike.  He tends to get really wound up in the car as we're heading out to the lake we go to frequently for some off leash fun. I brought his tennis ball day before yesterday and he'll carry that thing and search for it under tall grass, even while my other dogs are play bowing and barking at him to never mind that silly ball, let's run! I gave him the tennis ball to hold on the way home and he seemed calmer (although they're always calmer when they've had a good 45-60 minute off leash run and swim). I'll try that on the way out next time, like a pacifier.


I started having Cyko carry a ball outside at around 4-5 months old. It gave a bit of a buffer to help me keep him from biting anyone, and worked very well for that purpose. It had no effect on his barking though, no change in volume or frequency.


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## Jeff Oehlsen

Stop by the house anytime and see how quiet it is. Works like a charm, and didn't take two years.

Quote: Can your dog vocalize while holding an object in his mouth? Jeez you need to get away from all these stupid rescues and come to the world of dogs with some sort of temperament. LOL Like a dog won't bark with something in it's mouth.


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## Maren Bell Jones

Hmmm...the holding a tennis ball didn't work as well as I wanted. He was quieter and held onto it fairly well, yes, but he started getting really chewy on the ball probably as a stress reliever, which isn't something to encourage. :-k Probably unrelated, but he bolted from me not once, but twice today, even when attached to a long line (bad timing on my part and I missed the leash). That's it, I'm spending some money and getting a Dogtra e-collar for recall work. ](*,)


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## Jeff Oehlsen

Your dog is HOW old and he bolted from you??? And here I cannot REMEMBER the last dog that bolted from me. LOL Looks like the smack down is not such a bad thing. I have mad skills.


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## Chris Michalek

I think dogs respect a good smack down as long as it's not severe. I just grabbed my pup because he wouldn't shut up with his barking and general terrorizing of the pugs, now he's a happy camper chewing on a rubber ring at my feet.


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## Maren Bell Jones

Oh, he got the smack down alright when I caught him when he was dragging the 20 foot long line. Today was the second time he's tried it (I think the first was when he was about 15 months old maybe?). I had called the dogs over to me from about 50-60 yards and into a down stay as there was a guy fishing with his dogs heading back down the trail and I didn't want them bothering him. Me and DH were getting leashes on temporarily until the guy and his dogs passed and he bolted from his downstay back down the trail instead of waiting to get the leash on. I caught him and he walked with me on the long line right next to me doing obedience the rest of the time instead of getting off leash fun time like the others. Walking back to the car, I dropped the long line to practice heeling by my side (not necessarily with attention). That little turkey bolted again and because it was wet and muddy, I stomped on the fleeing long line but it slipped under my foot. I caught him very shortly after and didn't beat on him or anything, just hung him for ~10-15 seconds for that little stunt. He's 20 months old give or take.


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## Anna Kasho

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Oh, he got the smack down alright when I caught him when he was dragging the 20 foot long line. Today was the second time he's tried it (I think the first was when he was about 15 months old maybe?). I had called the dogs over to me from about 50-60 yards and into a down stay as there was a guy fishing with his dogs heading back down the trail and I didn't want them bothering him. Me and DH were getting leashes on temporarily until the guy and his dogs passed and he bolted from his downstay back down the trail instead of waiting to get the leash on. I caught him and he walked with me on the long line right next to me doing obedience the rest of the time instead of getting off leash fun time like the others. Walking back to the car, I dropped the long line to practice heeling by my side (not necessarily with attention). That little turkey bolted again and because it was wet and muddy, I stomped on the fleeing long line but it slipped under my foot. I caught him very shortly after and didn't beat on him or anything, just hung him for ~10-15 seconds for that little stunt. He's 20 months old give or take.


You don't see the problems with this? 

Read your first sentence again and think, how to train so he would NOT bolt...

And correction comes when you catch him?

Just wait till he figures out at what distance he's far enough that you can't touch him...


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## Maren Bell Jones

Yes, I am quite aware it's not the best solution, though fortunately I caught him with the long line the second time and not by his collar, so he wasn't playing keep away. I also know better not to call him to me and give any correction/punishment (I always, always reward them with food for coming to me by their own volition), so I caught him by grabbing the end of the long line without calling him. At any rate, I put in the order for the 2 dog e-collar for him and Zoso tonight, so hopefully with some better timing, I can correct this before it becomes a habit.


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## Tammy McDowell

Jen Houser said:


> This is my first Mal, so I certainly can admit I have a ton to learn, but it does seem like protection to me. He only does it when certain men walk by me at the park. He will put himself between me and the man, and start growling in a really low tone. This is completely different from his barking at passing people or dogs. Once the man walks far enough away, he snaps out of it and get back into his puppy playful self. He did this for the first time at 8 weeks.


At 8 or 11 weeks old your pup is not mature enough to have protective instincts. There are obviously people with much more experience than me on the board but in my opinion your pup is probably reacting out of fear more than anything else. The only Mal pup that I have seen seriously growling at people at that young of an age is a fearful basket case now at nearly 3 years of age despite socialization and early training.


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## Bob Scott

The problem with a physical corection (in my instance) it Thunder is a kennel dog. He quiets down as soon as I open the door. By the time I actually walk out there it's way to late. Thus the bark collar. 
Why Trooper hasn't picked up on it is beyond me. Even in the car when Thunder is going crazy, Trooper just sits there. 
If I correct my JRT Pete, he'd just bite me in the ass. One of them handler aggressive dogs. OR maybe he's just nucking futs! ;-)


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## Jeff Oehlsen

It is marker training Bob, yell no, and then walk out and administer the wacking.


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## Bob Scott

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> It is marker training Bob, yell no, and then walk out and administer the wacking.


It's cold and I'm old and lazy! :-D 
The couple of times I have been out there when either GSD starts the fence fighting with the neighbors dogs I do give a "QUIT" and walk them down and "discuss" it with them. 
Purely positive? YEP! I'm positive I ain't gonna put up with that crap! :wink:


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