# Teaching the bark



## Barry Connell (Jul 25, 2010)

Do any of you have any tricks for teaching a motivational bark? My pup is a 4 month old X Dutch Shepherd and is very quiet when we are doing anything. She will bark at her own reflection or if she hears a dog barking on a video, but I don't know if building off of that will inadvertantly reward bad behavior.

Thanks in advance!!!


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

there was a thread about this last week someone should be able to dig it up I cant remember what it was


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## Barry Connell (Jul 25, 2010)

Mike Scheiber said:


> there was a thread about this last week someone should be able to dig it up I cant remember what it was


Well, I look like a noob then...I searched but didn't find anything...OPPPS


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## Ted Efthymiadis (Apr 3, 2009)

Barry Connell said:


> Do any of you have any tricks for teaching a motivational bark? My pup is a 4 month old X Dutch Shepherd and is very quiet when we are doing anything. She will bark at her own reflection or if she hears a dog barking on a video, but I don't know if building off of that will inadvertantly reward bad behavior.
> 
> Thanks in advance!!!


What does she go crazy for?
Maybe a rag, or tug or towel????

Take her to a baseball field, put her on one side of the fence and lock her in. You go on the other side of the fence. 

Agitate her with the towel (or whatever you are using), generally the fact that she can't get what she wants will build her drive, and she will let out a bark after a few minutes. The moment she does bark, tell her good girl and throw the towel over the fence for her as a reward. Repeat this enough times, and she should start to offer up a bark for the item. The put a command on it, like (speak) and she will have it in no time.

Some dogs just hate to bark, some will offer it up a lot faster.
Good luck


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

What Ted said!
The frustration of being behind a fence will build and just about any dog will begin to bark fairly quick. 
If you have done any marker training it will come all that faster. 

ps
If your at a ball field don't use the back stop. You want to be able to reward the dog immediately after the mark.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Just out of curiosity, why are you teaching a the dog to bark? To alert? To appear like he is serious? To warn? The most serious dogs I have seen don't bark or posture.


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## Barry Connell (Jul 25, 2010)

Ted Efthymiadis said:


> What does she go crazy for?
> Maybe a rag, or tug or towel????
> 
> Take her to a baseball field, put her on one side of the fence and lock her in. You go on the other side of the fence.
> ...


Ted...I'll give that a whirl...I can see where that may have advantages over the toy being out of reach while tied on a harness where a connection could be made to the equipment.

Don...it has nothing to do with seriousness or posturing....only to get her to bark so that I can mark it and give it a command

Thanks for the input guys


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

My kids taught my greyhound to “speak” by howling themselves. Two kids and a dog in the kitchen. He does “speak” on command now. 
Don I asked my kids to do it to try and get him to “speak” when he found his target tracking of lead. I can send someone a good bit into the woods and once my greyhound has the scent release him (only in safe places of course). He will rip like hell to the person, look at them and coming running back to me. So before he dies of old age im gona try and get him to give an alert when he finds. Don’t listen to anything I have to say Barry. I don’t know what the hell im talking about and my Greyhound is not the sharpest knife in the shed. Id go with what Ted and Bob said. 
That being said you know you’re not gona not be able to howl at your dog now at least once. Let us know how it works. hhhhhoooowwwwww


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## Barry Connell (Jul 25, 2010)

Chris, I hate to admit this (and my wife will kill me for telling people) but I once "potty trained" a GSD by taking a whiz repeatedly in the yard.....imitation does have some benefit and in this case, no close neighbors helps.

Ted, I actually tried your method with treats tonight and a clicker to mark and seeing a "little" progress.

Thanks again!!


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Barry Connell said:


> Chris, I hate to admit this (and my wife will kill me for telling people) but I once "potty trained" a GSD by taking a whiz repeatedly in the yard.....imitation does have some benefit and in this case, no close neighbors helps.
> 
> Ted, I actually tried your method with treats tonight and a clicker to mark and seeing a "little" progress.
> 
> Thanks again!!


Now that’s dedication. Did you have to keep drinking beer to keep the training up? And ya I can see a daughter not wanting her father to put that on the internet.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

You want to motivate the dog Barry? If it a male, pen him up and borrow a bitch in heat. You can get a dog to swim thay way also.


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## Mike Valente (Sep 14, 2010)

Don Turnipseed said:


> Just out of curiosity, why are you teaching a the dog to bark? To alert? To appear like he is serious? To warn? The most serious dogs I have seen don't bark or posture.


 
Ultimate challenge Don, what would it take for one of yours to do a "bark and hold". 
I wonder if Koehler covered that. :-k :wink:


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Mike Valente said:


> Ultimate challenge Don, what would it take for one of yours to do a "bark and hold".
> I wonder if Koehler covered that. :-k :wink:


Wasn't covered in the worksheet I have Mike. If I really get into it I may read the chapter titles to see if it mentions that. I think if they saw the bark and hold as a game they might do it....don't think they'll do it if they take it serious. May be touch and go with a serious bulldog too.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

I was thinking about this Barry and I see you have a bitch. I would do what Ted suggest with one other element to make it possibly easier. If there is anopther dog around that barks when you have it's favorite object just out of reach, stake them both pout on a leash and let the other dog teach the bark. I use other dogs to teach everything to do with hunting to young dogs and they learn load up and everything faster from a dog. When I had a pup that wouldn't come I would hook a short double coupler between it and a big older dog. Then when I called, the older dog just dragged the young one in with him.


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## Barry Connell (Jul 25, 2010)

Don Turnipseed said:


> I was thinking about this Barry and I see you have a bitch. I would do what Ted suggest with one other element to make it possibly easier. If there is anopther dog around that barks when you have it's favorite object just out of reach, stake them both pout on a leash and let the other dog teach the bark. I use other dogs to teach everything to do with hunting to young dogs and they learn load up and everything faster from a dog. When I had a pup that wouldn't come I would hook a short double coupler between it and a big older dog. Then when I called, the older dog just dragged the young one in with him.


Growing up around coonhound and beagle guys I have seen that alot and that makes sense. I had some success today with these ideas so I intend to build on them.

Thanks!!


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## Brent Dell (Oct 10, 2009)

Barry Connell said:


> Do any of you have any tricks for teaching a motivational bark? My pup is a 4 month old X Dutch Shepherd and is very quiet when we are doing anything. She will bark at her own reflection or if she hears a dog barking on a video, but I don't know if building off of that will inadvertantly reward bad behavior.
> 
> Thanks in advance!!!


 
Mate, I had this problem recently with a 6 month old GSD. I searched all the posts on this forum looking for suggestions. Most people suggested the tie back method and frustrate the dog with his favorite toy etc to tease him into barking. All I did with this was frustrate myself with no result from the dog. I attempted a dog bark myself!!!! no result, also tried withdrawing food & getting to bark for his food bowl, nothing.....then one day I was mowing the lawn and he barked once at the motor mower!!!!! I turned off the mower then pushed it towards him, he barked again......After that every day onwards I bought the mower out and it got to the point he would run up to it and bark at it, praise him and feed with treat. Added the 'Speak' command and have since removed the mower from the equation & am progressing from there.


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## Barry Connell (Jul 25, 2010)

Well, we used some ideas from here and worked that at home and then today, Wade was able to get some barks out of the mute dog......I suppose before long I will be telling her to shut up....

Thanks to all!!!


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