(side note: I wrote this on Wednesday, and Boo has proved me wrong and "bad" no longer works. But I wanted to still post this anyways)Have I finally found the word that will stop or prevent Boo from barking?!?!
Ever since my little Boo learned how to bark its been a struggle to keep it under control. I know what you're thinking, "dogs are supposed to bark" and yes I agree, but not to the extent of Boo's barking habit.
When people come over to my condo as soon as the downstairs buzzer goes off she starts to bark, not a cute quiet little bark, but a loud "I'm going to tear your knee caps off" bark, it's annoying and ear piercing. And if another dog comes into the garden center she doesn't the same bark with a charge towards the dog and sometimes even at customers without dogs, she has some deal with jingling keys. Anyways, especially at work this is problematic because surprisingly not everyone likes dogs or being barked at. Go figure. But a big problem is that some customers don't mind it and as soon as little barking Boo gets close enough they start petting her, which stops the barking but also kind of teaching her that it is O.K. to bark at someone because they will just pet her anyways.
So I've tried different things like bark collars and ultrasonic noise makers and every command under the sun "no" "stop" "no barking" etc. Nothing has ever worked. She just keeps charging and barking. Until Today!!!!
Instead of the usual commands, I spit out the word "BAD!" and what do you know, it worked! She kept doing her "gurgly growling" as my dad calls it, but that's quiet its a welcome sound to her bark.
Now lets keep our fingers crossed and hope this "bad" command will continue to work, otherwise I don't know what I'll do. Is it possible to get a dog's vocal chords removed? Or is that too cruel?
People do cut dogs vocals, but it is cruel and can be painful to the pup.
ReplyDeleteDont do it.