[BorderCollie]

I have had a border collie for a year now, she is just over a year old. She barks at anything and everything including people. She sits at the window and just waits to bark at people/animals whatever. When she was younger she used to run up to people and now she does not like anyone. I can't have anyone come into the house because of her behaviour. There is no getting her attention either, she just won't stop barking until the problem goes away. Is this something she will grow out of, is it normal. Pls help it's making me crazy.

[suebgone]

BC's are extremely intelligent & high energy. they need HUGE amounts of real exercise. you already know this is a herding dog & if you don't give them things to herd they will find their own, & you won't be happy with their choices.

this dog sounds frustrated & bored. she needs at least two 30 minute jogs a day, jobs to do, perhaps some agility work, frisby, etc.

BC's should not be crated for more than a couple hours at a time. getting her into some obedience classes wouldn't hurt either. before you sign a contract go & observe how the trainer relates to the dogs & the owners

google NILIF for some help in becoming her leader, however this is not to replace all of the above. she needs to understand her place in the pack & that will help calm her down.

[jacko]

you can try to train your dog to get use to more people...

[BorderCollie]

We have never crate trained her. Lucky for us she is very good when it comes to somethings. Since she was only 4 months old we have been able to come and go leaving her alone for hours. She lays down and stays there while we are out, she doesn't play, eat, or drink and never has had an accident in the house, so for that she is a great dog. Its just other things thats annoying that she does like the barking at everything, its almost like she seems to think that she is the only thing allowed in the world. Its hard letting her outside because I'm afraid my neighbors are getting annoyed, as long as they are outside she won't stop barking at them and thats frustrating who wants to listen to that, and so then I have to bring her inside and thats after about 5mins of trying to get her attention, she doesn't listen to what I say either unless it benefits her she definetly thinks shes boss and I don't know how to fix this. I know she knows what I am saying she just has selective hearing.

[suebgone]

ah yes, the selective hearing.

please consider all of the above, she needs exercise & just being out in the yard is not exercise. she will also benefit from all the rest.

you are correct, neighbors don't like barking & if there is a barking ordinance you are toast. I would not permit her outside unless you take her on a leash.

get a spray bottle - like you mist plants with - put it on stream & spray her when she barks. not in the face but anywhere. it will shock her, distract her but she will stop. for that time anyway

[BorderCollie]

so put her on a leash to go out side or tie her up outside? Will she know why I am doing that? Will I eventually be able to just let her out?

[suebgone]

no, don't tie her out, that will promote more barking.

take her out to potty when she has to go. when she goes out to potty - no playing. they are two distincly different trips

start working on teaching her to come when called. tell her to come ONCE & reel her in slowly. have a special yummy treat ready for her & lots of praise. remember come is a command, not a request

[BorderCollie]

I will try that hopefully that fixes the barking problem outside.

[4 dog nite]

Border collies can quickly get obsessive if they don't get enough exercise, and it's hard to exercise them enough, they are pretty tireless. Barking obsessively is one way that can show itself.

Once she's started some obsessive behavior, it can be really hard to change it. You might try one of the 'debarking' devices (the kind that emit high frequency sound or spray collars...not a fan of shock collars or anything painful). You could use it to distract her long enough to get her to focus on you...and when she does she gets tons of praise and attention. I wouldn't rely on something like that to solve the problem itself because in time she'll just get used to it and learn nothing. Try calling her randomly throughout the day when she isn't barking and showering her with treats and praise...so she will be more motivated to focus on you when she's about to bark. Also...try to catch her as her attention gets focused on something outside...just *before* she barks and try to divert her before it starts.

More exercise will help her relieve stress and boredom (something she is doing by barking now) and be more willing to listen. You could try a backpack with some water bottles in it on her when you walk her...it will give her extra excercise and a job to do, two birds with one stone. Most dogs seem to respond really well to it. If it's possible to get her into agility or herding it would also help enormously, but if you can't...try to work with her yourself, give her stuff to think about and learn. Play with her, teach her tricks, let her use that intense focus on something productive...or she'll use it on something else...like barking.

[Lyka_01]

Good point 4 dog nite....
I think that would be the better way to solve the problem...:mrgreen: