[Nessa]

...every person or animal that passes by? I have three dogs and I only want to use a barking collar as a last resort. I still want them to bark if there's a problem, but not at every kid, person and dog passing by.They don't bark when they're are inside only when in the backyard which has a well used path adjacent to it. It's really only two of the dogs that are the problem, a female lab and a male rat terrier.Sometimes saying "NO!" through the window helps but not always. I don't want to bring them in when they bark because then they're being rewarded. Any ideas??? I would greatly appreciate hearing form someone who has fixed this problem with their own dogs.

[disenchanted]

you go to the 9th dimension, become a jedi, possese the power, then buy a racing car, and then tell your dog to shut up.

[Rosslyn]

Hello,I have corrected this problem in my dogs. This type of dog training is always difficult because the number one most helpful tip is consistency. Once established, it is a very hard habit to break, especially in Terriers. I would not recommend a shock collar because it can often traumatize the dog to the point that it will not bark at all, which is not the goal. Obviously, you are probably not there everytime your dogs bark unecessarily. But when you are, you MUST reward/reprimand consistently everytime you catch them in the act. Here is my suggestion: Enlist the help of some friends, family, or neighbors to help with this. Maybe also someone with another dog eventually, but that is much harder to teach at first. Let your dogs outside (perhaps leave the one that doesn't bark inside so that he/she doesn't think he/she is in trouble) and have the friend walk past them. When they bark, say their name loudly and give them each a stern "NO!" everytime they bark. (You cannot do this through the window, you'll have to go out and really let them know you're serious) With my dog, it always helped to hold her muzzle, get down on her level, and look her right in the eyes to hold her attention. If this doesn't help, sometimes spray bottles are a helpful punishment if the dogs do not like water. So, when they bark you give them a spritz and say "NO!".The SECOND they stop barking, if even only for a moment, reward them verbally. If they stay silent for a few seconds/minutes, reward them with a treat and lots of praise. You may also consider letting them inside as a reward. Do this a few times in a row, and a few times a week with different people. They should catch on quickly with some treats. Secondly, I would also encourage them to bark when there is a problem. Once they have the "no barking at everyone" rule down packed, you can move on to appropriate times to bark. In that case, you may want to stage a problem, like someone the dogs do not know, pretending to break into the house. This part of the training may be a little more confusing for the dogs at first, but usually dogs have a sense of when something is really wrong. So if you do decide to stage a problem, try not to laugh!Hope this helps!