

Dragon - Adopted

Barked: Wed Sep 26, '12 4:53pm PST 
My dog is being crate trained. Lately he wont STOP BARKING

my husband wants to buy a bark collar

My son has to walk him as I have a back injury (when my husband is home he walks him)- he takes him out when he barks, lets him out of the crate, but if no one is around - he does not bark

He's not hungry, not thirsty, he'll stare at my 9 year old and BARK at him -

any ideas

Edited by author Wed Sep 26, '12 4:54pm PST


Barked: Wed Sep 26, '12 5:12pm PST 
Is he in the crate when people are around because he is destructive in the house? Have you tried tethering him to a person? Boxers are Extremely high energy and he is an adolescent. He could simply be bored. How much time does he get to run around each day? how much time on leash walks? How much training? I'd give him more of all three. Have you tried giving him puzzle toys?

Farlekiin the- Dragonborn
Barked: Wed Sep 26, '12 5:17pm PST 
He has likely learned that barking = he gets out of his crate. He is making this connection because it has been reinforced before.

You could try to reverse the connection so when he is calm and quiet = he gets out of his crate. Allow him to go in his crate and close it. Reward him for being quiet/calm, and do not open the crate door (don't even put your hand on it) until he is quiet and calm. If he begins to bark and get excited, ignore him and wait until he offers a moment of silence and then immediately open the crate door. Try and make a game out of it and keep sessions short! (~10 min).

If you are consistent with all family members, he will learn he must stay quiet in order to be let out of his crate.

Not sure of the background info on his crate training but I just wanted to add that you should make sure his crate is a positive, safe place for him. Never use it for punishment, etc. Give him yummy things in it (like a stuffed kong or treat ball, for example) and he will hopefully develop a more positive association with being in the crate as well.

Edited by author Wed Sep 26, '12 5:18pm PST


Dragon - Adopted

Barked: Sun Nov 25, '12 10:36pm PST 
sorry it has been a while since I've responded - we have done crate training to house train. WE are in a mobile home. and at night he chews EVERYTHING UP not to mention pees and poos everywhere.

He is mainly in the crate when we are out or sleeping - we go out for walks - not just potty walks - but he has learned to tap the door with his nose when he has to go. (good boy)

Problem with me is I can't take him out as much as I want to right now until a ramp is built to let me out of the house. (My husband has to lug my 150lb power chair up/down 3 stairs right now) When the tax return comes in he's building a porch and ramp and eventually will be turning it into a florida room (also a room where we can add our own washer dryer)

He's a good dog, HUGE dog, not afraid of my power chair (we play a game with it) Eventually I'd like to train him to help me pick stuff up