Difficult discussions about Owen Walter

[Superman]

Interesting. Our rescue dog has had a barking problem. It is getting better now. Patience and consistent training can help. Dogs don't know what "no" means. They respond way better to Ah-Ah!!" If necessary, then I get the squirt bottle out. She hates that, and tries to control her barking.

Wifey works, during weekdays, in an office adjacent to the living room. She concentrates on legal analyses, deep dive concentration, and a sudden sharp unexpected BARK braking the silence every 20 minutes does not make her very happy. So....we turn on the sound system and play something. Soft music works, but human conversation works better. Arne and Carlos, a couple of gay Norwegian knitting show superstars, works very well. Another hilarious show that works very well is the BBC Shipping Forecast. It has been reported that the tone of voice in this shipping forecast presentation is exceedingly soporific. I will totally make you fall asleep.

At any rate, it is the absence of noise, and particularly human conversation, that makes our dog want to bark.

[ramonesfreak]

I always go out with him and watch what he does even in a blizzard or pouring rain. It’s very necessary for my own sanity. Otherwise, I could not get through a movie or dinner or anything without constant interruption or guilty feelings and it’s the only way for me to learn what he is up to

And he has ongoing surveillance duties I know little about but sometimes he just wants go out to double check each corner for marauders or under a certain bush where he last smelled a rat and I do indulge this but I ain’t doing it every 20 minutes

My other dog has to be carried outside. She simply has no interest and can hold it for 12 hours easy and never asks unless it’s an emergency. She goes to the door and scratches it over and over and it’s never just for fun

My two dogs could not be more different

[ramonesfreak]

my trouble maker doing what he does all day








daddy's girl (Jane Doe). we found her 3 years ago today, March 4

[Baz]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Your dog is barking a thousand times a day to go outside for the same reason mine does. He hears something out there. I have no idea how he does it with the windows closed in the dead of winter ---snip---

[FA-18C]

Cracks me up. Our Aussie is on duty 24/7. Can go from dead cold out sleeping at night to airborne flying down the stairs in the blink of an eye if she hears anything. And like the OP's dog, when I leave for work is parked at the front window chin on the sill, on watch. Woh be it the neighbors should dare to walk the cudesac without incurring her rath, and if they have one of the damn poodles, she about craps a chicken in rage. She is great with other dogs, but their poodles, its like a rapid deranged Cujo. Otherwise she is a but wiggling happy to meet everyone.

As some said earlier, a tired Aussie is a pleasant dog. OTW, you pay...

[porsche tech]

If Bosco isn’t guarding the front door…



…then he’s crying at one of the back slider doors because he sees a golf ball in the yard. His collection from the last couple of months…

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by Baz

That’s great!

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

That’s great!

Thanks!

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

You are a good man.

I think we have come up with a solution to the barking. So far we couldn't tell if he was barking to be let out to pee or barking because he hears a cat. So we are taking him out and sticking with him until we see him drain himself. Then we put the Bark Box by the door for a few hours because we know if he's there barking it's because of a cat.

We got the Bark Box to use when we traveled with the dogs to keep them quiet. It emits a high pitched sound that they don't like. They hated it so much that all they had to do was see it and they quieted down.

It rained all day yesterday but I'm about to take him out for a 1/2 mile march.

What's the latest?

[wdfifteen]

Owen has seemed like a different dog for the past week.
Maddie died a year ago today and Gracie Mae passed away 6 days ago and Owen has changed. As the only dog in the house he is noticeably more mellow and relaxed. He's even pleasant to be around.

I think he always wanted to be an only child.

One thing is we changed the way we feed him. He has food down 24/7 now. When we had 3 dogs each one had to have a different diet and so we fed them all at the same time twice a day.
Maybe he had food anxiety or something.

[masraum]

That sucks about your other pups, but at least it seems to have had a favorable impact Owen. Maybe you'll all be able to bond more now.