Taking my dog camping

Hi all! I'm what you guys would call a lurker. I've visisted this site since we first got our dog three years ago. I don't usually post because I always find answers to my questions by searching through old posts.

Well the time has come to ask for some specific advice, so here it is and I appreciate any feedback:

Our dog is a 3 year old mutt. We rescued him from the Humane Society. Our vet insists he is a great dane wrapped up in a black lab body. The problem we are having with him is having him on a long lead or rope while we are outside. A lot of the times we let him run around our yard but sometimes when there are a lot of kids out next door or if we are mowing the lawn and can't give him 100% attention, we like to keep him tied up. This is also the case when we are camping with him where he is required to be on a lead. What happens is he sits and barks at us. Not just a bark here and there but like someone is cutting his tail off or something. It's loud, obnoxious and persistent. He doesn't stop.

I've always learned from the boards that you should encourage the right behavoir instead of trying to stop bad behavoir. For instance we taught our dog to sit when we come in the door instead of trying to teach him off. I just don't know what positive behavoir to teach him here. If I tell him sit while he is barking at me he does and gets right back up and barks his head off.

I'd really like to work hard on getting this settled as it's important for us to be able to bring him camping with us. But it becomes a nuisance to not be able to walk around the campsite or jump in the camper for two seconds without him barking at us.

Again, I appreciate any help.

 

This sounds like a case for Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. If I were to guess at how he would handle this problem I would say that when your dog starts barking out of control the first thing you have to do is return him to a calm submissive state. Walk over and stand over him until he stops barking but do not give him any form of consolation or affection. If he has been taught to lie down give him that command. A calm submissive state is reached when the dog breaks eye contact and drops his head and perhaps wags his tail a bit. Now, reward him with affection and a treat. You have to assert your authority in this case because that is what your dog is doing to you.
OK, so I've watched too many episodes of the Dog Whisperer. :lol:

Best advice is to consult a behavior specialist, not necessarily an obedience trainer. This behavior is both a compulsive behavior on the dog's part and probably encouraged by the actions you usually take.
This is an interesting problem so please keep us up to date.

 

I appreciate the response Dukesdad, although I have to admit it was discouraging. :? As soon as I start walking towards him, he immediately lays down and wags his tail but if I turn around again he starts up. It's extremely frustrating. I'm sure we haven't been doing the correct thing with him, as soon as he does it we usually walk near him to get him to stop, even if it's to give a sharp no and tug on his leash. I always thought that was bad cause either way we are going towards him, which is what he wants. I guess I'll try to give the matter some attention for alittle while longer and then may decide to see a behavoirists.

Thanks again.

 

If his barking causes a response from you whether negative or postive, he is being reinforced for this behavior. If possible, you should ignore him until he is quiet. Once he is quiet then go over to him and remove him from the tie out as a reward. Get him in the habit of settling down quietly by giving him something extra special to keep him occupied beginning with you only a short distance away from him and only for a few minutes, gradually increasing the length of time you leave him tied for.

Maybe you can keep him occupied with a stuffed kong? The kong should be offered only while he is tied and taken away as soon as he is no longer tied up. You can practice this in your home, backyard, and at the park. You can even practice while your camping if you go during times when there are not many people around that may be bothered by your dogs barking while your working on the problem. Because you will only be leaving him tied for short periods in the beginning, you might find a waist leash useful. You can attach him to you this way and still be hands-free.

I take Natalie camping all the time but I usually have her on leash with me most of the time. I sometimes tether her to a tree or post near me if I need to and she does'nt seem to have a problem with this. She loves lying on her bed near the campfire.

 

Hi, and welcome.

You seem to have things sussed with your dog. It appears that his barking is entirely for your attention, so how about trying to throw him treats from a distance.

Something like setting up a scene where you take something to get busy with (like putting a tent up or washing a bike down) miles away from anywhere so you can leave him to bark without worrying about others. Tie him up and get busy, a few feet away. Have pockets full of treats. The second he takes a breath, toss him a treat, and so on until he's just watching your hand reaching for your pocket rather than barking.

You mustn't make any eye contact or show him any praise verbally so he learns that laying/waiting quietly has it's rewards and is a nice thing to do without his humans.


I learned this from training class. We had a springer that did every kind of bark the whole way through, responed and reacted to everything. The trainer would stand in the middle and every time she stopped barking, just for a second he'd throw a treat over. She didn't even know where they were coming from, but ended up just waiting for the next to come her way. She's quite focused now and only barks when they all do.

Oh, the best way for this to work is when your dog's had his excercise and is already a bit tired. Trying first thing in the morning or before he's worn out is just asking for failure :lol:

 

I'm trying not to be too hopeful, but after one training session with a squirt bottle my dog has been a lot better. We started little at first but at the end of the afternoon we were next door talking with our neighbors for about 10 mins and he even went so far as to go lay down. Like a totally different dog. Like I said though, we'll see how things go in the future.

To Duke, with your suggestion and my Mother-In-Law's we finally watched our first show of hte Dog Wisperer. We learned a few things, and now will watch the show more often.

I appreciate all the advice we got!