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Need a little help w training

April Nicole

Well-Known Member
Need some advice on how to train Logan the ok command when I want him to stop barking at someone. As of right now he does kind of listen when I say "OK" after he has barked his head off, lol. I just want to make sure I go about it correctly. I don't to reward bad behavior. Could anyone give me some tips on how to train this command?
Thanks
 

BlackShadowCaneCorso

Super Moderator
Staff member
I am not sure what works for everyone, but to be honest I teach them the command to bark and reward it so then I can teach them enough and reward the quiet. I am not sure what others have done but I found it hard to teach "enough" (the command we use) when they didn't understand what I was asking them to stop doing. So I teach them to "scream" and once they get that down pat, I will start with the "enough" command, rewarding only that after.
 

April Nicole

Well-Known Member
I am not sure what works for everyone, but to be honest I teach them the command to bark and reward it so then I can teach them enough and reward the quiet. I am not sure what others have done but I found it hard to teach "enough" (the command we use) when they didn't understand what I was asking them to stop doing. So I teach them to "scream" and once they get that down pat, I will start with the "enough" command, rewarding only that after.

Thanks. I get what your saying. I noticed he seemed kind of confused when I tell him to quit. And by all means, I want him to bark and alert us. So I didn't want to confuse him, and make him feel like I don't approve of barking.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I do pretty much what Black Shadow does and cue the bark. My guys know "enough" and "thank you."

This is pretty much the method I use. It says in the house, and that worked well for my guys because we live on a street with heavy foot traffic. She doesn't say when to add the cue for quiet, but I capture the behavior first and then when it's being offered I add the cue. So first focus on teaching him "bark" and then on your cue for him to stop. It works well for us.

"When something happens that sets him off, In the house, get some super treats and the minute he barks click him and treat. Put him on a leash if you have to, so he doesn't run around. Stand on the leash. As he is eating the treat and can't bark, shove your hand in his face like a traffic cop giving a 'Stop' signal; this will suprise him a little. Click and treat. Then pause, don't move, let him start barking, click, treat, signal Stop, while he's still quiet, click and treat. Then say "Bark!" let him start barking, click and treat, signal stop, click and treat. Go back and forth at least twenty times, very fast, don't try to keep him silent, just Get silence and click it. He will catch on.

You will now have the beginnings of both a bark cue, to reward a single woof, and a Silence cue, to interrupt barking, indoors. Do this exercise every time he gets to barking in the house." - https://www.clickertraining.com/node/237
 

April Nicole

Well-Known Member
I do pretty much what Black Shadow does and cue the bark. My guys know "enough" and "thank you."

This is pretty much the method I use. It says in the house, and that worked well for my guys because we live on a street with heavy foot traffic. She doesn't say when to add the cue for quiet, but I capture the behavior first and then when it's being offered I add the cue. So first focus on teaching him "bark" and then on your cue for him to stop. It works well for us.

"When something happens that sets him off, In the house, get some super treats and the minute he barks click him and treat. Put him on a leash if you have to, so he doesn't run around. Stand on the leash. As he is eating the treat and can't bark, shove your hand in his face like a traffic cop giving a 'Stop' signal; this will suprise him a little. Click and treat. Then pause, don't move, let him start barking, click, treat, signal Stop, while he's still quiet, click and treat. Then say "Bark!" let him start barking, click and treat, signal stop, click and treat. Go back and forth at least twenty times, very fast, don't try to keep him silent, just Get silence and click it. He will catch on.

You will now have the beginnings of both a bark cue, to reward a single woof, and a Silence cue, to interrupt barking, indoors. Do this exercise every time he gets to barking in the house." - https://www.clickertraining.com/node/237

Thanks Boxergirl. I'm going to start working on it today. I don't have a clicker. I use the word good boy. Should I work w that or wait till I get the clicker.
 

Zeela

Well-Known Member
"Enough" works for Zeela when she is misbehaving or getting crazy or etc... & "Head up" when I want her to pay attention. I also think it is your tone of voice that makes them listen to a command.
she also knows, "Let's go" when I want her to move & I say it like a sergeant.
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
I am not sure what works for everyone, but to be honest I teach them the command to bark and reward it so then I can teach them enough and reward the quiet. I am not sure what others have done but I found it hard to teach "enough" (the command we use) when they didn't understand what I was asking them to stop doing. So I teach them to "scream" and once they get that down pat, I will start with the "enough" command, rewarding only that after.

Diesel taught himself the call off. For Diesel if he is barking to alert us of a "threat" we have to actually go check it out (ie walk to the window and look) then if we determine its safe we say "It's safe" or even just "safe" and he will stop. But... He won't stop if we dont' actually make a show of going to check on whatever he is warning us about. Instead he will pause for a moment snort, huff, glower and then continuing again usually being more pointed about what and where he is barking as if to say "No stupid person there is a threat and you haven't checked it out".

I haven't managed to figure out how to get them to bark on command yet. That is something i want to do though as when we had the homeless people show up behind the house the fool dogs didn't bark at all! They were worried and went silent and kept going to the fence and coming to me to show me... but silently. WTH dogs. Why are you not barking at the real threat here? *sigh*
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I hate the sound of a clicker so tend to use the word "Right"

Some dogs have a problem with the sound too. The reason I like it so much for me is because it's exactly the same every single time. Inflection doesn't change, nor does the sound change if I have a cold, or if I'm frustrated with the training session. I also feel like I am able to mark the exact instant a behavior occurs much better with a clicker than with my voice. I know some people have trouble with timing when using a clicker and prefer a marker word. Whatever works!
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
Some dogs have a problem with the sound too. The reason I like it so much for me is because it's exactly the same every single time. Inflection doesn't change, nor does the sound change if I have a cold, or if I'm frustrated with the training session. I also feel like I am able to mark the exact instant a behavior occurs much better with a clicker than with my voice. I know some people have trouble with timing when using a clicker and prefer a marker word. Whatever works!

I am too uncoordinated to use a clicker. I am terrible with it. I use voice marker. It works. :p
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
You know me too well :p :D

My daughter is attending the Karen Pryor Academy to become a certified trainer. One of the first homework assignments was to practice clicker timing. It's a big deal. If you can't click at exactly the right time then you're marking the wrong behavior and it's frustrating for everyone. Clickers are great for shaping more complex behaviors where you need to capture things step by step. I'm unsure if a voice marker would work as well when shaping as I've never tried it. I do use a voice marker with success when teaching more basic behaviors. Clearly I'm a nerd to think about these things so much.
 

Jarena

Well-Known Member
I also use a marker word instead of a clicker. I know one word is better than 2 but I started using the marker words before I knew better so for us it’s always been “good girl”.

I started teaching “speak” when Lettie was little then got told off by our vet (now with a different vet). So I stopped, thinking I was doing something wrong. I then started trying to teach “quiet” without teaching her to “speak” first.

It has taken a long time, probably longer than necessary. I catch her when I know she is about to bark: when her fur raises and her little stubby tail sticks straight up in the air. When I hear something I know will set her off (a neighbor coughing or moving something while we are outside) I tell her “good quiet”. If she listens and doesn’t bark or only lets out a low growl, I keep telling her “good quiet”. It’s working, slowly. I really wish that vet wouldn’t have told me I was making a mistake by teaching “speak”. I told her I was only doing it so that I could teach “quiet” but she made me feel dumb lol.

Lettie also does kind of what Diesel does. She only does it when we are in the house. If she hears something odd and barks, I say “let’s check it out”. Then I have to get up and follow her to check out the noise. If I don’t check on it with her she will keep pacing and whining until I do.
 

April Nicole

Well-Known Member
I also use a marker word instead of a clicker. I know one word is better than 2 but I started using the marker words before I knew better so for us it’s always been “good girl”.

I started teaching “speak” when Lettie was little then got told off by our vet (now with a different vet). So I stopped, thinking I was doing something wrong. I then started trying to teach “quiet” without teaching her to “speak” first.

It has taken a long time, probably longer than necessary. I catch her when I know she is about to bark: when her fur raises and her little stubby tail sticks straight up in the air. When I hear something I know will set her off (a neighbor coughing or moving something while we are outside) I tell her “good quiet”. If she listens and doesn’t bark or only lets out a low growl, I keep telling her “good quiet”. It’s working, slowly. I really wish that vet wouldn’t have told me I was making a mistake by teaching “speak”. I told her I was only doing it so that I could teach “quiet” but she made me feel dumb lol.

Lettie also does kind of what Diesel does. She only does it when we are in the house. If she hears something odd and barks, I say “let’s check it out”. Then I have to get up and follow her to check out the noise. If I don’t check on it with her she will keep pacing and whining until I do.

I honestly didn't know the proper way to go about training this command. And teaching them to speak first makes total sense. Glad you got a new vet. I don't like vets that try to condescend people.
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
This might not be the same thing but I trained a 'stand down' command with Kryten when he started to develop his guarding behaviors. I knew it was going to be natural for him to be suspicious of activity and instead of trying to control when he would alert to something I wanted to be able to control the behavior after he alerted. After he barked to alert me to something I would acknowledge what it was and say "it's fine". When he relaxed even a little bit he would get treated. I wanted him to know that I would take care of the situation. He does trust me especially since the few times he has not stood down, I did take it more seriously and listened to him and left the area we were in. Sometimes he did make training difficult like the first time he decided to protect the yard from the tiny, white invaders from the sky. It took me 30 minutes to figure out he was upset with the snowflakes.
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
This might not be the same thing but I trained a 'stand down' command with Kryten when he started to develop his guarding behaviors. I knew it was going to be natural for him to be suspicious of activity and instead of trying to control when he would alert to something I wanted to be able to control the behavior after he alerted. After he barked to alert me to something I would acknowledge what it was and say "it's fine". When he relaxed even a little bit he would get treated. I wanted him to know that I would take care of the situation. He does trust me especially since the few times he has not stood down, I did take it more seriously and listened to him and left the area we were in. Sometimes he did make training difficult like the first time he decided to protect the yard from the tiny, white invaders from the sky. It took me 30 minutes to figure out he was upset with the snowflakes.


We experienced this with fallen pine cones lately. I wonder if they will feel the same about snowflakes when they finally see them. I hear we may in our new home.