# Bichon Frise barking



## Partsman41953 (May 13, 2012)

Hello all, 

My wife and I own a 10 month old male Bichon Frise who we are having a problem controlling his barking. We also have a 9 year old cockapoo and a 14 year old pomeranian. The Bichon (Toby) and the cockapoo (Tootsie) are the best of friends, to the point that Tootsie has already started teaching him some of her bad habits, like barking at the dog next door for no reason at all. The dog next door wants nothing to do with our dogs but they continue to bark at him at him no matter what time it is, like 5:00 in the morning where I can "shoot" both of them. Toby is in the process of going through basic puppy training at PetSmart now and is better controlled now than what he was except for this barking. He will also bark during the day when he is in his pen while my wife and I are eating. The trainer suggested a bark collar but I really do not want to go that route unless I have to. If a bark collar is the route I need to go, please let me know what you would suggest. 

Is there a way of controlling his barking along with Tootsie's barking before I get a complaint from my property management company and have to do something drastic. 

Thanks


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

It' all down the consequence of the barking.

What do you do when they both bark at the neighbour's dog? Have you done any training with them seperately and then together in that situation?
What do you do when he barks whilst you are eating? Where is the crate whilst you are eating? Where are the other dogs?


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

I wouldn't be happy with a trainer who suggested a bark collar.

I have a Bichon and fortunately she is not a barker unless she sees someone come through the communal gate which serves three gardens, then I'm happy that she is protecting our property. I have a friend with a Bichon who seems to bark at everything and everyone!

Maybe you could get Toby (and Tootsie) to "speak" on command. Once they've got this they can be taught "quiet" on command. There are some *videos online*.

Take a look at *Kikopup's training videos*, she is very good.


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## Partsman41953 (May 13, 2012)

Hello, 

Thanks for the replies. Our 3 dogs are in our laundry room which is next to our living room which is next to our kitchen, around 25 to 30 feet away. I try to give them their food at the same time we eat but they are more interested in what we are eating than what they are eating, something which I started by giving them table food which I know I should not have done. 

When they are barking at the dog next door I have been taking them one at a time a bringing them back into the house. Since Tootsie is older and does not move as fast as Toby she is easier to bring in the house first. I was also told to keep them from barking to spray them with a squirt bottle with water which gets their attention as well but that is only working a little bit. 

Again, I really do not want to use a bark collar or a citronella collar or anything like that but I am really starting to lose my patience with them. I understand that they are going to bark a little bit but their barking is getting worse and I need to get a handle on this ASAP. 

Thanks again for any help you can offer. 

Glenn


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

I don't think any form of "punishment" is the right way to go about training and I would put squirting them with water into this category. There are much better ways. Check out those links I gave you in my last post.


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Bark collars are rubbish for multi dog environments as when the other dog barks the dog with the collar gets punished.

Water squirting can lead to a breakdown in the bond between you and dog.

My suggestion is to get Tootsie outside when the neighbour's dog is there and taske some really tasty chicken with you or another form of very high value treat. 
Keep her on a leash and watch her. As she starts to tense up and switch her attention away tot he other dog then you interupt with a fing click, an "AH-ah!" call or just walk her in the opposite direction - then you reward. 
Allow her to relax and carryon and then reward her for the behaviour you want at longer and longer intervals.
Eventually you should be able to leave her out there for a few minutes without issue and then go reward her.
Then you want to work on the opening the access to the back garden and not having her shoot out to rant and rave at the dog, you want to have her on a leash and wait to be told she can go out (reward waiting behaviour) and then be calm when going out (reward steady movements) and just be a dog whilst out there.
You are essentially training her to pay you attention and not the dog next door.

Next you want to to do the same with the young dog.

Then you want to do it with both dogs together.

It won't help if the neighbour's dog is carrying on at all so if that so if that is the case then you need to speak with your neighbour about some kind of action plan - walk the dogs together so they get used to each other, if they are ok on walks then on nice days you have their dog around or vice versa so they get accustomed to being in each other's space for lengthy sessions.

In respect of the barking at meal times - can the dogs see you then? WHat happens if they can't see you when you are eating or just in another room away from them?

Sorry to ask an abrupt question, but why did you take on another dog when your current dog was having unwanted behaviour issues which caused issue as it was only a matter of time before these were passed on?


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## Partsman41953 (May 13, 2012)

To answer one of your questions, no the dogs cannot see us when we are eating. The second question you asked was why we got another dog...Tootsie really has not been a big problem with the neighbor's dog, who does not cause any problems at all, until we got Toby and I have no idea why Tootsie has gotten more aggressive to the other dog now. My wife has said all along that they both need to be on a leash when they go outside and need to go out alone but at times we both get lazy and that has to change until we can get them both trained better. 

To your question of why we got Toby...we lost a dog who was supposed to be a Bichon from old age and the Tootsie and Priss were both heartbroken and did nothing but cry as they really cared for her. We thought that getting another dog would help and it has helped Tootsie but Toby plays too rough with Priss, our pomeranian. 

Thanks again for all your suggestions. 

Glenn


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

No worries. 

On a leash, plenty of training in the back garden individually and then together, work on leaving them in a room wether you are eating or not and get socialising with the neighbour dog to ease the tensions - it will work quicker


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