Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joanna Kimball on March 10, 2010 at 3:43am

She's a corgi. That's what corgis do. They don't like chaos, they don't like it when other dogs run around or get crazy, and they are always attracted by fast movement. They bark when they're happy and focused.

I don't know that this is something you need to "fix." This is a normal corgi.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nichole and Shelly! on March 10, 2010 at 12:13pm

Im with Joanna on this one, Ive always said "if a dog cant bark at the DOG PARK, where can they bark" right?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on March 10, 2010 at 7:01am

You need to work on a good recall.Start in the house .After she is good at it take her out on a long line (clothes line) and call her to you a few times with a great treat (chicken or hot dogs). Say come in a really happy voice (sometimes it helps to walk backwards away from her while doing this) and bring her right to you. I use a more high pitched tone when calling but you can use a special word only for recalls. Then try it in a few situations where she is distracted (kids playing or other dogs). That way when you are at the dog park if you think she is getting into trouble she will come when you call. Barking is not necessarily a problem but if it looks like the other dogs are getting upset with her it is better to call her over to you than have her get attacked. Avoid calling her this way unless you are sure you can bring her to you at first. Mine learned a great recall at obedience class where the instructor had more advanced dogs placed around the ring and released the novices to run to their owners across the ring. They do need to learn that they should still come when the situation is exciting. If someone at a dog park is annoyed with a barking dog they probably should not be there! LOL

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by LaRissa L. Head on March 10, 2010 at 8:44am

Thanks Joanna and Bev! I owned dogs growing up, but it was always ina farm situation where what they did only affected us. Living in a town owning a dog has me walking on glass. I'm not always sure that the values i grew up with are the same in this situation.

As long as i know her happy barking isn't supposed to be constantly "controlled" while at a dog park, then i am fine with it. The majority of the time it has never been an issue, and the other owners and dogs love the chases it excites... but there have a been a few times a scuffle has broken out and i wasn't 100% sure it was not because of my actions.

Lots of the regulars at the dog park have noted that Roslyn is very good at signaling when an unstable dog has entered the park, or is about to snap. She has a bite on her back to prove it, she had placed herself between a chihuahua and a large mix breed right before the dog attacked. Roslyn has since been jokingly referred to as "protector of small dogs" in our little circle, because there have been a number of times she has signaled to us that a small dog is being picked on.

As for recall, yeah... we are still working on that one. *rolls eyes. She recalls great at home, and in our yard, even when on walks with rabbits and other wildlife spooking, but as soon as the leash comes off...
I have started making sure she is has had her hike before the dog park, so she is used to commands and not as excitable. I have been only calling her to praise her and give her love (but this is recent, i started with the common mistake to calling to punish), and i have also started distraction techniques with the agility equipment at the park.
if she is obsessing on a dog, i will call her over to play with the equipment instead. we have not taken any classes (still on the waiting list for basic obedience) but she is a remarkably fast learner and has been able to learn how to do some tricks... we both enjoy this greatly.

i think it is hard for a first time (city) dog owner to know that they are meeting the "social standard" with their dog. i also feel that in general, people in the public are faster to condemn and judge the dog and owner without fist making sure they know what the rules are.
Thank you for setting me heart at ease about the barking. it's nice to know i can let my dog be a dog.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on March 10, 2010 at 9:46am

Hi LaRissa, we now live in the city and understand what you mean, our Vienna is an undercover cop as well, what we've done is "clicker" training, it works for us and it's the magical "remote control" that teach her to come back to us. I've modified the clicker with the sound of "sucking my lips", so that it still works when we don't have a clicker on us. So far it's been very successful, we take our dogs to the park every other week and the clicker have stopped her from the middle of many hot pursuits. Good luck!

• ▶ Reply