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Comment by Matt & Hilliary on April 5, 2009 at 3:02pm

Thanks for the advice. I've definitely used my big boy voice and that hasn't really worked either. We were thinking of trying the squirt bottle (of course we forgot to pick one up when we went out today).

Comment by Rachel on April 5, 2009 at 2:28pm

Izzie had this same problem when she was this old and we too live in an apartment. We were taking classes at the local Petsmart and the trainer there told me to tell her "quiet" whenever she started to bark and then when she stopped say "good girl" and give her a treat. It takes a while and some patience but she stopped barking all the time and now only does it if someone is making a lot of noise outside which I figure is why I have her anyway (to guard the property) lol

Comment by Alice on April 5, 2009 at 1:56pm

I posted a blog about the same issue. We tried holding Finn's mouth shut and he would just bark though our hands. The most effective things we've done so far are to use a spray bottle with just water in it and spray him and say quiet when he barks. Have it on stream not spray and aim at the mouth, You can also use water with lemon juice or vinegar in it but you have to be sure not to get it in his eyes. The other thing that works for the most part is to step right in front of him as close as you can get, hands on hips and say quiet in a deep voice while either stomping one foot or clapping your hands together to make a sound to snap him out of it then don't move away until he stays quiet (remember to praise him when he is quiet). We live in an apartment too so I know how stressful it can be when you have to worry about people complaining. Good luck!

Comment by Amanda on April 5, 2009 at 1:38pm

Try teaching him a quiet command. If he's barking, praise him and give a quiet command any time you hear him stop. This way he'll know its okay to bark, but also how to stop. :) You can also do this by teaching him to bark, and then doing the same thing, make him bark, then give him the command to stop, praise him, treats, etc. Holding his mouth shut (in my experience) will only make him more excited, at least it does with Dax. We've gotten the "speak" command down, and I'm still working on "quiet," but we're coming along slowly. It just takes time, consistency, and patience. Good luck! I know how you feel, Dax will start barking at a leaf flying by the window and it's almost impossible to calm him down.

Comment by WhiteDove on April 5, 2009 at 1:30pm

Gosh wish I knew of a way, I live in a home and so when my 3 start barking, I go outside to see first who's walking by and secondly to tell them to be quiet. . .of course, they're quiet until the next person walks by. . . .

I once asked a policeman about barking dogs and he said that in my case because I'm home alone most of the time that it could be a good thing???. . . .anyway I can understand you not wanting him to bark because of the neighbors. . . .Optimus is still a puppy and I'm sure he thinks it's all a game for him. . . .

We have a lot of good people here, I'm sure someone will come up with something.