News:

SMF - Just Installed!

Main Menu

Dog courtesy!

Started by goldenret02, Mar 08, 2005, 08:11 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

goldenret02

We're going on our fourth year of popup camping this season and have always included our two golden retreivers on every trip. They have been great camping companions, never bark, and are a hit with the young kids at the campgrounds. However, along comes Rascal. He is a Long hair Chihuahua and sports a very huge personality. He'll be a new camper this year and I'm afraid he will bark at everything that moves. I'm sure that others have come across this situation, just wanted to get some possible suggestions to mold Rascal into a happy camper. :tent:

chasd60

We have a little water bottle for our youngest chihuahua if he gets to yappy. They hate getting squirted with water.

We found that people are drawn to our campsite if our chihuahuas are out. We have two, both shorthaired. The older one is about 6 and the younger one is just over a year old this year. When people approach, the older one wags her tail but the younger one wants to bark, a little more timid. I found the best thing to do is pick him up and hand him to the person approaching. They do not want to bark when they are being held by the person they were barking at.
 
That is how we got the older on to stop barking when we got her. She used to yip yap like crazy and that is why we were given the dog. It only took a few weeks to stop the yipping with the handoff method in our home. They both bark when there is a knock at the door but that is expected.

ForestCreature

Try to start socializing him around large groups of prople (strangers) and activities now. Maybe visits to a local park that is busy. That will help get him used to the activity level he'll encounter at a campground. Socializing with other dogs will help too. If he dosen't adapt to camping without major barking I'd suggest boarding, that would make you, your camping neighbors and the dog happier.

Calstate361

We have a 6 year old Rot/Pit named Buddy.  He has never been a problem.  When we first got our PU, we took a break down trip to our local Folsom Lake for the weekend.  This was his first time camping in the PU and with him.  We chained him to the bumper of the PU and he just sat there and watched the world go by. wagging his tail as people walked by.  He very seldom barks.  However, our 3 year old Chihuahua (she will be 4 on St. Patrick's Day), Killer, is the one who was yappy.  I started training her with a squirt bottle and telling her to be quiet every time she started in.  I have come to prefer a toy squirt gun because the water travels farther.  I also used this method on my cats.  Now with the cats and Killer, all I have to do is have the squirt gun in my hand and they cring.  She has gotten better, but at times she seems to just keep barking when camping.   That's when I break out the super soaker because the stream of water goes much further and she can't get away from it.  She does pretty well now, all we really have to do as yell at her to be quiet and that usually does the trick.   In case you want to know how she got the name "Killer"...when we brought her home the first time, the first thing she did was attack Buddy.  She went straight for the jugular.   That became a game with them and now they wrestle and chase each other around the house and yard.  My step-son saw her attacking Buddy and called her Killer and it stuck.  The Buddy and Killer are usually the hit of the campground because we chain them both up when we are outside so they can move around as they please and once Buddy settles down and lays down, Killer usually climbs on top of Buddy's back.   People walk by and point at the two dogs.   She uses Buddy as a heating pad.  She does this at home also.  I have a picture of them like that on my desk at work.  That picture gets more comments.  
 
So all in all, the best method is using the squirt bottle or squirt gun for the yappy ones.  
 
GOOD LUCK
 
Joan

goldenret02

Thanks for the input. We have been taking Rascal every where we go to get him solcialized to others. He loves people, but I think it's the noises he hears that might spook him, causing him to bark. We'll definitely try the hand-off method and the water gun method. Thanks for your suggestions, we'll keep you posted on the outcome.  :)

MtnCamper

Actually I wish others would learn a little courtesy also! Not just the dog. When my dog is tied up on his stake outside, please don't rush his camping area to pet him. It's hard enough to train him, without distractions. Everyone seems to think he's cute, and being a Golden, he loves the attention.

But it would be much easier if you were to just walk by, or wait until I'm around to approach the dog.

Fishin BC

I am right there with you MtnCamper!  My dogs are obedient and well behaved, But stay away unless you ask me first.  

Anyway, our training tool to end barking was a soda can with a hand full of pennies in it.  Dog barks shake can and say "No Bark", dog doesn't stop barking lob can near dog.  Worked great and now I only say no bark and all is quiet.

tlhdoc

Quote from: Fishin BCI am right there with you MtnCamper! My dogs are obedient and well behaved, But stay away unless you ask me first.
 
Anyway, our training tool to end barking was a soda can with a hand full of pennies in it. Dog barks shake can and say "No Bark", dog doesn't stop barking lob can near dog. Worked great and now I only say no bark and all is quiet.
I was going to recommend a coffee can with marbles it.:)

brainpause

Quote from: tlhdocI was going to recommend a coffee can with marbles it.:)

Never heard of the coke or coffee can method! Why does it work? Do they hate the noise?

Larry

Fishin BC

Don't think it is so much that they don't like the noise as much as it averts their attention to you with that noise.  The second they are focused on you give the command you want to reinforce.  Works great!

Even after only shaking the soda can for about a week when we first brought Briar home, she now will focus all her attention on you if you have a soda can in your hand.  It's a border collie thing I guess, they learn so fast and are so focused that it gets ingrained.  

They know quite a few hand signals, but if someone gives a signal slightly different (say a little to the left or right of what I do) they will turn their heads to the side as if to say, "What do you want?" :p

goldenret02

Well, we just got back from our first outting this weekend and Rascal has proven himself to be a well oiled camping machine. :)  He only barked once, while some loud kids passed our site. He quieted immediately at my "no bark" command. I have been working with him at home on the "no bark" command and it paid off. I can not say the same for some other fellow campers at the campground this weekend. :(  I would like to thank everyone for their input and suggestions. Thanks!!!!!!! :)  :)  :)  :)

tlhdoc

If it will be dry this coming weekend I will be taking one of our dogs camping.  I hope she will be a good camping dog.:)

4campinfoxes

We take our dog camping all the time, he is a 5 yr old lab.  WE used to have 2 labs but one went to puppy heaven this spring.  He is pretty well behaved, but he likes to jump on people he meets, and is pretty energetic.

My pet peeve is people (mainly kids) who walk right next to or through our campsite when they can take a different route.  The dog naturally barks at them or jumps to greet them.  They get frightened & then I have to yell at the dog.  Don't people teach their kids to stay away from other people's dogs AND not to go through other people's campsites????

Sharon

griffsmom

I wonder if the shaking can technique works on 4 year old boys....
 
;)

Kelly

Quote from: 4campinfoxesDon't people teach their kids to stay away from other people's dogs AND not to go through other people's campsites????


It's drilled into my kids.  They even check to make sure it's okay to ask the owner before they ask to pet a dog!   And they don't go through other people's campsites either.

Course they don't put their toys away or make their beds ... one step at a time!  :p