Bandage as muffler?

[Starvader]

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Hello all. I've been puzzling about how, if at all, I might be able to take my dog camping. The difficulty is that she is a superb watchdog and therefore likely to bark all night! The only thing I can think of is wrapping her head, and therefore ears, with self-sticking bandage at night. Assuming she accepts it with equanimity can anyone think of the cons? So far I have wondered about the lack of 'breathing' for her ears but I'm sure there must be more. All suggestions and advice would be very helpful.

 

[JoanneF]

On the chance this is not a wind up, the first thing that comes to mind is that it wouldn't be effective at blocking the noise that triggers her barking.

Try training her to quieten on cue. There are some very good videos on YouTube, search for Kikopup.

 

[Starvader]

Thank you Joanne. It never occurred to me it might look like a wind up! I also never thought of training her to quiten on cue. I'll look at the videos. I live in a terrace so the neighbours might thank you too!

 

[peediepaws]

RDuk on Facebook great help for reactive dogs can help and support you with non force training.

Good Luck.

 

[gypsysmum2]

The best guard dogs are nervous dogs. The worst ones are confident dogs.

The reason a dog barks at every little noise is that it is nervous of it. The long term solution, therefore, is to build her confidence so that she does not feel the need to drive the perceived "threat" away.

Try to show confidence and calmness yourself. Let her give the first woof or two and then teach her to shush. Let her know that you are not worried about the things she hears. Calming statements like "all gone" and "not for us" might help her to relax.

The first night we took our new, nervous, rescue dog away camping I intervened at every single woof to tell him it was "ok" and nothing to worry about. Because he didn't get into the habit of barking he is fine now. It will be much harder to break the habit at home. She will see her barking as successful in driving away perceived threats. She barks and has remained safe so she repeats the behaviour.

 

[spanielmad]

Excellent advice as always from gypsysmum - you should be a behaviourist, if you aren't already x

Excellent advice as always from gypsysmum - you should be a behaviourist, if you aren't already x

 

[Starvader]

Hello gypsysmum2. You have summed up my dilemma very well. I purposely bought a dog who would be a watchdog but of course she can't tell a real threat from a 'normal' noise! I let her know when things are OK and just carry on as usual, but I once saw a lovely cartoon of two dogs discussing how many threats they had sent away through barking at them (postman etc.). Molly still reacts to noises even after I've shushed her. I exposed her to the bin men, fireworks efc. so she ignores them, but innocuous sounds set her off; hence my worries about her barking in the tent. And yet I rely on her to scare potential burglars etc. and to let me know when there is someone at the door (after which I praise her for doing her job!)

A friend of mine suggested a trial run locally so if she is a big problem I might be able to pack up and skidaddle in the middle of the night. Your experience with your dog reassures me that it just might work if I sat out the first night quietening her (trying to!) and saw if she was calmer the next night. Hmm....