HELP! NOTHING stops the barking!
What about it?
My 1.5 year old Shetland sheepdog (yes, I know their barky reputation!) will not stop barking.
To clarify: this is mainly an issue inside the house with any noise or sight he hears. He has been fairly reactive in the past with anything moving and we’ve worked through so much of that. I’ve helped him not bark at things I can anticipate such as the vacuum, spray bottles, trash bags, etc. But when it’s something I can’t anticipate like neighbors, he loses his mind and I can’t do anything ahead of time.
This is an issue because the new apartment complex we moved to has paper thin walls, and no AC so the windows have to be open, which amplifies the noises he can see and react to. I’m at my wits end! My neighbors have come to talk to me.
I’ve tried interrupting and asking for a different behavior (though let me tell you he can continue barking in a down-stay), I’ve tried the “thank you†protocol, and I’ve tried having him on a leash and giving him a firm “no†and walking him a ways. He gets plenty of exercise including off-leash bikes in nature, sports classes, and training sessions. I don’t think it’s a mental stimulation thing because he can be in a dead sleep and just launch. Nothing has impacted it. Please help!