New Dog Next Door

[teekay]

So, my next door neighbours appear to have got a puppy over the Christmas break. They have had it for a couple of weeks now. Unfortunately they do not seem to be paying it much attention and it is constantly being left to it's own devices in the back yard. Problem is, it seems to be a barker. It's only a fairly quiet yap at the moment but I am worried that will change as it gets older. Anyway, may main concern is, i do not want my three joining in with the barking.

Tbh Mya isn't a problem, she just ignores it. Jenna will give an occasional woof but Luka is the one I am most worried about because he can be prone to barking. I have worked on diminishing this and he has been fine with the people when they are in the back yard (even though they have built up the level of their garden so they are head and shoulders above the fence line ) but the first I knew about this puppy was because Luka was barking in the garden and I went to check out what he was barking at.

So far I have tried sitting out there and treating him when the puppy barks and that's fine but I can't really sit out there all day! The past couple of nights, though, I have noticed when I let Luka out for his nighttime wee he is bolting over to the fence and running up and down the fence line with the puppy barking the other side. Luka hasn't actually been barking too much but I do not like this fence running. He is also ignoring me when I call him in which is not good at all. He was so good at coming when called before this puppy arrived.

So I'm after any advice to hopefully train him to ignore the puppy. Please tell me it's possible

[Rebanne]

I had neighbours move in at the back of my place with 3 staffy types. They love jumping on the fence. Not too bad but they do it if my dogs are there and of course my dogs were interested cause the staffy's are. Vicious circle. My dogs aren't barkers but I was worried about injuries amongst the trees or snapping at each other so I built an inner fence from mesh and Bunnings compost panels. My dogs still patrol, staffy's still scratch at the fence but the heat has gone out of the confrontation.

[Dame Aussie]

We did the same as rebanne.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Dame Aussie

[teekay]

Thanks Rebanne, I may resort to some kind of fence to prevent him getting too close to the actual fence line but I dont think that is going to prevent him from barking back at the puppy and this is what I really want to try and stop before it gets established. I've worked so hard to get him to stop him from barking at the people so it'd be a shame to go backwards.

I've just done a training session out in the garden while the puppy was out with a squeaky toy. Luka would look that way but I managed to get his attention and did some simple agility foundation stuff. At least I have lots of left over turkey for treats :laugh:

I'll keep at it :)

Eta I think I will pop him on a long line for nighttime wees too

Edited December 27, 2014 by teekay

[Starkehre]

Agree with the others, put up a temporary Bunnings mesh panel fence.

I had a fence runner/barker a while ago and what we did is go one step further... with the mesh panels, we had them quite excessive, as in extra panels so they could fold a bit back and forth (concertina). So not only does this mean that you can make the fence line zigzag, but you can move it slightly every now and then, just to make sure the dogs never get overly comfortable with it.

I find dogs that run fences are usually more confident and likely to do so it when they trust the fence is not going to move, they trust it is permanent and they become familiar with it. If it is moveable, less rigid (even slightly flimsy and would move if they touch it) and more crooked it really kills their drive and anxiety to perform their ritual. Also setting it up this way means that you can keep it really close to the existing fence, in fact some parts can still even be up against it or touching and still be just as affective. This way you'll only lose a few inches of your yard here and there instead of a huge chunk.

:)

[Rebanne]

Agree with the others, put up a temporary Bunnings mesh panel fence.

I had a fence runner/barker a while ago and what we did is go one step further... with the mesh panels, we had them quite excessive, as in extra panels so they could fold a bit back and forth (concertina). So not only does this mean that you can make the fence line zigzag, but you can move it slightly every now and then, just to make sure the dogs never get overly comfortable with it.

:)

what a good idea! Though most of my yard has inner fences, they protect the few shrubs/small trees etc that I do have growing.

[Dame Aussie]

We used some large stakes and dog wire from bunnings and just fenced off about half a metre in from the fence line. I agree about it not being as sturdy and that helping, one of my dogs was scratching at the back fence but he doesn't even try to do anything like that with the inner fence. He approaches and stops well short. No fence running either.

[Starkehre]

Agree with the others, put up a temporary Bunnings mesh panel fence.

I had a fence runner/barker a while ago and what we did is go one step further... with the mesh panels, we had them quite excessive, as in extra panels so they could fold a bit back and forth (concertina). So not only does this mean that you can make the fence line zigzag, but you can move it slightly every now and then, just to make sure the dogs never get overly comfortable with it.

I find dogs that run fences are usually more confident and likely to do so it when they trust the fence is not going to move, they trust it is permanent and they become familiar with it. If it is moveable, less rigid (even slightly flimsy and would move if they touch it) and more crooked it really kills their drive and anxiety to perform their ritual. Also setting it up this way means that you can keep it really close to the existing fence, in fact some parts can still even be up against it or touching and still be just as affective. This way you'll only lose a few inches of your yard here and there instead of a huge chunk.

:)

Added, I find the above method of fencing works the same as a hot wire. Just gives the dogs a whole new attitude and respect towards the fence. They may trot toward it if occupants on the other side arouse them, but once they get there they just switch off immediately in a calm fashion.

[alpha bet]

A secondary fence is ideal... this creates a buffer zone between the dogs... helps to remove much of the energy of the dogs....

If the dogs like to run up and down another thing to try is to make your inner fence irregular... A straight line gives the dogs a good flow up and down and they can just get into this random fence running whereas if you place some objects that they must move around this interrupts their pattern... ideally consider a couple of panels at right angles to the fence or a wading pool, even placing a couple of barrels so the dog has to manouver - you can also move these regularly so it doesn't become a habit.

[teekay]

A secondary fence is ideal... this creates a buffer zone between the dogs... helps to remove much of the energy of the dogs....

If the dogs like to run up and down another thing to try is to make your inner fence irregular... A straight line gives the dogs a good flow up and down and they can just get into this random fence running whereas if you place some objects that they must move around this interrupts their pattern... ideally consider a couple of panels at right angles to the fence or a wading pool, even placing a couple of barrels so the dog has to manouver - you can also move these regularly so it doesn't become a habit.

Funny. I was thinking about Starhere's post and decided a couple of panels at right angles to the fence would be a good idea. Enough to interrupt the running but not hurt him. I will give that a try, in conjunction with the training to ignore.

:)