[AshleysMom]

LOL..we learned a new trick last night..I had Ashley in sit to give her a treat...( no jumping Ashley for your goodies!! ), and decided to see if she could catch on to "speak"...took all of 4 tries..and she has it down. I use hand signals for all her commands, as I think that she responds better, and if she see's me make the signal, she will give it her best shot.. New command..fingers pinched together at my mouth, and then flung forward toward her about 6 inches..we get ONE woof..and thats it..
My smart baby!! DH doesn't like this command, as he doesn't think she should bark..she's a DOG for heavens sake!! I wondered if he thought she was goning to open up with "hey..give me my dang treat! "..LOL

 

[Diesel-and-Kira]

how'd you get her to figure out that command means to bark?
I trained my parents lab to speak...by barking at her. that doesn't work for diesel though. he looks at me like I'm crazy.

 

[FREDOSMOM]

I think i'm going to work on the "speak" command as well. Fredo never ever barks (except when a toy falls out of his crate at night) My bf works really late and just in case i need to scare someone off I want him to be able to deliver a loud bark...the only sounds he ever makes is wimpering when you;re not playing with him 24/7 or scratching his ass when he wants it..lol

 

[AshleysMom]

I actually DID woof at her..and held the treat up. The first little noise was not much of a real bark..but she got rewarded for it!! And I think thats the trick..get them to make ANY noise, and reward them..the full blown BARK comes after they understand that they will be rewarded for thier "work"
The rest of the evening..lots of belly rubs and love. Ashley is vocal to start with, so that may help. Now if I could only get her to bark when the doorbell rings, or she hears a noise, as I too will be home alone for about 8 months in 2 weeks time..she is suppose to keep people from opening my door.. I hear her bark, and if I was a burgalr..I would think there was something massive on the other side!!

 

[FREDOSMOM]

Yeah , i guess it is def. true that "their bark is worse than their bite"...lol

 

[Barbs2Ks]

Ashley, you are a smart little girl to learn so quickly.

 

[AshleysMom]

Thanks Barb! She is rather smart. I think in my introduction I told everyone she will probably be a Therapy dog. And if this quick training continues..I will take her to bring love to the hospital/nursing home patients. I know how much I would adore that face laying in my lap looking at me with those big chocolate eyes if i didn't feel well!!

 

[Guest]

Ashley is so smart!  

The first time Binga did her big girl bark it about scared me to death.  She saw someone walk by outside she didn't know and went crazy.  I wish I could teach Binga to speak on command.  BUT if I say, "Binga who is it?!" she runs to the door and barks her big girl bark.  So I think that works pretty well.  My hubby works offshore and is gone a week at a time.  I like that she knows to go to the door.  If she hears a noise outside too she doesn't recognize she goes on alert.  

If you didn't know the dog and heard her bark I think you would be scared.  I know I would!

 

[JeepKuntry]

So Ashleys smart and pretty.  You might regret bringin on her vocals later!  Charlie never barked or anything until we got Sadie.  She's pretty vocal.  Now I've got two that bark a ton and growl at each other.  They both bark at anything they see outside our house.  People, cars, leaves blowing, it can get old!

 

[AshleysMom]

OH!! Binga needs to teach Ashley that! I'm terrified someone will break in, and the worst they will get is big ol' puppy licks on their face...not much of a deterent huh?? lol
She probably will help them carry out what ever they want to take ( not me though..Mommy will be hiding in the closet behind the clothes!!)

 

[Guest]

Haha..    i felt the same way for a while.  Binga would love on anyone that came to the door.  But at about 7 or 8 months she got kinda protective.  I think her instincts finally kicked in.  Maybe when she gets older she won't welcome everyone into the home  

If someone knocks on the door Binga does the snorting bark.  (where they do their deep bark and when they breathe in they snort.  scary and funny at the same time..  haha)

 

[Mastray]

YAY! I just taught this to Odin as well. Yesterday actually... it took him about six tries and he's moving around a little when doing it... but starting to stop that. My DH feels the SAME WAY!!!! He's like... WHY ARE YOU TEACHING HIM THAT!????? I told him it's to bark ON COMMAND not bark 24/7!! YAY, ASHLEY!!!

 

[Mastray]

So Ashleys smart and pretty.  You might regret bringin on her vocals later!  Charlie never barked or anything until we got Sadie.  She's pretty vocal.  Now I've got two that bark a ton and growl at each other.  They both bark at anything they see outside our house.  People, cars, leaves blowing, it can get old!

Odin was like that... never barked... then we brought home a new addition which barked at everything... and now he barks a lot more!

 

[AshleysMom]

Quick update....I was at the Vet getting a ear check..( YEAH..no nore taping!! ) and this lady brings out this grossly obese boxer boy...I asked her politely how old is he..she tells me 2 1/2 yrs ( poor boy ). Ashley then sat, and waited her turn..and the lady is furiously pushing on this huge dogs butt to get him to sit...which he never did..she looks at me, and asks how I got a puppy to learn to "sit" and what other "tricks" she does....( sitting is a TRICK?? I thought it was a command to keep your dog in CONTROL!! ) I made the mistake of telling her I had taught Ashley to "speak" last night..she looks at me and all snotty says.."WHY would you teach her to bark??....Geee..umm so she know the difference between bark, and quiet???
I told her I had already had Ashley on most other commands, and she ACTUALLY rolled her eyes at me!! I almost tossed a bag of Science Diet Weight maintanence at her so I could tell her SHE better learn the "trick" of NOT feeding her overweight dog a diet thats gonna kill him...GRRRRRR I wanted to call the ASPCA on this snotty woman.
Sorry to rant..but this woman was literaly DRAGGED out of the office by her dog..and she had the nerve to roll her eyes at ME?? Pitifull :x

 

[maplesfolks]

so I tried this with Maple and she barked on command a few times (while jumping, she doesn't know how to bark and not jump lol) so then she just started barking nonstop and looking at me for treats lol, which of course I didn't give her, well that was yesterday so today I'm afraid to start up again, 'cause i think she is just gonna go off barking, now we need to work on quite ha ha, any suggestions?

 

[AshleysMom]

Does Maple know the "down" command yet? I took Ashley into another area..NO treats ( little sneak KNOWS when I have them! ) and did a sit-down command, then sat on the floor with her. I started her with her first "speak", she woofed, and got excited and stood up. So we went back to sit-down again. This time I just layed my hand on her back, and gave her the command..she got one bark, and I moved my hand to the back of her head, and patted but held her just a touch and said "quiet" very very softly..which caused her to tilt her head ( thus I think distracting her ). She did not bark again, until I gave the command once again. I can see how our babies can get over-excited so easily with this command..I think also, you could try the - turn your back and ignore if the barking gets out of control. This seems to work best for me if Ashley will not settle down.

 

[maplesfolks]

thanks! I'll try that with her, you have some good ideas for training we also start puppy training class on wed. so I'm very excited for that  

 

[AshleysMom]

Thanks, being on my 5th Boxer..I have really worked on learning the do's and dont's. I have been SO lucky to have had stay home time with my babies, and they all have taken to the hand signals easily. This breed is in a class of its own. They WANT to do whats right for you...just can get that stubborn streak somedays. If I can help in anyway, please don't hesitate to PM me..I'd love to assist

 

[My_Harleigh]

Funny this thread is up as I just taught Harleigh this yesterday. She picked it up so quick. How I got her to do it is in general, if you look at Harleigh in the eye for too long she barks at ya. LOL I laugh about it...but used that look and the word "speak" and she did it. Then she gets a click and a treat. We started puppy classes today and thats when I got my clicker. I am so excited about that dang clicker.

I love teaching/training a Boxer. They are such smart dogs and aim to please.

 

[AshleysMom]

Updates please on your classes   . I have not had the need for professional training of my dogs, as the breeders I have worked with have assisted me, but I am really curious if you feel you gain alot from classes. Ginger..my only clicker is my two fingers..LOL..she responds pretty well though..amazing that a simple noise like that will gain attention. Oh also..how is the behaviour with the other dogs in the class?