Re: Re: [pyrnet] Barking

[Oliverslb@aol.com]

I also read that squirting lemon juice in their mouths will stop the 
barking...My beardie loves lemon juice - I have not tried it on Bobo the Pyr 
though.  When I first got him he had been left chained to a pumphouse west of 
town to die for two and one-half weeks - I think he must have barked that 
entire time because when I got him he seemed very content to just lay and 
listen to himself bark.  I did everything to distract him from the habit.  I 
would go out and reassure him at the gate if he started barking, sometimes I 
would brush him out there, that would relax him.  In the house, where he is 
most of the time, I would let him bark to warn me of the men stealing our 
garbage, etc. but then I tell him "enough" and now he stops after I 
aknowledge his "warning".  I believe when you are trying to discourage a bad 
habit, you have to replace it with a good one - such as brushing, playing, a 
little training - anything to get their attention - but be careful to not 
reward them when they bark.  Bobo has gotten very attached to the two 
gentlemen that live next door and barks like crazy when they come and go...I 
go out each time and acknowledge him and sometimes engage the neighbor in 
conversation, then they pet him (after he stops) and talk to him for awhile - 
it seems that its the people that ignore them that promote the barking, but 
the people that say hello and go on their way are fine.  Now my neighbors 
love Bobo and have seen such a change in him in the past six months!
Regards,
Lisa + Bobo