Hope I've put this in the right section

Our Golden Retriever is coming up to two now but over the past few weeks she's started to bark at other dogs on her walks. She's very friendly and just wants to play but other dog walkers don't know that and it's starting to become a bit of a nuisance. I'm also worried about her barking at a more timid dog and scaring it off

Has anyone any idea what could have caused this to start happening or have any methods as to how we can stop it before it becomes ingrained behaviour.

Thanks

Im not much of a help, but didnt want to read and run. My ESS Jessie barked at dogs on walks too, now 90% of the time if i focus enough i can stop it. Their barking for different reasons, jessie is timid of other dogs and does not like to interact but maybe the same things could work.

I learnt her the 'watch me' type command.. get the attention and reward...shes more focused on the treat often enough she doesnt realise the dog has passed us.

Also what has worked for us most.. which isnt probs in any book. Is using a high pitched voice and saying "goood girl, no barking,seee nicee,, no barking good girl" fuss and girl treat if doesnt bark. Im not going to lie, you will get strange looks but it worked!

Down tight confide spaces. I sit her down as the other dog approached. Kinda block her view with my body, stroke her head and praise her.

What works for each different person is different. Just keep trying you'll get there.

Hope someone on here can offer you some advice as ive only got my own story to go on, and its alot different.

E.T.A i get what you mean about other dog owners not understanding, the amount of time ive said she wont hurt him, shes as soft as a brush just a scardy cat is unreal!

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I play the 'Look At That!' game from a book called 'Control Unleashed' by Leslie McDevitt for anything that Kilo reacts to. The idea of the game is that the dog is rewarded for looking at whatever it is that he barks at or becomes unsettled by...I use a clicker or voice mark when I don't have the clicker. When Kilo looks at a trigger I either say 'What's that?' and he turns his head to me for a treat or click when he looks at a trigger without reacting and he turns to me for a treat. I must admit that the clicker is far more effective as it 'cuts through' any stress - related 'deafness' that is occurring really well...the noise of it seems to 'unfreeze' him if he has started his stare.

I have also learnt a lot about Kilo's 'safe' distances from triggers and learnt to work within his threshold, managing to gradually decrease the distance at which he is comfortable.

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As she's friendly, sounds like frustration barking.

'I want to play, bark bark, let me play...'

Solution: teach the dog to go through you to get what she wants.
e.g. sit, down, look at me, bark at me... then you get to go play!

(behaviour gets reinforced EVERY time the other dog moves, gets closer or she plays with them).

- teach sit/down/look/bark at me in low level distractions (at home) with food/toys
- increase distractions, apply corrections where necessary.
- go real life.
- let the dog 'succeed' occasionally by setting up subjects in the park where you can get her to sit, and then release her to play.

--------hope that helps.=------------------

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Cambridge Dog Training School | G3 Dogs
www.g3dogs.com