It's Been a Day
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 1:40PM 
It's been a day and it is only half over. We have non stop barking as we had new dogs arrive. Tonight the collie departs and the barking will stop. What occurs, so you understand is one dog barks, another chimes in and then you have nonstop barking that only has a few moments reprieve. It's 143pm and I need a gin and tonic - seriously need 1 or 3. This has been exceedingly difficult. We never experienced this with the late Jessie the collie except for the 1st hour. I am trying to figure out why this is so different but it is and the rain and storm didn't help. Some visitors do not care but if the rest is barking they will but they are not afraid. Many are. Robbie remains wonderful. This did happen the last time he was here but this stay has been extended. I am good at conditioning and training but one dog feeds another.
Enough - just needed to vent and I am eating a big old fat brownie for comfort.
Pool people have not been back yet. We can't have the dogs out back when they are working so we take them out frequently for short play sessions. Hopefully they will come soon and get that over and we find nothing is broken. We are hopeful! That is why you open early.
Dogs are used to it not having a cover on it. They give it the respect it deserves and we are always - one of us out there with them in case someone jumps in or does something equally crazy as that water is COLD (50f). So far no issues. Before the season and when it is running cleaning the pool we do put it up to 65f so its not a shock if someone jumps in. Remember oceans or lakes at that temps before the season begins. I wouldn't go in at that temp but some do and would.
Dogs are playing indoors and enjoying. Seems our temps inside is 68f which is fine with me. I need socks on - hairless ones. I just groomed and well I have a little bit of sock and mostly hair to contend with and Nathan is napping so I do not dare go upstairs to get socks. Till a half hour from now till I can.
Reader Comments (2)
I would like to know how to stop Luna from barking at big dogs. She was attacked and terrified by a medium dog when she was under a year and now barks at any and all big dogs. Some scare me too but most we see are big and quiet and do not bark back.
But my two dogs bark when anyone is at the door. That I don’t seem to be able to quiet either.
Ronnie:
You have to reward when they are doing what you want. We had a golden that was fearful and we started walking across the street and distracting and rewarding as she didn't bark but we had to use distractions to accomplish this even if for minutes. each time she barked we didn't reward. It took us a solid year of doing this daily till we finally was able to walk closeup and past the other dog without barking. It takes patience, time and desire and not everyone has it in them to do the work. When you have a larger dog in the home, it is more difficult as you are flooding the dogs. You shouldn't flood the dogs by forced upclose exposures but with bad weather and many boarders, it was hard and not achievable at first. Each new dog started the experience all over again. We had barking everytime Robbie moved day and night. If you get stressed the dogs get stressed and instead of positive exposures you give them a reason to be fearful by your body. That is quite hard to overcome but you have to in order to help the dog. As Luna was attacked, a trainer may help you but you have to do the hard work and it will be hard to get her past it.