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Pat Germain
08-31-2008, 9:40 AM
We seem to have a lot of dog lovers here on SMC. I could use some advice with my beagles.

My male beagle, Sam, has started barking more and more. If any of my neighbors are in their back yards, Sam will run outside and start barking at them. And as you know, beagle barks are long and loud!

Sometimes, my female beagle, Zoe, will join in for a beagle chorus. They actually bark at the same time and for the same duration. It's funny for a few seconds. Then it's downright annoying.

I've tried all the postivite and negative reinforcement I can manage with no results. Otherwise, Sam and and Zoe are great, friendly dogs. I'm thinking my last resort my be an anti-bark collar. Does anyone have experience with those devices?

Some people may think it's cruel to "shock" a dog for discipline. At this point, I'm afraid one of my neighbors might try to hurt by beagles because they're barking so much; especially when I'm not home.

Thanks.

David G Baker
08-31-2008, 10:07 AM
I haven't any helpful information but I am on the receiving end of night time Beagle barking. It is very annoying and lasts for quite some time. The dog or dogs probably have very good hunting dog reasons for barking due to the amount of night time critters that are in my semi-rural area. I don't mind the sound of the Beagle bark near as much as I hate the yipping of the small lap dogs. The Beagles generally will stop barking when the critters go away but the yippers keep it up indefinitely.

Doug Shepard
08-31-2008, 10:16 AM
I've never had to use one but my next door neighbor has. He's got 2 small yappers - one pretty good, and one that just wont stop. They are smart enough to know that when he puts the collar on them that they now have to stop when he yells at them to stop. Otherwise they are apparently deaf and wont stop. There's a warning sound too and the idea is that you always do the shock after the warning sound. Eventually they start paying attention when the warning sound happens and the shock isn't necessary.

Julie Rose
08-31-2008, 12:14 PM
I have collies and unfortunately they are barkers. I tried everything, and I mean everything! The only thing that worked for me is a bark collar. Mine wear the Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter which I purchased at Cabella's.

~Julie~

Pat Germain
08-31-2008, 12:51 PM
I have collies and unfortunately they are barkers. I tried everything, and I mean everything! The only thing that worked for me is a bark collar. Mine wear the Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter which I purchased at Cabella's.

~Julie~

Thanks, Julie. I'll take a look at that collar.

FYI, I keep my beagles inside at night. That way, at least they're not barking after dark. And at the dark.

Greg Peterson
08-31-2008, 3:06 PM
Barking is bred into the breed. So, it really is a part of their DNA. Curbing this behavior may be challenging.

Our dog is one of those yappers. One thing that definitely works on her is an empty soda can with a few pennies inside. Jiggle it a few times and she stops. Apparently she doesn't like the sound all that much.

Might try it. Eight cents is a pretty cheap hit or miss (three cents if you don't have a bottle deposit).

Matt Ocel
08-31-2008, 3:23 PM
Here's my Pied Piper, ("The Senator" 200lbs brindle English Mastiff) when he barks they all bark.
One day on the shock collar worked.
You have to figure, anyone with a invisible fence is using a form of a shock collar.

Pat Germain
09-01-2008, 10:41 AM
Barking is bred into the breed. So, it really is a part of their DNA. Curbing this behavior may be challenging.

Our dog is one of those yappers. One thing that definitely works on her is an empty soda can with a few pennies inside. Jiggle it a few times and she stops. Apparently she doesn't like the sound all that much.

Might try it. Eight cents is a pretty cheap hit or miss (three cents if you don't have a bottle deposit).

I tried the "rattle can" thing a long time ago. Sam just barked at it. :rolleyes:

I picked up a shock collar yesterday after hearing here that they work pretty well. I put it on Sam and had my wife ring the doorbell. Sam let out a loud bark, which I think the collar sampled. As soon as the second bark started, I could tell he got a shock. He certainly didn't like it, but he shut up immediately and wasn't hurt.

The collar I got also has a warning beep. Hopefully, Sam will learn to stop barking as soon as he hears the beep, and then not bark at all.

According the collar manual, I'm supposed to remove the collar for play time when it's OK for the dog to bark. I'm thinking I'd like to loan this collar to a few of my neigbhors for their "yippers"...

Thanks again, everyone.

Mike Cutler
09-01-2008, 12:57 PM
Pat

Get the bark collars. I recommend the Tri-Tronics. I've used both the collars from Innotek and Tri-Tronics with great success.
I don't trust the safety features of the El-Cheapo versions, so I go with a quality collar, with a name I can trust.

It's not cruel, or harsh if performed properly. The dog gets a warning from the collar before the actual correction takes place. They'll learn very quickly.
What will take a collar about thirty minutes to train them too, will save an owner months of frustration, and potentially save the dog from physical abuse if the frustration level gets too high on the owner.

Your Beagles are "giving tongue", or "sounding". It's a very much desired trait in beagles, so they're sort of selectively bred and programmed to bark.
Transition through the correction settings on the collar, and pick the correct electrodes,and all should work out. I don't think with a beagle you'll get to the point of them not wearing a collar, or wearing the collar for show. They will test it everyday. They're smart little buggers, and the good ones are very much forward and independent.

Beagles are cool.:cool: I Love the sound of them running rabbits.

Oops, I see ya' already got one. I must not have scrolled all the way down.

Michael Wetzel
09-01-2008, 7:24 PM
Neighbor has 2 beagle/Bluetick coonhound mixes. They learned the beep meant run really fast through the fence and only get hit once... They sure aren't dumb.

Doug Shepard
09-01-2008, 9:09 PM
... I'm thinking I'd like to loan this collar to a few of my neigbhors for their "yippers"...
...


I've got a couple of neighbors I'd like to try one on too.:D

Lee Schierer
09-02-2008, 1:00 PM
The Dog Whisperer on the discovery channel had a show on a beagle doing exactly what yours are doing. Beagles are bred to tell the hunter when they have found a rabbit. What he concluded was that the dog was merely substituting find neighbors for finding rabbits. Basically they were bored with their yard and looked for anything that allowed "excitment". Through a vigorous exercise program and conditioning (without shock collars) he reprogrammed the dog not to bark every time he saw another dog. Take them out and let them work more often. Yelling at an excited dog only heightens the excitment because now you too are "excited" that he found the neighbors....

I have a training collar I use on my Brittany to get him to turn when gets too far from me. Normally all I have to do is beep the collar or tweet my whistle and he turns.

Lee Schierer
09-02-2008, 1:10 PM
Neighbor has 2 beagle/Bluetick coonhound mixes. They learned the beep meant run really fast through the fence and only get hit once... They sure aren't dumb.Some of the newer electronic fences have adjustable field widths and zap ranges from tickle to nearly stun level. They have what they call "Progressive Correction" - if your pet attempts to leave the yard, the receiver will automatically increase the correction level until he returns and "Anti Linger" so the dog cannot stay in the warning zone and run down the battery. Of course no electronic fence can make up for an owner who doesn't teach the dog how to respond when the dog hears the beep. You can't just put up the fence and expect the dog to figure it out.

Cliff Rohrabacher
09-03-2008, 9:14 AM
Find an expert with references and use that person.

If you are unable to turn the trick with your dogs it's probably time to seek other experienced ideas.

Shock collars may work but I rather suspect that nipping the matter in the bud with an expert is the better course.

I live in a little town where more than half the residents have dogs. About 10 years ago there were a contingent of dog owners around me that had the manners of - - -well they didn't have any at all- and their animals barked incessantly all night long.

It was a problem. And let me tell you: a person's animals, when out of control, reflect on them as surely as do mannerless children who rampage, fight, and offend. Those negative impressions out last any positive ones.
So I think if you want to keep the dogs it'll be worth the money for an expert trainer - - with references.

Pat Germain
09-03-2008, 6:03 PM
I ended up getting a Pet Safe collar at the recommendation of the PetSmart staff. I was going to buy an Innotek and think I should have. I'm not sure the Pet Safe collar is working properly. It's supposed to beep, but I've never heard it do so.

Sam got all freaked out when the collar jolted him the other night. He ran outside yelping and my wife got very upset. So, I'm not sure if the collar thing is going to work out.

I looked into trainers. I'm not in a position to spend $1500 on training. I will try to get my beagles out on the trail more often.

Cliff Rohrabacher
09-04-2008, 10:09 AM
a Pet Safe collar at the recommendation of the PetSmart staff.

Ask your Vet about this. I rather suspect that the retail chain's staff won't be expert at much of anything at all. I could be wrong but, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Sam got all freaked out when the collar jolted him the other night. He ran outside yelping and my wife got very upset. So, I'm not sure if the collar thing is going to work out.I am not an animal lover and I don't want a dog (I used to keep horses tho). But, I can't quite get my head around the wisdom of shocking a little beagle into submission. They are such sweet little critters. There's gotta be a better way.


I looked into trainers. I'm not in a position to spend $1500 on training.Well, keeping a pet does have it's attendant burdens.


I will try to get my beagles out on the trail more often.

Hope it helps. I rather suspect the dog will retain its energy level. Have you thought about asking your Vet to recommend a book on "how to" train your dog? Maybe there's a course you can take at a local hunter's club or Community College.