#16 Reactive Dog Chats: Where to Get Started with Window Barking

[@nopigeon]

We have a GSP with serious OCD! When my neighbor waaay across the street pulls his garbage can out to the street the night before trash pickup my German Short Hair Pointer will bark at the can all night long until the trash people empty it and the neighbor returns it to its storing location in the tree area on his property. My dog will then sigh and stop barking, knowing she has done her 'job'.

[@Ke-yo2gd]

My dog barks at people and other dogs walking by on the side walk regardless of visual access. We have blinds or covering on all windows facing the street. So she is not responding to visual but to sound. How do I use the conditioning process you describe to address this?

[@RedPointyDogTraining]

Yes you bring up an excellent point! Management (using window cling or closing your blinds) is by no means a perfect system. Especially if the dog has a history practicing this behavior. If they are also responding to sound you could try keeping a fan or noise machine in the area during more busy times of day when more people walk by the home. I'd also still recommend working on the training games I mentioned as they will still help in reducing the behavior.

[@nopigeon]

oh, and as the commentor KE-yo2gd mentioned, blocking the view does not help. My dog recognizes the sounds coming from what used to trigger the barking visually. There were three other Tahoe cars like my huband's on our one street, and all white but our dog recognized my husband's car coming without seeing it - we're guessing by the sound of the tires????

[@RedPointyDogTraining]

That's super interesting! If you pup struggles with OCD then I'd look at this behavior with a wider lense. Maybe they truly are seeing "taking care of the trash can" as their job. How can you satisfy your dogs need to work and occupy their brain I'm other more productive ways? Have you heard of Simone Muellers Predation Substitution Training?