My dog won't shut the hell up - any advice?

[The Straight Story]

When I lived in Ohio my little dog, a mini dachshund, would run around the tree in the back yard for about 8 hours a day barking at it and biting it. We were convinced the tree had a spirit or something in it.

Then we moved to CA. We have a tree in the back yard that he all but ignored for almost a year (we moved here last May). Now he barks most the day at the tree hanging over our fence (it's our neighbor's tree) and ours which touches that one. He runs around, jumping as high as he can (about 4' off the ground, doing flips and such) bites the bark, shreds anything that gets in his way and even things that don't if he is mad enough - and yet there is nothing there that anyone can see that is taunting him.

Drives me nuts as I sit outside with my laptop to read and post (and smoke and drink....) Sun up to past sun down he spends a good amount of his time pacing and parking (while his son, the brown dog in pic below) ignores it all.

Not sure what to do or how to get him to stop (I have held him up to the tree and he gets all freaky).

Do they have Ritalin for dogs? :)

[amerikat]

1. duck tape

hot dogs are crazed. My Grand dad always had those dogs and they were a bit high strung. Maybe the dog whisper can help.

[Lil Missy]

2. I wouldn't worry about it. I think it's kinda cute.

Pets are all brain damaged in some way. Mine barks at the moon, every passing car, and sings and howls for sirens like Police, ambulance, or firetruck. I think it is just silly and I always laugh. :)

[The Straight Story]

3. if it was just a little something here or there I could understand it

he is obsessed though with the tree. HOURS a day he barks at it, probably waking up our neighbors who wish we would move away :)

[yewberry]

4. You might think about talking to a behaviorist or a good vet.

Really, that sounds a little like OCD (which can happen in dogs). There are some meds for dogs with this kind of problem.

I just asked my husband (a dog trainer for 10 years) and he thinks that your dog might need a little help. Seriously, that kind of sustained mania for so long probably isn't healthy.

At the very least (while the dog is in one of these periods), you might try redirection. Find a command that he will do well (sit, stay, heel, come, whatever he knows) and redirect him from his tree. Give him something else to do, something you want him to do and something he can succeed at, and reward him for it. Be consistent and be positive. Find a behavior that can replace his choice of fun and will be easier on you, and could direct his energies in a less obsessive way.

But do consider getting a little help. It sounds like he really might need it.

[femmocrat]

12. I agree. See your vet.

It's kind of like an obsession with the tree. He thinks there is something in the tree (maybe at one time there was), and you won't convince him otherwise.

Your vet could prescribe something to calm him down. And then you need to reward him when he doesn't bark at the tree. Maybe your vet could recommend some behavior therapy too. It's a complex problem.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Sorry, no advice. I just have to tell you,

your dogs are beautiful!

[The Straight Story]

6. yeah, yeah - my wife is pretty, my dogs are beautiful, and I am what?

just some old dude on du....Jeebus, can't someone tell me I am at least cute once in awhile :) And then pet me....

[SeattleGirl]

7. Well hell, dude, you ARE cute!

However, I think I'll leave the petting to Mrs. TSS, if ya know what I mean........

:hide:

[grasswire]

8. watch some episodes of the Dog Whisperer

He deals with this kind of behavior quite often. If you don't get it on your TV channels, then get his video from your local library or rental, or from his web site. Cesar Milan. His techniques work.

Does your dog get out for a walk every day with you? One of Milan's principles is that breeds meant to be working dogs NEED to work. He often fits a harness with bottles of water for weight and the dog goes for a walk carrying the weight.

[dembotoz]

9. get him a wife-he won't get a word in edgewise--just kidding....

[DS1]

10. If it drives YOU nuts, imagine what your neighbors are going through

:nuke:

[EstimatedProphet]

11. Peanut butter

[av8rdave]

13. I had a barking problem with one of mine

He would bark in the middle of the night. I got one of those units that emits the high freq sound humans can't hear, and it's activated by barking. Causes no pain - just annoys. Anyway, the problem was solved in two nights.

[bif]

14. Shoot him

Just kidding. We've got a whole neighborhood of barking dogs. Drives me nuts. People leave them out all day.

[flvegan]

15. Do you attempt to correct him when he does this?

Does he have toys, etc outside to otherwise occupy his time?

If yes to both these things, then I agree with the upthread suggestion to see a behaviorist or vet about it.

[gilpo]

16. Prozac...

It's cheap and it has seriously helped our psycho dog. My wife's a veterinarian and has used this treatment for all kinds of disorders (separation anxiety, nuisance barking, obsessive licking or chewing, etc.)

[LibertyLover]

17. Clomicalm

prozac for dogs. It really helped my whippet's seperation anxiety.

[LisaM]

18. Do you take your dog for a lot of walks?

In my experience, dogs that spend a lot of time in their own yards are more barky than dogs with a larger established territory.

He also might be trying to warn you of danger. We had a dog that freaked out every morning when the paper came. Finally, I read that I should thank him so he would know that we heard his "warning". We did this, and he stopped within about two days. When we kept saying, "no!" he thought we didn't understand that he was warning us.

[NewEnglandGirl]

19. He has to be perceiving or imagining something

that isn't there. I agree with the posts suggesting medication. It probably is causing him a lot of anxiety and driving you crazy too. You probably don't need too much of a dosage with such a small dog. Good luck. I saw something like this once on Dateline NBC and the meds did work. :dilemma: :hi:

[WolverineDG]

20. can't help you...I have one that barks at leaves

:eyes: And let me tell how much fun it is around my house come autumn....

Anyway, both of mine went absolutely nuts last night & no amounts of me going out there & redirecting, playing, attention-giving, did anything to stop them from barking once I got back into the house. Me this morning = :hangover: Even this morning, while I was out feeding & playing with them before work, they were absolutely insane with the barking.

Turns out, the back-fence neighbor's tree fell over sometime last night (my dogs & backyard were in no danger from that) & was blocking a side street. :eyes:

dg

[yellowdogintexas]

21. they are so cute. I am a cat lover and don't want to live with dogs but doxies are my FAVES

especially the little ones. They are so smart and slightly crazy. I do believe they have a sense of humor too.

Anyway, they love to chase balls and dig. Maybe he needs a project, like digging to China or something.

Anyway, hope you get this resolved, ....is it the brown one or the black one that is going nuts?

[one mean sheath]

22. i'd say

get thee to a dog trainer or behaviorist or whatever.

when i first read the title, i was going to recommend what i did with my dogs (hold their mouth shut, stare them in the eyes, tell them to be quiet. and/or lay them on their back, sit on their belly and lay down the law. dominance, blah blah). but then again, i had two pit bulls - a little different than mini weiners. they're so cute, btw.