Barking at the neighbours
Hi all, I'm just after a bit of advice. We seem to be having some trouble with Zara and her barking.
Generally, outside of our road, she is fine with people passing. But, inside of the road, she seems to HATE all of our neighbours. I dread walking her though our road now, in case our neighbours are in their front gardens or are just nipping to the shops etc. This morning, my neighbour stopped me to have a chat, but Zara just barked and barked. Eventually, I successfully put her in 'down, wait' and she was Ok, she still grumbled though.
I know two of our neighbours dislike Zara, even when she was only eight weeks old, they kept telling us that she was 'going to be trouble' (they had a shepherd some years ago, but had to give him up at eighteen months old as he was too much to handle).
Any ideas about what I can do? I would really love to be able to stand and chat to the neighbours without Zara kicking off. When we take her for her off-lead walks, she is fine with me talking to people, she couldn't care less. Unfortunately, when she barks, a lot of people seem to say 'it's Ok' or make clicky noises at her to sooth her, but it just makes her 100 times worse.
I haven't really got the sort of neighbours I can just walk up to and say 'do you mind if I just have a quick conversation with you, I'm just training Zara.' They just aren't like that.
Honestly, I just feel like a complete and utter failure. She IS getting better, but it's still not good enough. Every time Zara barks at one particular neighbour, I get a snide comment such as 'I told you, you wouldn't be able to handle her!'
I have tried feeding her treats and saying 'good girl, quiet.' (when she is actually quiet) as we are going up the road, but it doesn't really work. If she wants to bark, she will, even with a mouth full of treats.
She also dislikes people trying to touch her, she will cower away and bark, which says to me that she is nervous. This could be because she was kicked and nearly punched by a weirdo when she was about four months old (long story, but she was off lead sniffing around and the guy just turned on her, he was a bit 'odd')
Personally, I think she needs some confidence, but I just don't know how to go about it?
She has never shown her teeth, snarled or bitten, but she does 'grumble' not growl, but the noise a dog makes when they are gearing up for a big bark.
It's getting to the point when I am considering getting her one of those muzzles that will keep her mouth shut (obviously not to be worn on hot days) but, that's not really going to train her into not barking is it?
I just feel like, at two years old, she should really be coming to the end of her basic training, I worry that I'm running out of time with her. I have been told by
that neighbour that if she is still naughty after two years old, then I'm 'doomed' as she will be 'set in her ways'.
I hate to say it, but is that true? I would have loved to get her a doggy pal this year, but with the way her training is going, I just don't think it will happen.
Can anyone help? x