barking probs

[cherper]

Well it seems Finn is going through some "changes". And has gotten very protective of me and somewhat wary of others.
When I took he and Leila to petsmart a couple days ago he started barking within seconds of going in. He barked at everyone he saw. He did get a little better after being there for a few minutes but never quit. I just had to keep reprimanding him with a bit of a leash pull and "shhh" I even gave him a poke in the side. But alas he never completely quit.
Then as we were heading to the checkout he started again and there was a decent sized dog with it's owner coming toward us. That dog ignored Finn but Finn was ready to take him out! I think it was because the dog was coming toward me. IDK. Anyhoo, when we got in the parking lot a guy asked me what kind they were and I told him and he said "oh i didn't realize they came in so many colors" yadayadayada...well then he bent down to let them sniff his hand ..well Finn wasn't diggin that at all and he barked and I tell you he must have been really scared because of the way he barked and moved around like he was gonna tear that guy apart. Leila just kinda cowered down. lol It was a pretty embarrasing day!
When we got in the car there was a nasty odor *shudders* and i'm thinking he excreted his anal gland outside when the guy did that.
What should I do to help him be more social? Obviously I know i'm going to have to start taking him out more but there really aren't any places I can take him to other than petsmart.
Oh and i forgot to mention, last night there was a lady here and I was holding finn and she leaned over to hug me and he kinda snapped at her. I feel like it was more of a warning than he would actually bite but regardless I DO NOT LIKE this behaviour!
Help!

[Sarah]

they need socialising cheryl.. they need to go everywhere.. not together take them separately.. ask people to give them treats so they realise that they are giving them the goodies.. i had to do this with lotus because she hates everyone new if she's on a lead.. of lead at home and what not she barks but gets over it pretty quickly..

If someone leans in to hug you put him on the floor.. i wouldn't carry them around either.. let them walk.. carrying them around just makes them high up and more protective.. they are dogs..

Do you have like a high street which is busy that you can walk them up and down.. what about a park.. or what not.. i dont know how things work in america lol.. everyone just walks there dogs down the street and at the parks here lol

[jesuschick]

Sounds like Ruby but she is not a biter. She is a scared, shy barker. It is MUCH worse when she is carried or in the cart. The other two sit in the cart, look around and wag their tails. She is going to start going places on a lead (the others can remain in the cart) to reduce her anxiety and to keep her from believing she is bigger than she is when in a cart or taking on our bravery when we are carrying her.

This is exactly why I am getting her in school right away. Our girls do go lots of places with us (car shows and events, community events, garden centers, hardware stores, etc.) and I will not have a barky, rude dog. She will get help gaining confidence and then she will have to adjust.

I want it stopped/changed now. Once she is older it will be much harder.

I hold my girls but I do not carry them when they can walk. I also make them lay on a blanket or a bed in addition to laying on me so that they are able to "self soothe" rather than thinking that I am to always hold or carry them.

I do not want them to confuse that they own me and behave as if that is so.

[cherper]

I haven't ever taken them both out together in public before other than neighborhood walks , but i had just got a coupler and thought i'd try it out and thought it'd be fun to take them both to the petsmart. There really arent' any dog friendly places around other than that. I will just have to start going there just to socialize him but i don't think anyone will want to be too friendly to him. Not with the barking.
As far as walks , that's out for a while as winter has hit here hard today. it is freezing and snow is coming down.
So it looks like for now it'll just be the petsmart. Now in the summer, we go to festivals, car shows and stuff and I always took Leila. So now I will just take Finn instead or both idk.
Looks like some tough love is in order. lol He hasn't ever bit anyone but I certainly don't want it to ever get that far anyway.
My dad was here last night with a family friend( the woman that hugged me) that the chi's know but they don't see her very often. ANyway my dad had been holding finn and handed him to me when they were getting ready to leave, and then the woman leaned over to hug me. So that's how that all came about. I do hold finn sometimes naturally, but I don't carry him around. lol
I am going to have to really work hard at this to straighten him out. I can see that it's him trying to protect me though.

[brodysmom]

I had a little bit of this behavior awhile back too Cheryl. I think our boys just love us so much. lol. I don't know if Finn is as sensitive as Brody is, but when he barked too much or acted stupid, I just said 'hey, knock it off' in a very disaproving tone and gave him a frown. He just melts. Then he tries really hard to be a good boy.

sometimes when he's in the back yard, he starts barking like a nutter. I tell him to shush and he tries really hard. Like he closes his mouth, but the barks still come out kinda muffled. You can tell he's trying really hard to hold it in. ha.

So maybe you need to change your body language and how you respond to him and be FIRM and very DISAPPROVING. If he's anything like Brody in temperament, he will try really hard to get back on your good side.

[Sarah]

lmfao tracy that sounds like daisy.. atho i saw it as she was answering back i tell her shut up and she goes WOOOOF really quietly ahahaha

[brodysmom]

Yeah Sarah that's exactly what Brody does. He still barks, he just makes it quieter. Like a whisper bark. HA HA HA.

[cherper]

Oh my gosh that is tooo funny! Well I was pretty disapproving at petsmart but apparently that didn't cut no ice with finn.