My dog likes to chew bark...?

Question

My two cross terriers are constantly bringing in bark from our garden and chew up bits and leave a big mess all throughout our house. Our obedience trainer told us to give them a treat and do a bit of an exchange ( treat for bark), but I think they now find it as a game, so they bring in the bark to get food. What can I do to stop them?

Answer 1

First of all, stop letting them out unsupervised; that should in itself put an end to it. If they do get bark, take it from them, tap them firmly on the nose and say, "NO." in a loud commanding voice. Put the bark in front of the dog. If it goes for it; tap him and say, "NO." again. Do this until he makes no move for the bark. Take him inside and give him a bone to chew on instead. Tell him he's a good dog.



That should work so long as you repeat the firm tap and NO command every time the dog attempts to chew on the bark.

Answer 2

You probably shouldn't be letting them in and out. What we do is in the morning before we leave, is we let the dogs out. And then let them back in later in the day when it starts to get dark.

If you do this, when you let them in you can check what they're bringing in, and if they do bring bark with them, keep on sending them back outside until they get the hint that they shouldn't be doing this.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

Just as human language is multifaceted and multipurpose, barking allows a dog to communicate many different messages in a variety of situations. It can signal a request to an owner ("Hey, I want to go outside!"), impart a warning ("You're in my territory!"), or simply serve to amuse when a dog has little else to do.

An instinctive canine behavior, a bark now and then reminds you that your dog is still very much a dog. However, constant barking can be disruptive, if not downright nerve-racking. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent or curb problem barking.

Here's how to treat your dog from barking http://tinyurl.com/5agl4q

Here's a treatment for chewing http://tinyurl.com/5n7dr7

Answer 4

Take it from him

Answer 5

For heaven's sake; take it away from them at the door and tell them NO.

Answer 6

Teach them to drop items or give them toys outside to play with.  I think what you have done with the exchange thing is to teach them TO bring the bark in, since you have rewarded them with food for doing this.

Answer 7

Take the bark away from them and say no. Someone has already said that already, but its what you should do.

Dont give them treats anymore when they have bark, or they will keep doing it. .If you take it off them and tell them no, then they will stop doing it because they realise they wont get treats anymore..