[Katie]

Hi all,

I'm a little at my wit's end as to how to train them out of this. When it was just Buckley, he would do his happy dance, but feeding time was a quiet affair. Now, with two of them, it's an all-out barkfest. This wouldn't be such a big deal, but I get up an hour earlier than DH and feed the dogs right away. Thus, the barking wakes him up. Jewelie is the main problem. Clearly this is a behaviour that was tolerated at her old house for her whole life.

I have tried nose hugs, firm NO, going back into the basement (we keep the food on the landing) and closing the door until they are quiet...nothing seems to work. I know it's because we are feeding them at the same time, but given the size of our house, I'm not sure how I would go about feeding them separately.

Any ideas???

 

[K & G]

Hmm, that's tough. I'd probably just move breakfast time until after everyone was awake. Are they barking while they're eating, or while they see you getting out the food? We were doing nothing in life is free with Gage, so he always had to sit quietly and wait before he was allowed to take the food back when we were feeding him on a schedule. But if they're barking while they're eating, that wouldn't help, of course. Do your dogs have crates? Maybe you could let them out to eat one at a time.

 

[Katie]

They are so conditioned to eating right away, that the barking would probably be worse if I waited! They don't bark while they are eating, just while I am filling the bowls. And they don't go after each other's food (although they hurry to lick each other's bowls afterwards in case there are any stray crumbs :hi: )

We never had this problem with just one dog, and I'm sure it would be easier to break Jewelie of the habit by herself, but when they are together, it's like they are competing! Only Jewelie has a crate and it's upstairs; if I left her up there to feed Buckley, she'd bark her head off.

 

[K & G]

In that case, I'd definitely hold the food, and tell them to sit and be quiet first. As soon as one of them gets it right, give him/her the go-ahead to take the food. The one who picks it up first will be a good example for the other one, just like Jewlie set a bad example. before /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

It's going to get worse before it gets better because they both think it's okay to be loud at meal time right now. So, they'll be confused when it's suddenly not any more. If they bark when they get treats, that'll give them plenty of opportunities to practice.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Oh how I wish someone had a sure-fire answer for this! Our Traveler is terrible about barking while I'm fixing the dogs' meals. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif We've tried about everything short of shocking him, and 7 years later he persists with the infernal barking. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif Otherwise, he's a well-behaved fellow.

 

[patama1004]

Hee..hee..hee.. How I can imagine :hi:

No advice to offer here though as I'm far worse than you are. Boeing not only does his happy dance but also barks away at the top of his voice. Whatever strength he has, he puts it in his barking until the food bowl is placed in front of him. Luckily, there are just me and mom in the house and we wake at the same time, I to get ready to go to work and mom to feed the beagle. She has to be real quick to keep his barking at a minimum.

 

[we3beagles]

If they are barking while you are getting the food ready just walk away and don't give them anything. Come back in a minute and try again. You might want to start this on a weekend off so you have some time as the first few times it may take a while to build the association. When they are quiet they get the food. It is just that simple. Be consistant and firm. Don't say anything just walk away. When they get quiet go back and try again.

 

[Katie]

Hee...glad to know I'm not alone Sandyj and Boeing's Mom!!

We3, that's my current plan. I've stepped it up a bit, so tonight Buckley got his dinner first because he was quiet and it took another few minutes for Jewelie to settle down. We'll keep trying that for the next week and see what happens. Time's not really a problem, and DH says he doesn't mind being woken up in the meantime while there is training going on.

I'll keep you all posted, but keep the ideas coming in case this doesn't work!

 

[NORTHWEST REDNECK]

Trust me, "there is no way to train a beag" to be
calm when it is mealtime! :hi: Beags are very
vocal hounds by nature & "loud about it"! (It is
"part of their charm") As they enter their seniour years they "get worse"! Duke was our worst
as he would act as if he were about to "pass-out"
from starvation...despite being fed 8-10 hours
ago! Goober...being his prodegy, has
also taken-up this habit! He is very vocal about
his supper & "dangnabbit" he has taught "Homer-the-Huge" the same thing! (Get used to it)! :thumbup:

 

[angelaH]

Ours get put in the garden whilst I am preparing their food. They know that when they can come in their food is waiting. Susi gets fed in the kitchen and Snoopy in the lounge. There is no time for barking. Snoopy drools all over the lounge floor whilst he waits for me to open the door to put his food down. It is amazing how they learn routines. The moment we come down in the morning they dash out to go to the toilet. During that time i fill their bowls. Works fine.
Whilst we were camping, Dave would take the hounds for a walk whilst I prepared their food. Then we fed them at either end of the camper car to avoid squabbles.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Like I said, I think we've tried everthing except shocking Traveler, and we won't do that. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif We leave him on the porch while his food's being prepared, he barks. We let him in, he barks. We spray him with a water bottle, he barks. If he does decide to take a break from barking, he moans as though in pain. :angry: So far, Spook isn't as vociferous. Li'l Girl and Misty, on the other hand, wait quietly for their food.

 

[we3beagles]

Quote:Originally posted by NORTHWEST *******:
Trust me, "there is no way to train a beag" to be
calm when it is mealtime! :hi: Beags are very
vocal hounds by nature & "loud about it"! (It is
"part of their charm") As they enter their seniour years they "get worse"! Duke was our worst
as he would act as if he were about to "pass-out"
from starvation...despite being fed 8-10 hours
ago! Goober...being his prodegy, has
also taken-up this habit! He is very vocal about
his supper & "dangnabbit" he has taught "Homer-the-Huge" the same thing! (Get used to it)! :thumbup:

Not true. If you are consistant you can put a bowl of food on the floor and your beagle will not touch it without your permission. My last foster dog was trained to do that and I am teaching my current foster that as well.