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I thought I might share this with you....

Two Step is possibly the most verbal/vocal dog I have ever met. A real "Chatty Kathy." He is vocal over everything and anything.....extremly sensitive to noise and energy. I am well aware that these dogs communicate to us for wanting something, warning us about something, telling us something is present that doesn't belong, be it human, or another animal, etc. His vocabulary is large and his vocals are varied from a loud bark to squeaks, and guttural sounds coming from deep in his throat (not a warning, just additional conversation). I have been experimenting with different techniques to communicate to Two Step not to bark when it seems unnecessary. For example, he alerts me when someone is at the front door. I appreciate that, but what I don't appreciate is when he goes on and on and on even when I ask him to "stop barking" or "I've got it, he keeps on going" It is like he is fixated on his verbal speak. I started looking at how I was reacting to his continual annoying barking, and realized that I was telling him to stop barking as loud as he was barking (to him, I was joining in on the barking)......time to switch gears. So I decided not to get caught up in his excitement and energy, and ask him quietly to stop the barking......almost in a whisper. I don't know why I waited so long as I usually speak to all my pups in a whisper or hand signals, or a simple whistle. I found that my calming approach actually works on the barking issue as well. He will stop after about two more barks, like he has to have the LASt word. Silly pup. I also ask him to "find his spot" which means go lie down where he wants to. This helps to change his attention to something else other than the continual barking.

Ahhhhh life is good.

two step IMG_8272_2.jpg

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Love the photo! Your description of the "talking" is familiar. Kaposia tries SO HARD to talk when she knows we're leaving the house without her. We don't make a big deal, but she knows when we say, "They don't allow dogs, watch the house." Then we get quite an impassioned and vocally beautiful argument. As to the barking, unless she happens to be especially unhappy with a particular dog and owner walking down "her" sidewalk, the barking stops when I say in a normal tone of voice, "Good dog, you told us, all done." Or I'll just say, "All done" and she knows I've acknowledged her alarm/ warning. Always so neat to read about others' experiences with these amazing, sweet, sometimes spookily intuitive dogs.

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HA --I have a real talker too--who is two step from? Zuni is Chawa and Rowdy I wonder if its a talkative line or we just got lucky?? I will try the whispering thing but he is soooo loud I don't know if he will hear. Summer nights mean lots of creatures in the yard and I would prefer not to know about each one (at midnight) but I do appreciate his vigilance! Sometimes I think I got a wookie instead go a dog!

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ha ha ha ...I have a baby possum that visits about every other night and empties the cat food bowl. Always around midnight too. The dogs go absolutely berserk. Of course after they have fully woken me up, I do a loud whisper, not mad, just loud. I do it when there is a break in their barking. It takes about three times, and then they leave it alone, and come back to bed leaving the opossum in quiet to finish the cat food. The pups are still on the learning curve, but they are beginning to get it. Thankfully. AND yesI could remove the cat bowl every night and that would fix the problem. Being that opossums are harmless, and she / he will be moving on soon, I like to look at it as a short lay over to gather previsions to they can get to the next stopover. :D:D

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