Hello. I am a newbie. I have a chi/terrier mix and he is an awesome companion. Cooper's only problem is his excessive barking. If I could stop the barking.............he'd be perfect (or close)! Any suggestions?

I'm assuming he's not a wee puppy? If he's over 4 months of age, you can use either the squirt bottle method or the shaker can method. Both use a distraction technique to break the barking cycle. With the squirt bottle, you give a squirt of water in the face as the distraction. With the shaker can, you use the noise from the can. Squirt bottle is self explanatory. A shaker can is a can (such as a soda can) with marbles, rocks, coins, whatever, inside and the top taped shut. When you shake it, it makes a lot of irritating noise.

Pick one and then when he barks, tell him "Quiet", if he barks again, say "Quiet" at the same time you use the correction, continue for up to three corrections. If he still doesn't quiet, he gets time out in his crate/bathroom/where ever you have desingated in the house away from his family. Leave for 10 minutes and then bring back to family. Continue this process each and every time he barks inappropriately. They usually catch on pretty quickly and all you have to do is say "Quiet" and/or show them the bottle/can. You may have to be more determined and it take longer than most Chis due to the Terrier mixed in. They are independent, hard-headed breeds by nature and take longer to train.

Keep us posted on progress....and we'd love to see some pictures.

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