I'm posting this on behalf of one of my foster dog's new mommy! As many of you know, Athena went to her new home on Friday. She's adjusting much better than I expected for being as nervous as she was; BUT is starting a problem that I'd like to help nip in the bud if possible!

Athena will bark when she hears someone entering the apartment building. When she was with us, we live in a house but still try keeping our neighbors happy and not letting them bark here either. I was using the "Settle," command that I do with my others, and she was picking up well. But I guess she's not listening so well at her new home and ignoring the "Settle" command.

I suggested trying a squirt bottle to squirt/correct her as she starts to bark; to pair up with the "Settle!" command so that she will know to associate the word with the Correction. Then eventually just stop using the bottle entirely when the word alone has enough effect. Also I recommended the pop can full of pennies to shake when she barks, since many dogs don't like the sound.

We have one of those ultrasonic bark deterrents at our house but didn't think to try it while she was here. Does anyone have any experience with their chihuahuas in apartments and what methods do you use to "keep the peace"? Has anyone used one of those citronella spray collars or other correction-collars (that don't actually electrocute the dog, LOL.) Are there any suggestions to helping curb the behavior when they AREN'T home as well?

Athena was a special girl for me and difficult to place... she was the one found as a stray, never claimed, and took a while to adjust. She deserves to finally be able to settle down and be loved.... she's definitely got the love part covered now, LOL; but I want to make sure I can offer her any advice on making sure this works out. I'm praying that once she realizes these sounds as "normal" that she won't be alarmed by them any more... but of course it's best to halt these behaviors as they start. If anyone has any suggestions, tips, or recommendations for various anti-barking products please post them here. I'm going to send Athena's mom a direct link to this thread, so that she can follow up as well. =)

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I have sort of accepted the fact that sometimes my dogs are going to bark when our neighbors slam their door or something really loud happens. Usually, after one or two barks I can say "quiet" and they will stop. If not, I spray them with a squirt bottle. It works every time!

As far as barking when I'm not home... My roommates say that they NEVER bark when I am not there. So I don't really have any advice

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Thanks LS!

Yeah Zoe barks at every doorbell ding,here or on TV. I usually just use the word hush in a stern voice and she stops well sometimes lol.. But I hope you can find something that works.

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~Jenn~

We had/ have a pretty good success rate with the water bottle and "quiet" command ( I still have one particularly stubborn one though ).

As for the pennies in the can...I am so sorry I used that! It worked, but when I went to Poochie Bell train them ( the set of long jingle bells that they nudge when they want to go out to potty) it was a disaster...they were afraid of them.

Since she is at a new home, hopefully she will adjust to her new owner and living area in a short while.

I use the squirt bottle with varying sucess. Sherman is in his 'teenage' years and is doing his best to ignore me, thank goodness he doesn't bark that much. But Delilah, Tico, Chumley, Twiggy, Smoke, Reggie, and Pepper bark a LOT. Usually now I just have to pick up the bottle and they will quiet. But it took a lot of repetition to get them to that place. They usually don't make a peep if I am gone. My biggest problem is when I come home, they all bark and it gets a little loud. Or if I leave the dog room to go potty, sometimes I come back to the whole pack howling. lol They get to going and they can't stop. I have to walk over the Isis and put my hand on her back to get her to stop howling. (She's the instigator) I guess all this is to say, Have her use the squirt bottle and know it may take a little to get her trained.

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Thank you Jan for the wonderful siggy!

hi sure hope she learns so she can have a nice quiet new home and all is well

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my buster

All the noises in the new place are different to what she was accustomed to before. Once she settles in I would think they will become familiar and she will ease off. Was reading a book last night about how they very quickly identify the foot sounds of those who walk near them (family members/ neighbors) and various other "home sounds" cars, bikes, mowers, sweepers, voices, phones, etc. So hopefully once she gets to know who/what she hears and realizes that's what she hears daily she won't sound off as much as she is now.

I know I bring the pup to work with me, we have a lot of doors opening, phones ringing, cars/trucks pulling in fork trucks and various machines running daily. She used to notice everything, I just said "hush, we're at work" when she piped up and now she snores through it all.

You have to figure she doesn't know her new people & she doesn't know the noises so she is probably a bit nervous and hoping when she does sound distressed you "her person" will come to her rescue again. I don't know if until she was comfortable with them I would have her squirting her or shaking pennies this soon, because she hasn't learned she can trust her new people just yet and that could make it more difficult for her to do so.

My husband started using a spray bottle on Monty recently when he would bark at the cat, or the neighbors coming and going. It seems to be working pretty well. In fairness, I suspect Monty might still bark when we are not around, but since we are not around I cannot say for sure. On the whole he has learned more quiet ways of communicating, which I think is great.