Noise?

[Singlemalt]

So I have had my young fellow Hamish for over two weeks now and we are getting along very well. He is great in the crate and house training and basic obedience is going well. His nature is calm and confident but I notice when he does get excited he has a strong tendency to bark. He does so when eliciting play from my other dogs and today I had him at a pond for introduction to water. Before he figured out he was a good swimmer he was barking at the dummy in the water.

I have never really had to deal with a noisy dog with several Labs and many spaniels. Obviously at 10-11 weeks it is not a major problem but I would like to keep it from becoming one. How do the members recommend dealing with a pup with a tendency to be noisy?

[Payce]

First I'm not a trainer. Rookie. Had two Chessies. First was a vocal male and that was my fault for not addressing early. It took a lot to get him to be manageable. Several pros on this site helped me and hopefully they will find time to address your question as it relates to a puppy. My second pup I followed the advice of the pro's and taught "quiet" and "no" early and while training or hunting noise hasn't been a problem. She is also a watch dog for the house when I travel. Not aggressive. Just announces if anyone is around the house outside or entering the house that isn't family or known friends, so she's still vocal, but not when told to be "quiet". Again hoping the pro's join in to give you the specifics as I know just a little more than nothing and that isn't much!
Hope it goes well.

[Tim Carrion]

At this age do not reward the behavior. When he barks "no" "quite" and put him in his crate. After he is quite in his crate for awhile
let him out play /toss a few right away not giving his a chance to bark. Let him learn that barking is not the way to get what he wants.
Take care of this now. Noise can be a life time problem once it is ingrained.

Tim

[Singlemalt]

Thanks to Tim and Payce for the advice. Hamish is six months now and it appears I may have been overreacting to his tendency to make noise. I have had many dogs over 50+ years of shooting over them, mostly Springers and Labs. Hammy is my first CBR and was a much more vocal puppy than any I have had before. He still is, he barks when he plays with other dogs, he alert barks when he sees or hears something strange in the distance and if someone comes to the door. However, he never makes a peep when training, even on live birds and or waiting to be released. He is also quiet in his crate and generally around the house unless something alerts him. I will continue to be watchful but don't think I have any concern at this point.

[Rick Hall]

Wait until he runs into the first lively cripple he can't readily catch. Bet a dollar to a doughnut he barks then. It will be in frustration, just like in your original post and is a non-issue in my book. As long as Pup's quiet while birds are working, we're cool.

[Singlemalt]

Wait until he runs into the first lively cripple he can't readily catch. Bet a dollar to a doughnut he barks then. It will be in frustration, just like in your original post and is a non-issue in my book. As long as Pup's quiet while birds are working, we're cool.

I won't bet the doughnut Rick because I suspect you are right. As long as that is the only situation he barks in the field I could live with it. I have never owned a dog that was noisy in the boat/blind but have had the misfortune to have hunted with a few and I don't like it at all.