Owning a Dog When You Have Tinnitus?

[coffee_girl]

She's still just a pup and pups can seem like they're doing great but she will in the next month or so hit the teenage stage which is hell for most owners. It's when your well behaved puppy starts testing you to see what she can and can't get away with, she will start ignoring you and that will include barking. You have to be consistent and only reward her for good behaviour and ignore bad behavior. You need to keep going with her training now while she's still a pup as she's like a sponge right now and will soak everything you train her.

But when she hits the teenage stage keep calm and be consistent with your training. Yorkies are known barkers and many are given away due to barking so please keep working on it as many start barking at everything in the teenage stage.

My Bernese has a command when he hears something or sees something I allow three barks and no more. Once he's done the third I say thank you and he stops. I reward him immediately for stopping.

When you say her bark used to hurt your ears that is because Yorkies have high pitched barks where Berneses for example have deeper barks which are easier on the ear. I can't work as a behaviourist because of my tinnitus i could not work with small dogs as when I'm near them they're the only ones who hurt my ears but large dogs I'm ok with but my ears prefer giant breeds as they have a much deeper bark and my ears like sighthounds as they hardly ever bark.

Yeah I have a feeling it is already starting, she is getting a bit more crazy...out of nowhere now she would go insane out of the blue...start barking madly and nipping at my ankles, sometimes tearing at my leggings while we are out on a walk. Even when i call her name to come back, she would much prefer the squirrels. She is also chasing after cars now too, when one drives past she would lunge after it...i had to buy a stronger leash just to control her. It's extremely frustrating at times, but of course i don't mind. She's also developing a devilish smirk whenever I look completely exasperated, I think it's funny on hindsight lol

 

[Melissa101]

If you don't want to get a cat, you can get your new dog one of those collars that get them to not bark... It is not nice for the dog, but it will bother the dog less than T will bother you if the dog were to bark into your ear and restart your T again.

Don't do this, please. It's very distressing for dogs and can cause lots of stress and fear related problems, including aggression. If you Google negative reinforcement, you'll see why this isn't a good idea.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Don't do this, please. It's very distressing for dogs and can cause lots of stress and fear related problems, including aggression. If you Google negative reinforcement, you'll see why this isn't a good idea.

What is the alternative?

 

[Sarah200]

Yeah I have a feeling it is already starting, she is getting a bit more crazy...out of nowhere now she would go insane out of the blue...start barking madly and nipping at my ankles, sometimes tearing at my leggings while we are out on a walk. Even when i call her name to come back, she would much prefer the squirrels. She is also chasing after cars now too, when one drives past she would lunge after it...i had to buy a stronger leash just to control her. It's extremely frustrating at times, but of course i don't mind. She's also developing a devilish smirk whenever I look completely exasperated, I think it's funny on hindsight lol

Sounds like the teenage hell has started. She also sounds very typical of her breed. They're known to be sweet but devils.

The only thing that will help is training and I would advise either buying books and doing your reading or get help from a good trainer.

Don't ever let her off leash until you have a good recall, so many dogs get hit by a car this way so keep her on a leash. To give some freedom put her on a training leash (a very long lead). The nipping at leggings will be either trying to get your attention or she sees it as play a game. Don't give her any attention when she does this. Most people don't realise that even looking at your dog and giving eye contact is classed as attention to a dog so just ignore her, don't look at her, don't talk to her just stop if she does this, just stop completely, ignore her as soon as she stops and looks away. Reward her and then continue your walk. If she starts again, then stop again. She will soon learn that nipping at your leggings = no walk = not getting where she wants to go so she will soon stop. Training is hard work and takes time.

 

[Melissa101]

What is the alternative?

1. Don't get an animal that is known to bark.
2. Use positive reinforcement and work with a trainer and behaviourist.

When a dog gets a sudden and unexpected scare, they can go into fight or flight mode. If the collar scares the dog and the dog doesn't know what the hell is going on, it could potentially just attack anything or anyone nearby. It can also instantly create strong negative associations that are incredibly hard to break. So, for example, dog thinks 'when x happens, or when I do a certain thing, something bad happens to me'. This can create a very stressed, anxious and unpredictable dog. That causes more anguish for the owner and possibly adog that ends up euthanised as it's not suitable for rehoming. I used to volunteer at the RSPCA, I've seen so many animals f*cked up by well meaning people.

 

[Sarah200]

What is the alternative?

The alternative takes time. That's the only issue for a tinnitus sufferer and @coffee_girl has pucked a vocal breed. Some yorkies will bark for no reason. They are known to like the sound of their own voices and shock collars have not worked on a lot of Yorkies as they can be very tough little dogs and when their mind is set like on barking a shock collar will not stop them.

Shock collars I hate as they do cause fear in dogs. Those who do stop barking it's out of fear of getting another electric shock. Which can and has in some dogs led to aggression.

The alternative would be to when your dog starts barking get in front of them (you need to get their eye contact) and say a command. My dog's command is thank you. However my breed as well as most dogs don't bark unless there's a reason. Yorkies on the other hand like most small dogs bark a lot and some bark at everything and anything. I personally would never recommend a Yorkie or most small dogs for a tinnitus sufferer as training can take months so I would advise something that is not as vocal and easier to train, the more willing to please the quicker the dog will be trained (if owner knows what they're doing).

However @coffee_girl has already got a Yorkie so needs advice to help the best we can.

 

[Sarah200]

1. Don't get an animal that is known to bark.
2. Use positive reinforcement and work with a trainer and behaviourist.

When a dog gets a sudden and unexpected scare, they can go into fight or flight mode. If the collar scares the dog and the dog doesn't know what the hell is going on, it could potentially just attack anything or anyone nearby. It can also instantly create strong negative associations that are incredibly hard to break. So, for example, dog thinks 'when x happens, or when I do a certain thing, something bad happens to me'. This can create a very stressed, anxious and unpredictable dog. That causes more anguish for the owner and possibly adog that ends up euthanised as it's not suitable for rehoming. I used to volunteer at the RSPCA, I've seen so many animals f*cked up by well meaning people.

Exactly what I meant by leading to aggression. DON'T EVER use a shock collar @coffee_girl as you will end up with a liability of a Yorkie.

I have worked in the past with dogs that had shock collars on the "out of the blue" attacked a child etc. There is no such thing as out of the blue in the dog world.

A cat would be another alternative but I would only recommend a Ragdoll or Maine Coon cat as they are the only cats I like. They are the only ones who have not bit or scratched me.

 

[Cape crusader]

Get a dog. Nothing like the unconditional love that you'll get. It honestly relieves the tinnitus.

 

[OnceUponaTime]

After loosing my best friend of 14 years, Lilly a Mini-schnauzer, I wasn't sure if I wanted another dog. I was concern with the barking as well but I caved in and we got another Mini-schnauzer in the Summer of 2017.
I am so happy with my Pixie girl. She's a Mini-Schnauzer and thank God she doesn't bark! At all! I mean she REALLY does not bark! For nothing! I believe there is a God! I love her so much, she snuggles with me and its so loving.
I heard her bark once in a year and a half, and that was when she was playing with another dog.

Anyways, I hope your puppy training is going well.
Once...

 

[Sarah200]

After loosing my best friend of 14 years, Lilly a Mini-schnauzer, I wasn't sure if I wanted another dog. I was concern with the barking as well but I caved in and we got another Mini-schnauzer in the Summer of 2017.
I am so happy with my Pixie girl. She's a Mini-Schnauzer and thank God she doesn't bark! At all! I mean she REALLY does not bark! For nothing! I believe there is a God! I love her so much, she snuggles with me and its so loving.
I heard her bark once in a year and a half, and that was when she was playing with another dog.

Anyways, I hope your puppy training is going well.
Once...

My favorites are Giant Schnauzers. The most magnificent dog I have ever seen in person but they are a little too energetic for me but they are just fantastic dogs.

 

[OnceUponaTime]

My favorites are Giant Schnauzers. The most magnificent dog I have ever seen in person but they are a little too energetic for me but they are just fantastic dogs.

My friend has a giant Schnauzer, lovely they are.

 

[Sarah200]

@coffee_girl I have found a video that shows you the technique I was talking about to help train your dog to stop barking. This is also the method I use to train all my dogs, past and current.

 

[MuffinMan]

In the long run, your anxiety will return to its baseline. So how can T caused by anxiety not return to Its baseline?

My T started the moment I woke up from an extremely intense nightmare.

 

[JohnAdams]

some dogs talk on the telephone.