Barking for attention

Question
We have a 3 month old Olde English Bulldog. We picked this breed for many
reasons, one in particular, that they aren't (supposed to be) that vocal.

She is a very loving dog, and like most bulldogs, wants to be on our lap every
second. When she isn't, she will bark at us. When we first brought her home,  
we thought it was separation anxiety, and would comfort her to let her know
we were there. But now it is becoming irritating.

We are working hard at ignoring her when she does bark, but are there any
other ways or methods we could use along with ignoring her to speed up the
process (ie. squirt bottle, loud noise, etc?)

We'd really like a bulldog that isn't so attention hungry.

Thanks,
M

Answer
Hello Melissa,

The barking is merely a symptom of the problem you are creating with your dog. Your dog doesn't understand why you are lavishing all the affection on her unless you are telling her that she is the leader. In your dog's mind, since she is in charge, you should promptly honor her requests to be on your lap. She's barking at you now and unless you change your behavior, she'll likely be nipping at you in the future. And trust me, you don't want a bulldog nipping at you.

Bring the lap sitting to a screeching halt. Teach her some tricks such as sit and down. If you wish to pet her, make her first do a down....then pet her. Get a crate if you don't already have one. When she demands attention by barking, consistently say "NO", and squirt her with a water bottle. If she persists, then remove her to her crate and leave her for ten minutes. Be consistent. Every time she demands attention she must expect and receive an unpleasant outcome. Her barking at you will quickly cease.

Finally read my article on being your dog's leader at http://www.perfectdogtraining.com/dog-training-tips.htm It is good you inquired about your dog's behavior before you created a monster.

Good Luck!

Sandy