[Kitchen Cottage]

Blind Bulgarian 10 year old chain dog.  Adopted in early December and far far better than I could ever have expected.  Lots of stolen food, a dead chicken, a few nips but showing himself slowly to be very very loving.

The only thing he doesn't love is Misty, my absolutely perfect working cocker.  She whizzes past him and he barks... and barks.... and barks.... She is the only thing that sets him off.  They have had a few scraps, skirmishes really, usually when Luca has walked innocently into an area where she is scoffing something.

I have a behaviourist coming because my life will be so much better if every movement that raises Misty isn't accompanied by a chorus of Bulgarian barking, but any ideas on the possibility or making Misty and Luca more comfortable together would be gratefully received.  I introduced them too quickly,  I had another foster dog and a sick older dog and just put Luca into the mix on the basis that the other dogs got on with everybody.... I hadn't taken into account Luca might not!  There are 4 other dogs at my property (I have two let units) and Luca is fine with all of them so its not a general dislike of other dogs

 

[jaykay]

Have you tried those Adaptil plug-ins? Supposed to make dogs feel calmer and less stressed. I used them when Daisy (mad, 9 month old rescued Goldie) came into our lives and I think it did help the two existing collies not want to kill her 

[shygirl]

i cant really help but thought id mention my very polite labrador will stand there and bark when he is being roughed up by the terrier pup. hes too kind to growl so cant control the pups behaviour so will just bark out of frustration.

[in the hills]

Is Misty playing? Trying to get Luca to play/ chase? Can Misty be told off if the behaviour is directed at Luca? Eventually Misty should learn that she is not allowed to chase around Luca.

Can you teach Luca a 'quiet' command? Is Luca barking in an aggressive way or excited playful way .... can't see Misty but aware of movement and may want to join in or even tell Misty off but can't see where she is so barking in a frustrated way?

Our blind Flat Coat was more vocal than other gundogs that we have had. He would even howl like a wolf at certain sounds eg. motorbikes, washing machine when it hit a certain spin cycle, kitchen blender and a certain note on the Coronation Street theme tune  . Taught him a 'quiet' command which made life calmer. Know Luca had a troubled past but will probably start to feel more secure even if he can learn to follow some basic commands.

Difficult to know what kind of barking it is without watching them and how to deal with it would depend on what type of barking it was and why Misty was whizzing past.