My naughty little boy talks back!

[Barney's Mom]

Just a quick survey to see if I truly do have the naughtiest pup in the world!

When I say NO! that little stinker barks back at me!! He is just a brat sometimes! He doesn't get away with bad behavior EVER, but it is a bit unnerving when you reprimand him and he fires off his mouth back at you!

I mention this to friends who have other breeds of dogs and they just can't believe it! "Oh, my dog is so remorseful when I say NO! She just cowers!" That's what I hear most of the time from other people, then I feel like I have the worst behaved, over-agressive dog in the world!

Then he can turn around and be such a little sweetie, looking at me with those big dark eyess..... you're a devil, Barney!

[goforette]

Brystal (my youngest of the two shy of 4 mo.) loves to talk back when I say no. She has 3 different kinds of barks that have developed so far. She has the shy, play with me bark, the rough I think I bad but I'm such a princess bark, and the dream on I'll tell you who says no.... Hollie (my oldest by 1 week) used to talk back - but we have since gotten the point that I rule and she doesn't. She's my alpha so I'm glad I've made my point clear to her. Brystal I know will come around and she's not necessarily displaying I'm in charge - she thinks she wants to play a game with me. I found shaking my fingers or getting near them when I say no made things worse they just try to nip at my finger if they can get close enough. The only thing that settles their jets is the penny can - they think I'm bluffing at everything else. And boy do they run when they hear it - the word no takes a bit and Barney probably just thinks you want to have a conversation with him.... HA!

[Barney's Mom]

Your reply was so amazing, because I too have noticed several distinct barks with Barney. The "throw that ball, darn it!" bark, the long, drawn out,squeaky bark, which I interpret to be "aw, come on Mom! I can't help it....I WANT to bite your fingers!", the hearty growl, when he's run off with something he's not supposed to have and he knows I am coming after him, and the "come and see me!" growl, usually mixed in with a few yelps, when he is out on his lead in the yard. Then there is the hissy fit growl, which has no other description, other than horrible! Those don't happen on a regular basis, thank goodness!

I have tried the penny can, and still have it handy. From all the posters I have read that use it on a regular basis, I think I will utilize it more. We were using the squirt bottle, which also works pretty good.

I have yet to get him to "drop it" when he has something, other than using bribery with a treat. I guess it's one of those times where I prefer to keep my fingers than to overfeed him!

[goforette]

You know what's even funnier than the different barks is my Brystal actually backs up while doing it. Sometimes she'll just back up to back up. She'll have her butt parked (tail tucked under) and just scoot with her fronts - we call it the Cairn moonwalk.... she can just throw it in reverse and truck - she has to back up into furniture or something before she stops backing up. It's her idea of getting away from us quick. Someone should tell her she's a dog and has a lot more speed on all fours..... I wonder if anyone else has experienced the Cairn moonwalk?

[MikeC]

Duffy constantly talks back to us. It is either with a loud, piercing bark or one of those non-threatening growls. He most definetely has to have the last word!

[mrseggcup]

Eli, here! I always TRY to talk back, but my Alpha B*tch is a tough cookie. Mmmmm..... cookies. I also like to have the last word, even if it's a barely audible woof under my breath.

Woof!

Eli

[Mollyrocker]

Cricket has the potential to be a serious backtalker. I have noticed in a few short weeks that if I try and reprimand in a loud "no bite" or whatever, she takes this for an invitation for discussion. What works best, it seems is to ignore her or redirect her, calmly....

not always easy ( i want to stangle her), I catch myself having to switch gears and taking a big ole breath.

I feel like if I get in a showdown it will only escalate the situation.

[Barney's Mom]

Mollyrocker

[abe's dad]

I do not know why it works, perhaps it is only with Abe, but when he exhibits this argumentative side we shame him, and there must be something about the tone of that, because MOST of the time he will quiet and settle down. Sometimes he almost looks remorseful!

Valerie

[Darcy's Mom]

Goforette, I don't know if Darcy does the Cairn moonwalk or not but when she gets mad or excited and no one is paying attention to her, she barks that shrill (my ears can't stand it) bark and kicks her back feet at the same time. It's pretty funny, almost to emphasize her annoyance with us.

[HotToTrott]

Trotter is a talker. If he wants to play, or thinks you're not paying enough attention to him he does a little growl/whine/bark noise. I love it! When he has something he knows he's not suppose to he'll come up and show it to us then backup while "laughing" then run around a column that we have in our living room. It seems he's changing his favorite noise as he gets older, he's going to be 1 on July 14th!

[bradl]

I dunno. Do you think this little girl ever back-talks to her mother?

[goforette]

I dunno. Do you think this little girl ever back-talks to her mother?

Wow those are some teeth.... I'm scared....

[Mollyrocker]

Bradl...I am scared!

[OzGirl]

OMG is that one of your babies Brad? Don't be late with her dinner...

[Barney's Mom]

Whoa......

I used to date a guy in high school who liked the group Uriah Heep. They had an album cover with something akin to your dogs expression! Anyone familiar with that cover? I think it was bright red, and the creature on it was about as demonic as you can get! No offense Brad, I am sure your puppies are 99.9% adorable!

We often catch Barney chewing on a toy and looking very gremlin/demon in appearance! My husband, who loves Barney but is a bit put-off by his bratty behavior at times and not completely sold on Cairns yet, always jokes dryly and says, "Nice choice, Mary.....it's a demon dog!"

But his angelic face makes up for all those gremlin moments! The Avatar is a sweet Barney moment!

[goforette]

OMG is that one of your babies Brad? Don't be late with her dinner...

No Joke about the dinner thing.... wow those jaws..... HA!

[Tracy A.]

Goforette, I don't know if Darcy does the Cairn moonwalk or not but when she gets mad or excited and no one is paying attention to her, she barks that shrill (my ears can't stand it) bark and kicks her back feet at the same time. It's pretty funny, almost to emphasize her annoyance with us.

Darcy's Mom- I am laughing very hard right now. Brattwurst does the same thing, but he does it to his brother to start play. When he was little I said that he was 'gearing up' for play. He does it when he is laying down with his back legs streched out, then kicks them out in a jerky motion with a quick tail wag and a single bark.... cracks me up everytime. And if his brother ignores him, Bratt will crawl under a blanket and play 'blanket monster' by himself. I often say that "Brattwurst just isn't right"

This morning while I was getting ready for work, they boys were at the Kitchen baby gate and 'talking back' to me with single barks... translation "Hurry up and get dressed, we want our walk before you goto work" "Gee Mom, the first shoes were just fine" " Were still waiting....."

Brad- is that your sweet Stella? What a sweet Cairn she is

[bradl]

Brad- is that your sweet Stella? What a sweet Cairn she is

Indeed that's my little sweetie. That loud bark has to come from somewhere! She and Echo (and Haggis) were in the middle of a wild wrassle. I love the look on Echo's face. You can practically see the imaginary cuckoo birds circling around her head as she is dazed by the sonic assault of Stella's play bark.

[MikeC]

Brad,

Stella looks like her nickname could be "Cairnzilla". That is a great pic. I agree, the look on Echo's face is absolutely priceless!

Mike

[Darcy's Mom]

Brad, that's your sweet Stella with the ferocious look on her face? I can't believe it. And Echo is looking like "which way can I go to escape this monster?" I'm sure at one time or another all of our babies have had that demon look to them, we just didn't manage to get it on film. What a priceless photo and quick thinking on your part to capture it. Boy oh boy grandma, what BIG teeth you have!!!

[magadog]

Omigod, I just showed Great Uncle Geordie that picture and MAN, did he ever swell up with PRIDE! Of course, he loves his niece, but S. "Frances" has always had a place in his heart.

"She da woMAN!" quoth Geordo.

Jill

See my Cairn Blog: You can get one TOO!

[Maggie15]

We're meanies!hahaha! we dont put up with any agressiveness towards us... if she barks, growls or nips she gets grabbed by the scruf and held on her back and a firm NO and we hold there a for a few seconds... we just feel we can't let her get away with it, if she runs, she'll get some water sprayed and i'll do more darnedness to catch her! ...and if its worse than that in the kennel and ignored.

not as bad as it sounds, she doesnt act up too often... we let her get away with more when we are playing but she has to know its not appropriate...

bradl that picture is great!!

a

[Barney's Mom]

Amazing how any growl could come from a face like this....