Dog Not Barking

[stango]

This is gonna sound like an odd question but when my older dog was alive, anytime anyone came to the house, knocked on the door or rang the doorbell she would start barking which would start Max barking. This happened every time. I've noticed that since she's been gone, Max doesnt bark when people come to the door.

Obviously I dont know what he does when we're not home. I tested him by putting him in the run with some food. Our run is surrounded by tall hedges. I ran quickly to the hedges while he was eating and he saw me move, but he didnt recognize me. I made some furtive movements and he started barking at me, with his butt planted firmly on the door to the run.

My concern is that he wont be barking when someone comes to the door when we're not around and I am paranoid about someone breaking into my house. I am also concerned that if someone does go into my house, he wont bark and will just come up to them and look at them, maybe even lick them. Of course he is a sable and over 100 pounds so he is a visible deterrent, but I dont know if the not barking thing is good or bad.

Thanks for any advice.

John

[Currmudgeon]

Max is waiting for the cue from the older dog. She trained him.

You could train him to bark on command by exciting him, and rewarding him when he barks. Add the command "Speak" or "Gibt Laut" or something, and you can work him into barking on command. Then have a helper come to the door, and transfer the barking to the door, first by command, and then on the dog's initiative.