You know that moment when the postman walks past…
…or a neighbour opens a car door…or there’s a knock on the door…and your Cavapoo loses the plot, barking non stop?
Well, yeah. Been there.
And this week, a Cavapoo Crew subscriber asked the following question that brought it all back:
‘My Cavapoo barks at every single noise outside. What can I do?’
For us, Arlo was around 8 months old, and convinced he was Head of Neighbourhood Security for the street. That said here’s a recent photo of him looking mean 🤣.
He’d bark at:
- Leaves
- Bikes
- Bin lids
- Birds breathing too loudly
- Dogs on the TV
- Squirrels
- Rain
- Everything!
It was funny for a day or two.
Then it became exhausting.
Especially when the footy was on!
Anyhow, with this question in mind, here’s my advice and firstly…
What Didn’t Work For Me
❌ Yelling “No!”
❌ Closing every window and pretending we didn’t live near other humans or traffic
❌ Giving him attention to “calm” him down (actually made it worse)
❌ Praying
❌ Arguing with my wife
❌ Ignoring him
And Here’s What Did Work For Me (Slightly & Eventually)
A shift in our mindset.
Arlo wasn’t being disobedient, he was being alert, overstimulated, and doing what he thought was right.
So we gave him a new job, well a routine really.
It’s called the…
Calm Cue Routine
Basically: Noise = Calm
Here’s what we did:
1. Pick a calm (cue) word
We used ‘shushoo.’ Something neutral and gentle (and yes, I know, bad word to choose 😏)
2. Say your cue word once when the barking starts
No shouting. No drama. Just calmness.
3. Redirect
Immediately guide your Cavapoo to something positive when he stops the barking, like a chew, or a treat, or even some attention like a rub behind the ear
Reward the silence, not noise
Remember to only give attention when they’re calm.
The moment they stop barking, praise or reward.
Not a perfect solution.
But that said, here’s another thing that worked (slightly)
Desensitise to Sounds
Play outdoor noises at a low volume indoors (YouTube has lots of dogs barking, ice-cream vans, ring-door-bells, etc).
Then, always reward the calmness.
Gradually raise the volume over sessions.
It takes a week or two, but they stop overreacting once their brain realises:
‘Hey, this sound isn’t too bad.’
And I get a treat!
However, as I have stated above these steps only helped slightly.
What worked the best was understanding why your dog is barking in the first place.
Really understanding.
You see, they’re reacting because they think they are above you in the pack order.
They think it’s their job to look after you and that’s why they bark at everything.
It’s also the reason why other behaviour is often on show.
Separation anxiety anyone?
When you are out of the house, they are panicking for several reasons, and one of them is that they are worried about you.
Because they think it’s their responsibility to do this — because they are the pack-leader.
Ask yourself the following:
- Do you feed your dog before you eat?
- Do they leave or enter the house first?
- Are they walking in front of you on walks?
- Are they sitting before treats and meals?
- Do they jump on you?
If you answer yes to any of the above; there’s a good chance your dog is leading you..
You need to change this.
Start with what I have mentioned already in this email and in this article, especially realising why they are barking in the first place. Hint: It’s not always the noise.
In the Cavapoo Compendium, rule number 2 is crucial for this.
It’s called:
Lead Like You Mean It (The Rule Behind Every Calm Cavapoo)
If there’s one thing that changes everything with your Cavapoo — it’s this:
Leadership isn’t about being bossy. It’s about being calm, consistent, and in control.
A few other rules in the compendium touch on this too.
Final Thoughts
If your Cavapoo barks at everything outside, you’re not alone.
They’re smart. Sensitive. And trying their best to protect the pack — you.
While this is natural for them, it can also be problematic.
But with calm consistency, taking back control, you can absolutely teach them a new way to respond.
Thanks for reading,
Colin & Arlo 🐾
