So, I have an omega doxie in the family. The slug out in my lawn ranks higher in the pack than he does! He was 5 years old when I first spotted him in the very last kennel at a breeders. He was still intact, had never been bred (thank goodness!) and he had no nails visible on his back feet from the stress induced running on the concrete floor of his kennel. Upon approach, I noticed his eyes were swollen, his weight was fair, his area clean and he had water and food, as did all the other kennels. I asked to see him and he was sooo happy to get out in the grassy run. I checked his teeth and could barely see the tips of his canines for all the tartar; he felt feverish and had that unmistakable smell. I knew he was sick and needed veterinary care, so I offered to take him for free with a promise to provide all the veterinary care he needed in order to return to good health and my offer was accepted.

He had more than half his teeth pulled and needed antibiotics for 45 days. He was basically afraid of his own shadow and noises sent him running for the hills. He barked incessantly until I thought I would go crazy! He barked at every one but me and for the first couple of weeks, I basically held him full time because he was soo ill. Even after he rallied and made a full recovery, he barked.... the only time he did not bark was when he slept.

You could not even look at him in disapproval or he would melt into the floor, rolling over onto his back and loosing his bladder. Yet he would bark..... Try to correct for barking and he would melt and loose his bladder... and still he barked..

It was not until I began basic obedience training that he began to bark less. The more he learned, the less he barked. Now, almost two years later, he is still our omega boy but he has gained his self confidence and now only barks slightly more than the rest of the pack. He still gives belly but no longer has an uncontrollable bladder, nor does he wilt when he is corrected.

So, yes. With lots of patience and plenty of love and dedication, one can teach a dog obedience and he will learn that it is not necessary to bark so much!