Barking Barnstaple poodle cured after three-month walkies ban

A North Devon grandmother finally has peace in her home and no more frantic barking fits from her rowdy poodle thanks to an unusual ‘house arrest’ approach suggested by a well-known dog trainer.

Retired care home manager Bev Watton, who lives in a busy Barnstaple household with her daughter, her partner and grandson, was at her wits’ end with Rupert, her highly reactive seven-year-old toy poodle.

The slightest thing would set Rupert to barking frantically and walks left Bev red-faced and embarrassed at his antics.

She said: “He was barking at everything. Trolleys, coffee cups, people shifting in their chairs – even the sound of a mug being put down could set him off.

“I couldn’t open the door without a full-blown meltdown from Rupert. It was embarrassing on walks and exhausting at home. I just didn’t know what to do anymore.”

Rupert, it seemed, had appointed himself personal guard dog to Bev, flipping from calm companion to canine chaos if she so much as leaned over the fence for a natter with a neighbour.

Desperate not to rehome the pup she’d loved since he was just nine-weeks-old, Bev turned to the We're All About Poodles Facebook group for help in October 2024 — and struck gold.

Among the flurry of replies came a message from renowned poodle trainer Shelina Duke, who suggested something radically different: no walks.

Above: Rupert the poodle with a piercing bark was made to stay inside for three months and given a retraining schedule to engage him. Credit: Animal News Agency

Under Shelina’s guidance, Bev signed up for two of her online courses, Overcoming Reactivity and Bark No More. Instead of taking Rupert out, Bev kept him indoors, focusing on confidence-building games and calming routines.

“At first I was really worried about not walking him,” Bev admitted.

“It goes against everything you’re told, doesn’t it? But Shelina explained how Rupert needed to feel safe and learn how to cope with the world again from the comfort of home. And honestly, it’s changed everything. He’s like a different dog — calmer, happier and more trusting.”

The secret to Rupert’s transformation lies in careful observation and tailored responses. Bev regularly sends videos of Rupert to Shelina, who spots subtle signs of stress that Bev might miss and offers expert advice on how to respond.

Bev feels it has finally brought peace to her home: “It’s not just Rupert who’s calmer now, our whole house is more peaceful. It’s like we can all finally breathe again.”

Shelina, who runs the Poodle Training School, says Rupert's journey is a powerful reminder that behavioural issues are often misunderstood — especially in intelligent breeds such as poodles.

She explained: “Poodles are incredibly clever, which makes them amazing companions — but it also means they can struggle more with things like overstimulation or anxiety.

“Rupert and Bev have made such incredible progress. It’s been lovely to watch their bond grow stronger as they’ve worked through the courses. Bev has been so dedicated, and Rupert is thriving because of it.”

Above: Butter wouldn’t melt… Rupert as a puppy before he developed his barking obsession. Credit: Animal News Agency

Three months on, Rupert is no longer the barking menace of the neighbourhood. Instead, he’s a mellow, tail-wagging shadow to Bev — still curious, still clever, but finally at ease.

Bev is just relieved she never gave up or tried to rehome him. She said: “I just wanted people to see the Rupert I knew was in there. Now they can.”

Find out more about Shelina's Poodle Training School at https://www.withtheflo.co.uk/training-your-poodle/