How To Stop Pup Barking When Left Alone

[pomchi]

This has been an ongoing problem with our little pup, she is well behaved and barely barks when we are home, but when we leave she ill continually bark till we come home,( she can bark for hours on end)

we leave without a word same when we come home, leave toys and treats. she goes for a long walk before we head off but nothing seems to work. It is making even going out for dinner a hassle as we dont want to annoy the neighbours ( during the day they are at work so not as bad but at night you can hear puppy the driveway).

at the moment she stays n her playpen with toys and treats, if we let her have more freedom do you think this will ease her stress and reduce the barking?

any ideas would be very helpful

thanks

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I used to leave my puppy in a crate inside the house. Initially she would shred everything in it - but eventually she saw it as a nice safe place to sleep. She didn't make a lot of noise that the neighbours could hear. And she doesn't bark when I'm out, now she's older. She barks at stuff when I'm home.

You could practice going out and coming back instantly and then gradually increase the times you're out. Start with five minute sessions every day eg get coat, hat, keys, exit, enter put everything down, pick it all up, go out again etc. Try to come in only if there is a quiet second. If the noise starts up, close the door and try again for a quiet second. Gradually increase the time dog needs to be quiet for you to come back in. You could also put a radio in the room where she is, or maybe an answering machine so you could ring her up and talk to her. Or maybe read her bedtime stories, put it on an mp3 player plugged into a speaker dock and leave that on loop while you're out.

Also look up "NILIF" and "TOT" on the web or at K9pro.com.au or stickied around here somewhere.

[poodlefan]

Given the ongoing issues you appear to be having with your pup, I'd recommend a visit to the house by an experienced dog training professional.

Internet advice is not going to be as effective as having someone come and assess the dog in your household and provide tailored advice for your situation.

[persephone]

Given the ongoing issues you appear to be having with your pup, I'd recommend a visit to the house by an experienced dog training professional.

Internet advice is not going to be as effective as having someone come and assess the dog in your household and provide tailored advice for your situation.

X2

Someone who can see your pup in its environment is much better able to give you the 'tools' to help fix any problems.

[aussielover]

I think for some dogs barking is a rewarding behaviour in itself for them ie. they like the sound of ther own voice and some smaller dogs are known to be more "yappy"

Obviously we can't tell if this applies to your dog, but i would advise getting a professional as well. Often this sort of self-rewarding barking is best dealt with using some sort of correction (eg anti bark or ecollar) which you would need instruction on how to apply correctly to get the best results.

Do you leave the pup outside? if you do, maybe you could try leaving her inside or vice versa?

You could try leaving her for very short periods (a few minutes) and rewarding for silence.

[pomchi]

thanks guys, i am trying to avoid using any of the collars.

and she is just so well behaved when we are home, she literally will only bark maybe 4 times a day at just one or two barks.

i think we might have to try a professional because we are running out of options, we leave the radio or t.v on when we are gone but she still barks.

she is distracted by food, but that only takes so long before she is finished and realises we are gone

[AmandaJ]

You could try putting a t-shirt (a worn one so it smells like you) on a large soft toy. Usually works for separation anxiety.

[sas]

I wouldn't suggest leaving the radio or tv on because what you probably do is turn these on as you're leaving and they become a cue to her and she'll start becoming anxious as soon as your turn them on as they cue you're about to leave.

Leaving puppies at home by themselves is very stressful for them if you haven't done any seperation training with them.

This video may assist you:

If you are having on-going problems then you probably need a professional hand with how to raise a puppy and I would reccomend you contact a qualified Behaviourist.

[sas]

I think for some dogs barking is a rewarding behaviour in itself for them ie. they like the sound of ther own voice and some smaller dogs are known to be more "yappy"

Obviously we can't tell if this applies to your dog, but i would advise getting a professional as well. Often this sort of self-rewarding barking is best dealt with using some sort of correction (eg anti bark or ecollar) which you would need instruction on how to apply correctly to get the best results.

Do you leave the pup outside? if you do, maybe you could try leaving her inside or vice versa?

You could try leaving her for very short periods (a few minutes) and rewarding for silence.

Bark collars are not suitable for anxiety barking.

I'm not sure why you would suggest the barking is self-rewarding for a puppy whose is showing all the normal signs of seperation anxiety because it hasn't had seperation training.

A bark collar on a baby puppy just isn't a good start.

[aussielover]

I think for some dogs barking is a rewarding behaviour in itself for them ie. they like the sound of ther own voice and some smaller dogs are known to be more "yappy"

Obviously we can't tell if this applies to your dog, but i would advise getting a professional as well. Often this sort of self-rewarding barking is best dealt with using some sort of correction (eg anti bark or ecollar) which you would need instruction on how to apply correctly to get the best results.

Do you leave the pup outside? if you do, maybe you could try leaving her inside or vice versa?

You could try leaving her for very short periods (a few minutes) and rewarding for silence.

Bark collars are not suitable for anxiety barking.

I'm not sure why you would suggest the barking is self-rewarding for a puppy whose is showing all the normal signs of seperation anxiety because it hasn't had seperation training.

A bark collar on a baby puppy just isn't a good start.

I didn't suggest to use a bark collar- i suggested consulting a behaviourist who can determine what the problem is and MAY suggest a correction collar based on the cause of the problem.

I;m not sure why you are so certain it is normal puppy separation anxiety- imo barking for hours on end (if that is what is actually happening) isn't normal puppy thing.

And some dogs are just natural barkers, they find it enjoyable.

[dandybrush]

do you ever leave the pup in the play pen when you are home and leave the room? you have to teach pup to be separate from you even when you are home, then maybe when you are not home they wont mind so much

[Collstar]

my dog is a separation anxiety barker

the poor thing would scream and bark alllll day, and of course we had no idea (for YEARS, none of our neighbours told us) until the council came knocking on our door!

we ended up heiring a barking citronella collar from the council, and it seemed to work, so we bought one, and it was a total waste of money because he just barked right through the spraying, thats how desperate he was :p

in the end we got a doggy door installed, because he was outside when the barking was happening, which has fixed the problem all together now. i guess he feels safer and more secure inside.

if the barking flares up again the next step would be getting him another doggy friend, or more radically getting him de-barked i guess they are also things for you to consider, if all else fails!

so maybe allowing ur puppy a little more freedom will help? so she can still see all of the rooms of the house, even giving her access to the backyard as well.

[luvsdogs]

Have you tried setting up a video camera all day to see if she is actually barking the whole time?

When your about to leave, if she's fed kibble, scatter it around the back yard or rooms shes in inside & try not to let her see you leave. Also as someone suggested practice coming & going in increasing lengths of time & reward for quiet when you return.

I don't think its legal these days to de-bark & the few dogs I've heard that have been de-barked still make a horrible noise.

[Collstar]

I don't think its legal these days to de-bark & the few dogs I've heard that have been de-barked still make a horrible noise.

i think its still legal in nsw... or was it SA.

the noise they make is a huge improvement on the screaming wail of a bark my dog produces lol, but if it comes down to it, and whether you agree with de-barking or not, its an option i would consider. it got to the point where our neibghours could have taken legal action against our dog... thats how bad it was

but no matter, i dont think that we need to take desperate measures like that!

distraction should help, like what luvsdogs suggested. you can even buy dog food dispensers, that need to be nudged and rolled around to get the food out. if your puppy is food driven it might be worth a try :p

Edited October 11, 2010 by Collstar

[aussielover]

Have you tried setting up a video camera all day to see if she is actually barking the whole time?

When your about to leave, if she's fed kibble, scatter it around the back yard or rooms shes in inside & try not to let her see you leave. Also as someone suggested practice coming & going in increasing lengths of time & reward for quiet when you return.

I don't think its legal these days to de-bark & the few dogs I've heard that have been de-barked still make a horrible noise.

It is legal if you get papers from the council and vet saying it is the last option for the dog and the only other alternative is PTS. you must have the paperwork in order though.

And they still make a raspy sound but it is a lot quieter than a bark.

I don't really think it affects their welfare too much, the op is less invasive than a female dog spey.

But obviously i think you should go through other options first; training, behavioural modification etc

[aussielover]

my dog is a separation anxiety barker

the poor thing would scream and bark alllll day, and of course we had no idea (for YEARS, none of our neighbours told us) until the council came knocking on our door!

we ended up heiring a barking citronella collar from the council, and it seemed to work, so we bought one, and it was a total waste of money because he just barked right through the spraying, thats how desperate he was :p

in the end we got a doggy door installed, because he was outside when the barking was happening, which has fixed the problem all together now. i guess he feels safer and more secure inside.

if the barking flares up again the next step would be getting him another doggy friend, or more radically getting him de-barked i guess they are also things for you to consider, if all else fails!

so maybe allowing ur puppy a little more freedom will help? so she can still see all of the rooms of the house, even giving her access to the backyard as well.

Probably not the best idea.

There is no guarantee she is going to like another dog and she will possibly teach the new dog to bark all day too

It is generally unwise to get another dog for a problem dog.

If the issue is eparation anxiety from her humans, another dog isn't going to help.

[Nushie]

We had lots of problems with Jager crying when left in his pen. He didnt cry for the whole time, but it was still too much and it broke my heart everytime i left him in there. We made his pen bigger and it seemed to help, although he would still whine in the mornings when i left for work (even with his kongs and treat ball). Now that he is toilet trained he has access to the lounge room and this has really helped. He doesnt make a noise anymore, i think he assosiates the lounge room with us, that is where we spend all our time so he feels secure there.

[pomchi]

I spoke to the breeder where i bought link from and asked for any advice she told me that links mum is exactly the same and has had to use a shock collar to stop it.

we are going to try one of those petsafe ultrasonic bark deterrents, the guy said that once she is distracted from barking she might have a chance to focus on other things like her toys whilst we are gone, they are supposed to emit a sound when the dog barks, the reviews are 50/50.

I just hate leaving her like that, it stresses me out worrying about her till i get home.

and she stays inside I am reluctant to leave her outside if she barks the neighbours will hear her much more than if she were inside.

[poodlefan]

I spoke to the breeder where i bought link from and asked for any advice she told me that links mum is exactly the same and has had to use a shock collar to stop it.

we are going to try one of those petsafe ultrasonic bark deterrents, the guy said that once she is distracted from barking she might have a chance to focus on other things like her toys whilst we are gone, they are supposed to emit a sound when the dog barks, the reviews are 50/50.

I just hate leaving her like that, it stresses me out worrying about her till i get home.

and she stays inside I am reluctant to leave her outside if she barks the neighbours will hear her much more than if she were inside.

Let me guess - Mum was the Pom??

Frankly for the price of one of these, I think you'd be better off spending the money on a consult with a trainer.

Have you considered my suggestion about installing a dog door. Boredom may be a part of the issue but a trainer would be your best bet.

Edited October 12, 2010 by poodlefan

[Collstar]

my dog is a separation anxiety barker

the poor thing would scream and bark alllll day, and of course we had no idea (for YEARS, none of our neighbours told us) until the council came knocking on our door!

we ended up heiring a barking citronella collar from the council, and it seemed to work, so we bought one, and it was a total waste of money because he just barked right through the spraying, thats how desperate he was

in the end we got a doggy door installed, because he was outside when the barking was happening, which has fixed the problem all together now. i guess he feels safer and more secure inside.

if the barking flares up again the next step would be getting him another doggy friend, or more radically getting him de-barked i guess they are also things for you to consider, if all else fails!

so maybe allowing ur puppy a little more freedom will help? so she can still see all of the rooms of the house, even giving her access to the backyard as well.

Probably not the best idea.

There is no guarantee she is going to like another dog and she will possibly teach the new dog to bark all day too

It is generally unwise to get another dog for a problem dog.

If the issue is eparation anxiety from her humans, another dog isn't going to help.

hmm that is very true.... actually something i hadnt given much thought to.

i guess you also risk ending up with two very noisy dogs, learning from each other