my toy poodle yips when i'm not home?

Question

My toy poodle is very well behaved and very calm...that is, until I am out of his line of sight. he'll start to cry and start to bark...and will keep it up for hours, or until he falls asleep. I've tried leaving the room and waiting for him to stop barking(at which point I would re-enter the room and give him a treat for being quiet). the barking wasn't a problem when i lived in a house, but now i live in an apartment and my neighbor has complained. He's very small so he can't use a collar...and i think those things are inhumane....but how do you stop a dog from barking when you're not in the room? I do leave the TV on for him, and he's litterbox trained, so he can always go to the bathroom...and i always leave him with enough food and water and toys and things to knaw on(as he's still teething) How do i stop my puppies yipping when i'm not home? he never barks at all when i'm here.

I live in a one bedroom. apt. the bathroom is shared and down the hall. the dog is really small and doesn't mind chilling in a playpen, which i mostly leave open for him to wander in and out of freely, except at night. whenever i can't watch him. he only yips when i am not in the room. I know because I can hear him as soon as i close the door. But NEVER barks when i'm there

I do take him with me most places....even to work(he loves my office) and class(lays down on the floor, hits on the seeing eye dog), but there are some places you just can't take even the cutest of dogs

He is crate and litterbox trained. he loves his crate.

Answer 1

Hi -- It sounds like he's a good dog. And, you're right, even the cutest dog can't always go with you.

In order to understand why he's crying and barking, it actually can be very helpful to first think about your problem from a dog's perspective.

Unlike most cats and some other animals, dogs are 100% pack animals. All of their instincts for survival and just daily living are based on 50,000 plus years of genetics which say, "You belong in a pack" and "In order to survive, you must be in your pack."

A dog is happy and healthy when they are with either other dogs (sometimes other animals can substitute) or with their "substitute" pack person... you!

It is natural for them to cry and bark to let the other members of the "pack" -- you -- know that he has been left behind and to come back and get him. He's not just anxious because he's separated from you -- he's very lonely! If he's still teething, he's also very young so you're smart to be looking to find ways to resolve this now.

The dog mother has to leave their pups in their den at times, to go out and hunt for food. He's not too old to be crate trained which can become his "den" while he waits for you to come home. There are some good videos on crate training at the large pet stores or online. But remember that dogs do not want to go the bathroom in their dens since you mentioned the litter box.

But... this won't solve the problem of him being very lonely. Is there a possibility that you could get another pup from his litter to keep him company and to cuddle with him? (A girl pup would be best so they won't have as many "who's king of the hill" problems when they're older.)

Going for a long walk (1/2 hour or more) before you are going to leave him can be helpful along with the crate training.

Instead of giving him a treat when you come back in the room (which may encourage him to bark to try to get you to come back and give him a treat!), you may want to act as though it's no big deal, come back and do some other things, just ignoring him for a while as though it's no big deal to come and go.

I found with my previous dog, when he was a pup, I would never make a big deal out of leaving, I would toss some treats in different places to hide them, say "Go find your treats!" and leave. He would be busy looking for them when I left which seemed to stop any "goodbye" barking.

The best thing to do, if you can, for days when you will be gone all day, is to find a doggy daycare where he can play with and be in the company of other dogs and people while you are gone. He will get some exercise, get some socialization skills with other dogs, and be much happier and content when he sees you!

Also, if you don't want to be kicked out of where you are living, you may want to seriously consider bringing in a positive dog trainer for their advice. One other thought, after your lease expires, you might want to think about another place to live which is a little more conducive to having a dog.

In the meantime, you may want to talk with your neighbor, apologize and tell them the steps that you are taking to resolve the problem. It might buy you some time, if you let them know you are working on it and are a considerate person.

Using a "bark" collar to punish him every time he barks, doesn't deal with the underlying problem and his anxiety and frustration will probably just come out in other more destructive ways.

I can tell by everything that you've written that you're a very caring dog "Mom" or "Dad" so I hope everything works out well for you.

Answer 2

It sounds as though your dog is a little insecure and has separation anxiety. Try getting him used to being in a small (big enough for him to stand up, but small enough he can curl up halfway toward the back) plastic travel kennel when you are not at home. I'm suggesting plastic as it simulates a feeling of a den. Dogs are den animals and in time, he will use this kennel as his "home away from home" - a safe place to retreat. Do not put food and water in the crate/kennel (or toys) - YOU should be the "go to person" for his needs. Using a key word or phrase each time (be consistant) you place him in the kennel. When you return home, do not make a big deal of coming in the door or get him excited about your return... quietly and calmly walk about the apartment for a few minutes and then let him out. After a while, he'll wait patiently knowing you're going to let him out... now, you're wondering how that helps to keep him from barking??? Well, it's been my experience that once my dogs got used to being in a den, their separation anxiety subsided and the only time my neighbors heard them barking was when someone was at the door or the phone was ringing. Now when I need them to get into their crate, I say, "I have to go to the store."... and they race to be the first one in! And no complaints from the neighbors!! Good luck.

Answer 3

I recommend getting a bark collar, the one by Innotek (bc-200) is one of the better ones out there because it will train your dog to be quiet, not just punish for barking.

The citronella spray collars have very mixed results, but the Innotek models either bc-200 or bc-50 seem to be the most popular. You can read reviews on them at www.petco.com. But a hint: you can find the best deal at www.petstreetmall.com (save about 30 bucks).

Good luck!

Answer 4

I always use crates. The dog will get used to it as a cave, which they think of "safety & security". They are easy to take with you if you ever travel. When I am home, I leave the door open and my dog still prefers to be inside sometimes. Yet when I leave, I can simply say "crate" and he runs inside.

Answer 5

You just have to discipline him. Not in a bad way or anything . You just have to teach him that it is bad to bark inside. My dogs used to do that and once I trained them otherwise I no longer had a problem.It just take time. For now I would keep him in a room while you are gone tha your neighbor can't hear him in.

Answer 6

Well... even at 7 1/2 pounds.. fangs are fangs. Somehow .. teach it to specifically attack the groin area? Doesn't matter if he's small.. a good chomp in the family jewels would STILL at least make the robber yelp enough to wake you up.. or as others have said.. wake his Rottie companion. .. or wake you with a shotgun under your bed. I don't know.

Answer 7

Go here for an awesome dog training program http://OnlineDogTraining.enle.info/?gd4D

Since it is obvious that you do not have a clue about obedience training, your services should be for free. You cannot train even an adult dog for 8 hours a day. About the most that can be done at any one time is 10 - 20 minutes and that is with an adult dog and not a puppy. The attention span on this baby is extremely short and training session should be no more than 10 minutes and twice a day. Additionally, there isn t going to be much learned if you will only be training for 5 days. Obedience training is cumulative and is done over a much longer period of at least several weeks to several months.
What you can charge is determined by your experience, reputation, and accomplishments and in a case like this, should also include guaranteed expectations. Just working with dogs over several years, is not the experience that is necessary to be a dog trainer. There are too many people who are putting that title to their name and fleecing the public. Don t be one of them.

Answer 8

Ask the Dog Whisperer

Answer 9

Yes! My golden/lab does that to0o0o! When we are not home. So0o0o we got this barking collar! It helps alot!

Answer 10

dogs are social animals and your poodle simply feels alone. he seems quite young, so you might have some success in giving him a warm cushion and a clock underneath it to imitate a mother's heartbeat. when he's older you can train him properly.