I have a 3 year old small mixed breed. She is crated during the day when I am not home. I have been told that she barks constantly throughout the day. I have tried a bark collar with minimal success. I am going to be moving into an apartment where a constantly barking dog will probably not be tolerated. How do I keep her from barking while I am not home? Please help!!
2006-10-26 09:52:28 · 5 answers · asked by chloe 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I tried confining her to a bathroom/laundry room when I first adopted her. She tore apart the trim around the door and part of the cabinet. So she can be very destructive when left alone. I am only gone for work for about 9.5 hours per day. I would rather not crate her, but I can't trust her alone....
2006-10-27 04:05:37 · update #1
I believe that what your dog has is called Separtation Anxiety. Dogs that have this will often bark and, if they are not crated, chew up and ruin things. There are a few different ways to deal with this. There are chew toys that speak a recorded sound when chewed, and are advertised that they will make your dog feel better if you record a message such as "I'll be home soon, Fido" into it with your voice. But this may also confuse Dog. I believe that the best course of action would be to give your dog something to play with while gone. If the crate is large enough, provide dog with a selection of chew toys. This will keep her busy. You could also try the old Kong trick, where you fill a Kong with a treat and cream cheese, then freeze it. This can keep your dog busy for a while. I hope that this helps. Good luck with your move and barking problems!
2006-10-26 10:00:16 · answer #1 · answered by Bored. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does she tend to follow you around all the time when you are home? Do you cuddle with her a lot? Does she do this even if you leave for an hour or so, not all day? If "yes", do a search on separation anxiety for help.
If "no" she may need more exercise and she may need things to keep her occupied while in the crate. A Kong toy packed with food should keep her busy for quite some time. Or, maybe confine her to the kitchen or bathroom instead of the crate.
2006-10-26 17:01:49 · answer #2 · answered by melissa k 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Exercise her every morning before you leave and, leaving her crate open, fence off a portion of a room for her to move around in and entertain herself. Keep the area small at first with some pee pee pads as far from her crate as the space allows (don't forget the water it should be near the crate), then expand the area as she learns to utilize the pad. Lots of different toys that are only out when you are not there (this makes them special). Then when you arrive home walk her for at least 20 minutes and then feed her. Anxiety is one of the triggers of excessive barking, by not locking her in a crate, plenty of exercise, and toys to entertain should work. Otherwise let her go to doggie day care and socialize. Please don't lock you dog in a crate unless you are only doing it to potty trian, and this should only take a few weeks.
2006-10-26 17:51:29 · answer #3 · answered by Caryn C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she is housebroken and not destructive you might try secluding her to a part of the house like a kitchen or bathroom with a baby gate. She might just have excess energy from being confined all day if you work long hours. I strongly believe in crating as the most humane way of housebreaking a dog, but if she is responsible maybe she can be given a little lee way :)
2006-10-26 17:06:07 · answer #4 · answered by DazeyChain 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably you're just crating her for too long. I think that the most should be 4 hours at a time. If you still want her kept in the crate, ask a friend to come every few hours while you're away to let her out and keep her company, then put her back in and leave. Hopefully will help
2006-10-26 16:57:52 · answer #5 · answered by Judgerz 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋