# Barking when left



## KatyBob (Mar 24, 2015)

Hello

Our 7-month old pup Lola has started to bark quite a bit when we leave her. We are crate-training her (she has an XL crate so it's roomy) and we only ever leave her for 2-3 hours a few times a week. We have always given her kongs and games to keep her busy but she won't touch them - almost as if she's too sad to do anything in our absence! And she used to be OK when left for short times but now, when we come back we often hear her barking non-stop and the concierge in our building has said she whines too. We have horrible neighbours who are prone to complaining so we are keen to knock this on the head if we can but we are a bit lost as to what to do - she can't keep herself busy, despite being given the opportunity. We need to be able to leave the house for the odd dinner in the evening but at the moment that isn't really happening. 

Thanks


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## SuperV (Oct 18, 2011)

Just a few thoughts…

Less room is better than more room. All they really need is adequate space to stand up and turn around. Us Humans feel better about giving them more space, although they don’t need it and sometimes be a source of issues.

Try covering the entire crate with a blanket or bed sheet. (if its hot and you don’t have AC – be smart about it covering the crate)

Turn on the radio, so there is background noise for the dog. It’ll mute the creeks and random noises that would have normally broken the silence and potentially cause the dog to bark.

Is your dog crated at night? If so, how does she handle that?

Have you tried exercising her and doing mental games with her beforehand?

At around 6 to 7 months, you will get a regression in behavior, so it isn’t that unusual.

If you only put your dog in the crate when you are leaving and it somes to bother her, play games with her where she goes into the crate, you walk out of the room, and then come back, open the crate, and give her treats/reward. It’ll make going into her crate a fun and rewarding game.

Hope that helps
Nate


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## KatyBob (Mar 24, 2015)

Thanks Nate. She is brilliant in the crate at night - can go for up to 10 hours without complaining. And when we eat dinner and ask her to go in her crate, it takes a while but she goes in and doesn't complain. We try and give her a decent walk before we go out but there's no pattern - after a walk she can be a barker, without exercise she's sometimes quiet (we think!). We've put a blanket on as of yesterday so let's see if it makes a difference. But good idea to involve the crate more during the day when we are in. Cheers.


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## chilithevizsla (Apr 2, 2014)

I'd be more inclined to say don't play games with her in the crate, she obviously already has a positive association with it because she sleeps fine in it while you're in the house so that isn't needed IMO.

What I would do is do some relaxing exercises and off switch training while in there to get the association that crate = settled behavior, not excited playing. I would just do your usual going out routine but make it very short and build up. So put the kong in, put a radio on very low or buy a puppy relaxation CD and then go out the front door, leaving completely is important because she's obviously settled when you're in the house. The key to this kind of training is to return before she starts barking/being frantic/whining so there's only calm behavior being displayed so learn her time threshold and come back just before then. Work it up and eventually you should be able to leave with no problems.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

chilithevizsla said:


> ...so learn her time threshold and come back *just before then*. Work it up and eventually you should be able to leave with no problems.


Great advice. I agree that once your dog will happily go into the crate on command, it's time to reward them for relaxing in it. It's also worth noting that their time threshold can change depending on other variables. For instance, my dog may have been fine remaining calm in the crate if I were simply out of sight for say 3 minutes, but if I left AND closed the door that set her off immediately. So build up the time slowly as recommended, but also lower the difficulty (time away) if you add in another step like closing a door or going outside. 

Working on switching high energy play to relaxation apart from crate training can be really useful too. Try playing with her for a minute with a toy. After 30 seconds, stop playing and hide the toy out of sight by sitting on it or something. It'll probably take her some time to catch on that you've stopped and she may try a number of things to get the toy. As soon as she offers another behavior, like looking away or sitting, reward her with another 30 secs of play. Gradually increase the calm periods in between play time.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Your dog likely equates the crate with being left alone. Its not the crate she objects to, but rather not being with you. They are attached to their people!

The solution here is actually MORE crate time when you are at home. Right now, it sounds like you only crate her at your dinner time and at her bed time, and she's OK with that...b/c she knows you are home with her. What you want is for her to equate being in the crate with the OK feelings b/c you're still there, but doing other things in the apt. Let her scream and yell, don't take her out until she's quiet...do this a few times a day, adjusting the amount of time she stays in the crate quietly before you release her.

Most people don't do the crate thing well..we feel guilty putting them in it, and tend to use it only when absolutely necessary..which the dog picks up on and therefore responds by expressing both of your unhappiness. If you're OK with the crate, she will be too, and if you use it when you're home she'll adjust to IT, rather than be maladjusted to YOU not being there when you're gone.


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