Most dogs or puppies will settle down and stop crying or barking within a half-hour after they are left. However, some dogs simply cannot relax. They bark or cry for the entire eight hours their owner is at work. Obviously, this can result in some angry neighbors or an apartment eviction. Some people are even faced with giving up their dogs because they feel like they can’t leave the dog alone barking all day. They feel like they have no choice but to find the dog a new home.
There are ways to overcome this problem. Some people will call the problem separation anxiety. You can call it what you want, but in most cases what the dog really needs is more exercise and rules. “Separation anxiety” is an overused term by vets and trainers. Most dogs do not have anything wrong with them, but they are crying or barking because of pent up energy and boredom.
Stop dog from barking all day
Run with the dog every morning.
A lot of dogs are said to have “separation anxiety,” when really they are not getting enough exercise. So, run with your dog for an hour in the morning before you go to work. Some people will laugh when I say this, but it’s not a joke. Run her (or at least walk fast) for a minimum of 45 minutes every single day, even if she is a small dog. How can you expect a dog or puppy to sleep all night and then go in her kennel all day while you are at work? Leaving her lose in the house is no different. To a dog, a house is just a big kennel. To stop your dog from crying all night or day, more exercise is a must.
Buy a dog backpack.
The backpack will help drain even more energy during the dog’s morning run. A dog can carry a small amount of weight in the pack and it will make her physically more tired. It will challenge her mentally by giving her a job to do. This will make it easier for the dog to sleep when you are gone and you will stop telling people, “My dog cries all the time.”
Buy a kennel.If you don’t already have a kennel, get one. Don’t use it as a punishment for the dog. Give the dog a treat when she goes in the kennel, and tell her she’s a good dog. Leave her in the kennel for a few minutes at a time, maybe one minute at first, and only let her out if she is not crying. If she throws a tantrum for 20 minutes and is quiet for 30 seconds, let her out during those 30 seconds when she is actually quiet. Work with her until you can leave her in the kennel while you are away. The goal is for your dog to feel safe and secure in her “den” and know it is a place for her to rest quietly. Once you have a dog that can stay quietly in a kennel all day, you can begin to leave her loose in the house.
Ignore a dog that is crying or barking.
The worst thing you can do is let the dog out of her kennel when she cries or barks. Make sure she learns she can only come out if she is calm. If the barking or crying really escalates, then firmly tell her “No!” Yelling at her will not help. It will only increase her anxiousness. Just let her know that the behavior is unwanted. Putting a blanket over Ace’s kennel helped when he was learning to stay quietly in his kennel.
Gradually leave the dog for longer periods.
Once the dog can stay in the kennel for ten minutes quietly, increase that time to a half-hour. Try this while you are home with the dog. Once she is OK with that, you can act as though you are leaving by just stepping outside for a few seconds. Then leave for five minutes. Slowly increase the time until you can leave for a half-hour or an hour to go shopping. Eventually the dog will be able to be left while you are at work all day. Ideally you could practice leaving her in the kennel on the weekend or days you are home with her so she is prepared to be left during the work week.
Don’t make a big deal about coming and going.
When you leave, just quietly exit like it is no big deal. Don’t tell your dog she is a good girl over and over. Don’t say “Goodbye honey! It’s OK! Mommy will be back soon!” This just gives her a reason to feel anxious because she will pick up on your excited, worried energy. Put your dog in her kennel a few minutes before you go to work, and then leave without saying anything. When you come home, wait a few minutes before you let her out. When you do, just calmly let her out and take her outside. Don’t throw a small party for her every time you come home for work or you will be encouraging your puppy to cry all day.
Exercise your dog again when you come home from work.
Another hour walk or run would be ideal for a dog that has been left home all day. If this isn’t possible for you, then at least take your dog on a brisk 20-minute walk and then play with her in the backyard. If you are someone who asks “Why does my dog cry all the time?” what you should really be asking yourself is “Why don’t I make more time to exercise my dog?”
Did your dog ever have crying/barking issues when left alone? How did you solve the problem?
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June 11th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Actually it depends a lot on how you have trained your dog to react when she is alone. I’ve seen dogs feeling comfortable to stay alone at home during day hours. On the contrary, I get to hear complaints about dogs being destructive when allowed to stay alone at home. So, your tips will help them to identify the cause of such undesired acts and find a solution.
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June 11th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Very good tips! I’m thinking I will print a copy out and tape it to my neighbor’s door!! Their dog makes us crazy with barking ALL the time. I think they just leave it alone too much… it’s lonely and wants its people!
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June 11th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Great tips! I was lucky with my dog – she was not a whiner at all…just a chewer.
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June 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I hate putting the dogs in their kennel but hate getting them out even more. When I do let them out I don’t say a word and I require that all three sit quietly. Of course, the second I open the gate they rush out and nearly knock me over. lol But I’m glad that they don’t howl all day when left in their kennel.
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June 11th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Great tips… getting a crate (vari kennel type) is the most effective when used with talk radio when leaving.
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June 12th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
We just had someone contact Sheltie Rescue because they were facing eviction due to their 7 mo. old Sheltie’s barking all day while they are at work. The dog is crated, and they claim that they are exercising twice daily for an hour at a time. We gave them several suggestions, (most what you have posted above), but I don’t think anyone mentioned a backpack, so I think I’ll doublecheck and then make that suggestion too! Thanks.
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June 13th, 2008 at 1:11 am
Hi! i don’t have a dog but I carefull read through. It seems a common sense but I find your tips very helpful and practical. It is uniqgue as well. Is that your dog in the image?
October 12th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Hi
I just got a New Jack Russell puppy as a companion for my other dog who is a year old and a collie mix the older dog is really frightend of the new puppy and runs away if it comes near her.. Also the new puppy wont stop crying all the time regardless of where she is can someone help..
October 12th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Do something your older dog loves, like throwing a ball in the backyard or go for a walk or car ride and bring the pup along so the older dog associates the pup with positive things. Don’t push it, I think they will get along with time. When the puppy is sleeping, you could bring it over to the older dog and let her smell it. Other than that, just give the older dog breaks from the pup, especially when it is getting really rambunctious and nipping, etc.
As for the crying, the puppy should get over it with time. Try the tips I mentioned in this post. For a young puppy, the crying just means it wants attention, so don’t give in. Praise it for being calm and make sure it is getting enough exercise. I would definitely crate train the puppy if you haven’t already, just so it has a quiet den to retreat to for some down time when you need a break.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
A puppy at 4 months old who whines when I am at work and toilets inside!
March 31st, 2009 at 4:06 pm
we have a 8 week old english staffy pup.
I don’t want him to be an inside dog but as he is so small he can fit through the gate, I feel he is too small to be out there at the moment as we have a double story house and a really big back yard. we put him in the laundry (downtairs) at night, he cried but was easier to ignore before but he is getting louder. been alot of rain so exercise has been out of the question. my daughter runs around with him undercover while we toilet him, seems to cry when he is not with us, e.g on the verandah although he can hear us he wants inside all the time, he starts whinging alot. never had a pup before so need some tips, just bought our first home and don’t wanna make enemies with the neighbours.. anybody please help..
March 31st, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Exercise is not out of the question. He is a young dog and he needs it. An hour a day minimum should be about right for a young dog rain or shine.
How long have you had the dog? If you continue to exercise him and then leave him along for short periods with plenty of his own things to do – like really good things to chew (pigs ears, raw bones, etc), he should be OK. They key is to ignore the crying and whining. Don’t scold, yell or give in by letting him be with you. Let him be by you after he’s been quiet.
Good luck with your puppy. Be patient. I always ask my neighbors if they can hear my foster dogs barking so I can apologize and so I know if the dog barks when I am not home. Most people are understanding when the dog is going through an adjustment period.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:44 am
I have three dogs , a shi tzui who is 6 , a rottweiller who is 8 and a rottweiller pup who is 17 weeks . They all get on fine and sleep together in the kitchen at night with no problem,but at 5;30 every morning the pup starts crying and barking, if I ignore him he bangs the door and begins scratching. He wakes my children up and then they are tired for school. I have tried letting him out for a wee and then going back to bed. He goes mad as soon as I go, I won’t feed him until 7:30 no matter what time he wakes up. If I stay with him he is fine and goes back to sleep. I have had him sleeping in the bedroom but he cries to be with the other dogs at night.Any suggestions please!!
June 4th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Make sure the pup is getting outside late enough at night so having to go to the bathroom is not the issue. If he wakes up when it gets light out, then do what you can to keep the room dark.
Other than that, the best thing you can do is kennel train the dog. Then, when he cries, ignore him. After a week or two, he will stop crying. If you go and let him out every time he cries, then he has you trained.
My dog sleeps down in our living room on his dog bed and every morning when it gets light, he comes upstairs and cries at our door. This is usually around the time we get up so it’s not a big deal, but if I don’t want him to cry, I put him in his kennel in the laundry room where it’s dark and he waits quietly for me to come to him.
August 30th, 2009 at 9:27 am
I have a 8month old Beagle. I’ve only had her for about a month. I have covered her cage with a blanket to make it dark and safe. I have tried leaving her in her cage, going out and stepping back in my flat rewarding her being silent and saying ‘no’ when bakring and howling. I managed to get her up to being alone for an hour and a half, but then today is was as if all the training had been for nothing. I tried going out for 2 hours and after 20 minutes alone she strated barking and howling and tearing her cage appart. I really dont know what to do any more. I cant keep the dog if I cant get her to stay camly in her cage… Do you have some more tips or reasurance that today is not a step back?
August 30th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Be patient. I know how frustrating it is. I’ve dealt with many similar dogs. They do get used to their kennels, but for some dogs it takes longer.
The biggest thing is probably exercise. If the dog is tired, she will be less likely to freak out in the kennel, so if you aren’t already walking her for at least an hour every single day, make sure to do so. Run, Rollerblade or bike with her if you can. And do it right before you put her in the kennel.
Another thing is maybe she is spending too much time in the kennel. For example, if she’s in there at night and when you’re gone, try putting her in there only when you’re gone.
Do what you can to make that kennel as positive as possible. Stock it with the best treats. I put peanut butter in Kong toys or hollow bones and then freeze them so the peanut butter takes longer to get at. A friend of mine uses squirt cheese.
Feed her in her kennel if she loves eating.
And try not to always have the kennel mean you are leaving. You could try having her in her kennel next to you while you are watching TV or put her in there while you are doing vacuuming and cleaning, things like that.
Always reword when she’s quiet. It’s usually best to totally ignore any barking or crying completely. Let her out only when she is quiet.
If all else fails, you could always bring her to doggy daycare. That would be better than giving up the dog.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes and if you have other questions.
August 30th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Oh, and talk radio helps too!
September 6th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I just got a 4 month old chihuahua two days ago all is well into it is night time lots of crying last night about 5 hour straight. How long will this last? I hope my neighbors don’t get too upset.
September 6th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Puppies will often cry at first because they are not used to being alone. Just be consistent and ignore the crying. I’ve had puppies that only cry the first night and then they are fine.
Don’t teach the pup that if it cries, you will come give it any kind of attention. Just ignore. If you want, you could keep the kennel in your room with you. That might be enough to stop the crying because the pup will see that you are near. But only do this if you want the dog’s kennel to always be in your room. Get some ear plugs and apologize to your neighbors!
Good luck!
December 30th, 2009 at 8:14 am
We just got a puppy … she is so cute and everything was going good until we had to leave her alone. she is in the bathroom (it’s large) with a kennel (her den that she loves), water and toys. I put the radio on soft music (will try talk radio).
She cires BIG time for 30 at least 30 minutes. I am on vacation and feel like a prisoner in my own home. I don’t want her to know I’m here!
Ok … she just heard me typing and started crying again. I go back to work on January 4th and we want her to get use to this system.
Yesterday I went shopping for 2 hours and she messed all over the floor!! It was terrible!!
I am a first time dog owner and do not know what to do!
December 30th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Keep her on a very consistent schedule, kennel her every time you are gone and just be patient. Don’t just leave her in the bathroom, but actually put her in the kennel. This will prevent accidents because she won’t want to go to the bathroom in her kennel. Put her in the kennel a good 20 minutes before you leave and don’t let her back out until you have been home for five minutes or so. This will teach her not to get excited just because she hears you. Depending on how old she is, you probably don’t want to leave her for more than four hours or so.
You may also want to check out my post on housetraining a dog: http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/08/25/dog-housetraining/
Good luck!
January 5th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Hi,
I have been reading the comments from other puppy owners.
I too am a first time puppy owner. He is a 9wk toy pootdle.
We have been on holidays and the dog has been sleeping inside, but we all must go back to work soon and I have been practicing leaving him outside with food/water/bed and some toys that he loves playing with. He has plenty of shaded cool area to rest away from the heat.
But he cries and just mops around and won’t play with his toys.
My question is, am I being cruel leaving him outside all day? I don’t mind if he is in the house when we are home but when we are at work we don’t want him in the house.
Can you suggest other toys to buy so he is not bored. He seems so lonely and sad out on his own.
Marianna
January 6th, 2010 at 6:40 am
I don’t think it’s fair to leave dogs outside all the time, but many people do it successfully. Just make sure the dog has plenty of water and shelter from the weather and that he gets plenty of interaction with you when you are home.
Dogs are very social animals and want to be with their “pack.” They also need a lot of exercise, even if they are small, so make sure you take your little poodle on a lot of walks EVERY day, especially right before you leave for work. Walk him for an hour every day. That way he will be more content to rest while you are gone.
Most dogs won’t play with toys by themselves, but one thing most dogs can’t resist are Kong toys filled with peanut butter. You can freeze them to make the peanut butter last longer because it will be harder for the dog to get at. Just make sure your dog is in a safe area so no bigger animals will come and attack him or try to take his food.