Note: This post has been expanded into a guide with more tips to stop your dog from crying and barking all day.
Stop your dog from barking and crying all day when left alone
Most dogs or puppies will settle down and stop crying or barking within a half-hour after they are left alone. 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 a dog from barking all day
Here are some tips to help your dog feel more relaxed when left alone.
Run with the dog every single 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 loose 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.
If you are not a runner, then take your dog biking or rollerblading or to the dog park.
Buy a dog backpack.
The dog 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 return to a dog or 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 my dog 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 10 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. You do not want to “reward” your dog when you return because then she will anticipate your return. You want to “reward” her when you leave so that she actually looks forward to getting a treat when you leave.
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?”
Use Kong toys to entertain your dog.
Buy three of four Kong toys and stuff them with different goodies like treats, peanut butter or squirt cheese. Then put them in the freezer overnight and give them to your dog before you leave for work. These should keep your dog entertained for at least a little while. The chewing will help her relax and getting the treats out will give her mind something to focus on. Also look for any kind of interactive toys that make the dog work to figure out how to get a treat.
Buy a dog Thundershirt.
There is a product called the Thundershirt that basically fits snuggly around the dog so she feels “swaddled.” I have not tried this with a dog yet, but many people swear the product helps dogs feel much calmer. It’s not going to cure the problem, but it might help.
Did your dog ever have crying/barking issues when left alone? How did you solve the problem?
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Hey Lindsay.
I am fostering a shelter dog who has been a stray his whole life. As far as we know he is about 2 years old. He has never had a bath, taken a walk, been in a house, or played with a toy before I got him. He learned very quickly not to go to the bathroom in the house, but he always pees in his crate. I know you aren’t supposed to “over bathe” a dog, but he lays in his pee and doesn’t seem to care. He barks and cries and howls in his crate all night long and I can’t get sleep. He does the same thing the entire time I’m at work. Ignoring him doesn’t work because he’ll literally do it until I get home or get up in the morning. I put a blanket around his crate and he just pulled it through bars of his cage. I’ve tried giving him toys and treats and I just don’t know what to do. I cant sleep and I feel bad for my neighbors. He can’t run freely through the house because he’ll become bored and destructive. He cannot go a minute without someone being with him and I don’t know what to do. He is so incredibly sweet until he goes in his cage. I can’t go another sleepless night and neither can my neighbors!!! Please help!
Oh by the way, I tried walking him and he is incredibly scared and will not walk. He freezes in fear once we leave the driveway. He doesn’t know how to play with toys so he only likes bones, but bones don’t keep him from peeing or barking in the crate.
I recommend you get a different foster dog. It is not worth this much stress. Is there anyone else who could foster him who is home more than you are?
If you decide to keep trying, you have to do something to exercise his body and mind. I’m sure this dog is just full of pent-up mental and physical energy. I don’t care if he’s scared to walk, get out there and walk anyway. If it really is impossible to walk him, then look for ways to challenge his mind indoors through obedience training and games. Play some games of tug to also get rid of some extra energy. Try really hard to get him out for walks to build his confidence. Get him into some obedience classes if possible.
Thank you for trying with this dog. I know how stressful it can be and I know all you want to do is help him. If only he could understand!
hi i love your blog but i have a problem i have a 1 mo. old cocker spaniel pup and even if i leave him for 2min he starts crying and in the next 2 weeks ill have to leave him at home for 8 hours coz of school so i just wana no is there any other way except for excersise coz my dog is to small to be taken out for a walk and i do not want to buy a crate as they are to expensive sooo please helppppppp me its too small to train and she is in a very new enviroment as i just bought him yesterday pls pls help i dont want to give him away
awating ur reply
nike
Dogs should not be taken from their moms at one month old, so I assume your puppy is two months old. It takes all puppies some time to adjust to their new homes. The best thing you can do is ignore all crying. Put the puppy in a crate at night – yes, get a crate, and ignore the crying. He might cry all night for the first few nights. Just ignore it and the crying will stop. Get a toy called the Kong and fill it with treats and peanut butter and give that to the pup to keep him occupied in the kennel.
You can also take him for short walks. And it is never too young to start training. I suggested getting him into obedience classes so you can learn more about how to take care of him.
thanks for your reply will work on it but i stay in india and we do not get kong toys here so is there something else or can i get a chewable and eatable bone
Just look for any kind of toy you can stuff treats in. I’ve even used plastic bottles, but make sure to supervise if you do that so the dog doesn’t eat the plastic or cut its mouth.
and also my dog dosent show any symptons of anxiety but still cant be in a room alone for a long time please help i dont want my dog to keep whiningit is very depressing to the enviromrnt and how long should i leave him in the cennal and how long to see if he is keeping quiet
and plus ive bought him a chew toy (a big rubber bone) but he dosent seem to like it he dosent bite it but he bites everything else
and he keeps whining even when im sitting behind him watching tv and i think its because he is missing his mother and the new enviroment is there any way to slove
I have a 9 month old Cocker spaniel and every time i leave the room he barks , cry’s and scratches at the door. He sleeps inside and goes out side for the day time and he just sits at the back door crying all day. I walk him for 45 min in the morning and 30 mins in the night, I am trying to clicker train him but he is not listening to anything doesn’t want to know about treats or food all help please. I only have him 3 days and i have giving in the last two nights and let him sleep in the bedroom i know worst thing ever but i am afraid he will wake my son up as his bark is really loud i have fostered dogs before and never had this problem.
Please Help Me
Have you tried putting him in a kennel in your bedroom at night? How about kenneling him in the house during the day and loading the kennel with all kinds of yummy treats and goodies?
He will not go into the kennel at all i have one and he just bites at the bars barks and crys all night! Last night i left him down stairs and he barked for a while i came down and bang the door from the out side and he stopped. But at 2 am i had to come back down again. I don’t want to give him treat out of training as he will not respond to the clicker training then.
When dogs are in an anxious or panicked state of mind they do not have the ability to focus on a treat.
I recommend you continue to use a kennel and give it some time. Give him a good two weeks to adjust. Be patient! Wear ear plugs when you sleep. Just completely ignore the crying and barking when he is in the kennel.
I don’t like to recommend an e-collar right away, because sometimes the dogs just need some time to adjust to their new environment. But you might want to think about getting an e-collar with a remote and giving him a vibration correction the second he barks or cries. Then return to him the second he is quiet.
Here is my post on e-collars: http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/26/shock-collars-for-dog-training/
And if you haven’t already, make sure to check out the posts I’ve written about separation anxiety:
http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/02/02/how-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/
http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/08/dog-separation-anxiety-2/
I think i have it sorted out last night i left him down stair and sat on the stair for a few mins before going to bed when he started to bark i banged on the door from the out side and he stopped and that was him quiet for the whole night thank god!
Good to hear! You could also try squirting him with a spray bottle of water.
I have a 10-week-old cavalier king charles spaniel who has been with us for just over two weeks. For the last week when we’ve been at work we kept him in a pen area inside with the radio on and watched him with a webcam, and he was pretty content to sleep and play on his own. Yesterday we stopped using the pen and just blocked off an area in the living/dining area so he’d have more room, and today we’ve noticed he is sleeping a lot less and is crying and scratching at the barrier a lot more. Is this just because he isn’t used to having so much space/freedom while we’re out and isn’t used to the environment yet? I left him a Kong and some chew toys but he seems to spend more time pacing around than playing.
He’s been a really good, independent dog up to this point when left alone and has been happy to play on his own even when we are there but he seems scared and confused. Is this normal? I am wondering if its because he just spent 4 days in our company too (we just had a long weekend).
Sometimes dogs are more comfortable when they have a smaller space. That way there is no pressure on them about what to do. They can just relax until you come home. So I would try the pen again for a week or so and see how it goes.
Hi there lindsay.
My girlfriend and I recently got our chow puppy last week Thursday and she is now 9 weeks old. She was fine in the beginning but for the past 2 days of leaving her alone while going to work she has been crying so much I even got a warning today from the estate complex. It’s a bit frustrating.
Surprisingly she is very well potty trained. And not made a single mess in the house. Can I leave her in the house rather till she gets a little bit older?
I recommend you stick with the crate. A 9-week-old puppy will definitely have accidents when left alone for a long time and she will probably still bark if she is loose, anyway. Crates are beneficial because they provide a safe place for a puppy or dog, and once the puppy adjusts, the crate helps them remain in a calm, less-anxious state of mind. There is no pressure on them. They can just chill out in the crate. And when you are still potty training the pup, crates are a very beneficial tool as most pups will not pee in their crates.
But I do know how stressful and worrisome the barking can be, especially when you have neighbors complaining. You could try leaving her confined to one room, like the kitchen area or a bathroom or laundry room. She might adjust to that better than a crate. However, she will most likely cry and bark in that room as well and it will set back the potty training a bit.
We have a 7 year old BLAB. She is an excellent dog. We do and always have kenneled her at night and when we are gone from home. Sometimes we kennel her when we are at home a little to make her not so aware that each time she is kenneled that we are gone from home because she does for sure deal with separation anxiety. She does not bark when we are gone but she has an extremely loud howl and our neighbors in our apartment complex have been complaining to apt management. They are saying we are facing making some decision with her because its not going to be able to go on as it is. Anyone have any ideas for us? We love our dog, especially my son and hate to face the idea of getting rid of her. But cant face eviction becaue of this either.
Lots of exercise might help – worth a shot. Try taking her out for two hours of walking or running every single day. I’m serious. Get up early and stay up late if you have to. Just try it for a week.
Another thing you can try is the Thundershirt. It works for some dogs. http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/07/06/does-the-thundershirt-for-dogs-really-work/
And another option to consider is taking her to dog daycare while you are at work. I know it’s expensive, but if you can pull it off, it would be worth it if you can keep your dog. In the meantime, start looking for a house to rent where your neighbors will not be so close.
Those are my suggestions. Obviously I do not know your exact situation, so I know I can be insensitive at times.
Hi Lindsay,
I have a 2.5 year old Jack Russell, whom we have had since he was 8 weeks old. He sleeps downstairs in the dining room & has been fine, but for the past week has started crying & scratching at the baby gate to come up. at first it was happening at 4 in the morning, he was going to bed fine, now he wont even go to bed, my gut says to ignore him. He gets plenty of excericse at least 3 hours per day & is taken for a toilet walk just before bed, he also spends the evening getting lots of affection. Im not sure whats changed his feelings about his bed, or what to do about it.
Thanks
Tamsin
He has probably gotten more attached to you over the years. My dog sleeps wherever I put his bed, and he likes to try to sneak into my bedroom, too. Ignoring your dog for crying is probably best. Wear ear plugs at night if you have to. You can give him a favorite treat when you head to bed like a Kong toy filled with peanut butter. If he seems overly attached to you in general, try creating separation from him randomly during the day as well. Make him sit on his bed 10 feet away while you watch TV. Or don’t allow him in your lap at all times, things like that. Also make sure he is getting enough mental stimulation in addition to his exercise. Does he do obedience work? Agility? Do you have a dog backpack for him to wear? Giving him some mental challenges throughout the day should help him feel more relaxed in general and ready for bed at night.
My chiwawas drivin me nuts with it he was fine and then he went crazy I cant pee with out him wanting in the bathroom. Im going to try the exercise thing but im beggining to think hes just really weird
He’s really attached to you. Try some of the tips in theses posts:
http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/02/02/how-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/
http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/08/dog-separation-anxiety-2/
Hi there, we have a 2 year old shih tzu maltese, when we first bought him he was in the shop for four months…. we out him in our laundry and he barked and scratched the door all night.. now he is sleeping up with us. he now barks when we leave him alone. he never has until he turned into his “teenage stages” of two years old. we are trying everything … leaving him for short periods of time and then lengthining it… playing with him when we want to.. telling him quiet and sprinkling a little water on him whan barking at dogs… he is fine when we are home.. its just when we leave him… he has the run of inside and out. then we tried just inside and he rips the surtins.. so now we shut him out side (when left alone) and he barks constantly.. now someone has to be home 24 7 we simply can not leave him at all. this is a real problem and we have no idea what to do! please help!
Start with these two posts and let me know if you have any questions after that:
http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/02/02/how-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/
http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/08/dog-separation-anxiety-2/
I wouldn’t leave him outside. I would leave him in your laundry room again or in a kennel.
If nothing else works, then try a shock collar.
Hi,
We recently bough a puppy, weirmarana which is now 9 weeks old. My partner’s parents bought the brother which is the same age. We leave our puppy at my partner’s parents while we are at work. Our puppy and his brother stay in a crate and a den together. They are quite when they are together. I assume they feel comfort. When we later bring our puppy home, he likes to sleep in his crate, but the gate needs to be open otherwise, he will bark constantly. Unfortunetly, due to our neighbours I feel I cannot leave him behind close crate doors because the neighbours would go mad. We are currently sleeping on the sofa in the living room and our puppy sleep in the crate with the door open. However, we get up approximitely twice at night to let him out in the garden for a wee. He is quite ok sleeping, but I cannot see how we can sleep in our beds in our bedroom and let him alone in the crate without barking. Any advice? Do you think being with his brother worsen the situation? Please advice, Many Thanks, Sincerely, Helene
Could you move his crate to your bedroom at least at night? He might be fine with the door shut if you are right there.
I’m sure he barks when alone at home because he is just not used to being alone. Are your partner’s parents usually at home with the dogs or do they go to work as well? Are they in a house without close neighbors around? If so, they could try separating the puppies to help your pup get used to being alone. They could leave them in separate rooms when no one is home.
Sooner or later, regardless of the situation with your neighbors, your dog is going to have to be left alone at your house. So start conditioning him to feel OK when alone. There is always an adjustment period when you get a new pup, so give it some time. If needed, explain the situation to your neighbors and tell them you are working on the problem. Usually people are understanding, especially if they are dog lovers.
There are some really good points on here that i will try them on my pup hes a 9 month old malteses cross bichon frise..when i first got him he had the full run of the home however he peed and pooped anywhere he pleased on beds every where..so i decided to crate train him…he has been howling all night for at least 8 hours, it is 4.00 am now..help im at my wits end he wont eat in his crate either..he just howels whines and trys to escape any advice would be great …i want to sleep
Ignore all crying and sleep with earplugs. He will eventually stop if he realizes he gets no attention for crying.
ive been reading the website and love all the information you have put on here (thank you!) but ive been trying to follow all the instructions and my puppy still whines and barks when me and my girlfriend step out for a bit. like just today, when i woke up and took the dog outside to do his business, he went on his designated area and got praise. so i brought him in and he was fine. maybe half an hour later me and my girlfriend stepped out for an hour or two and we have been kennel training him so we left him in the kennel with a toy and a chew stick. as soon as we step out the door (this being without any word of us leaving to the dog) he started to whine and bark and whine some more we ignored it and left the apartment to do what we needed. maybe an hour or two later we come back and as i am getting out of my car he is still whining and barking and i can hear it coming from my apartment. so we walk up the stairs and enter the apartment giving him no mind, and we see that he has pooped in his kennel. i wait for him to calm down a bit before we let him out and he made such a mess with the poop. so my question is am i supposed to clean the bed and have him use it again? or is he just going to be able to smell it and think its ok for him to poop on it. also if i could get some help with the whining! (sorry so long)
Usually I just wash the bed/blanket when that happens. Most dogs don’t want to eliminate in their kennels, but when they are that anxious, they can’t really help it.
I have a 10 month old cocker spaniel. I am having a nightmare with her (she is fine to be left alone when i go upstairs, to the garage etc) but my neighbours have informed me that she constantly cries when i am out. I leave her with food, water, pigs ear, chew and 2 treat filled kongs. She gets walked for 40-60 mins before I even think about leaving her and will only leave her for max 4 hours.
I am unsure weather to believe my neighbours 100% as they said she cried from 11am till 4pm one day, which is ridiculous as I wouldnt leave her that long.
i have done the thing where you leave her for a few minutes and gradually got it to one hour but yet they still think she is crying.
I also have a DAPT plug in which is refilled every month.
Any suggestions or am I just a terrible dog owner?
Many thanks
Lisa
Gosh. You are doing all the right things. You could try a Thundershirt to possibly help calm her a bit more. These are basically dog coats that fit tightly around their core, “swaddling” them. Also Kong toys filled with peanut butter and then frozen so they last a bit longer. And of course leave a radio or TV on for some white noise and the sound of human voices. Stick to a routine so everything is predictable for her. Be patient.
How long have you had the dog? Sometimes they just need some time to adjust.
Does she stay in a crate or loose in the house? Usually a crate is best or a single room.
We have had her since she was 9 weeks old. She is the perfect puppy in all other ways. She is fantastic with my nieces, has never gone to the toilet in the house, has a great recall and is adorable.
She is normally in a crate, however for the first time last night we left her in the hall whilst we went out for a couple of hours. Thought we were going to come back to poop, wee and a howling puppy! What we came home to was a quiet sleep puppy who hadnt even touched her chews!! I asked the neighbour if she had cried/barked and she said no.
Now i just feel guilty because she obviously didnt need want to be in her crate. Although, she does go in there at night and is very happy to, as she takes herself off into in when i turn the tele off.
So fingers crossed this is working
I feel better knowing other people are going through the same thing x
Usually if the dog cries in the crate she will also begin to cry out of the crate – but not always. Maybe your dog just hated being in the crate! I hope so!
I just got a 2 year old German Shepherd, he is still a puppy but he whines and barks all night, i have him on a running cable and i cannot sleep at night because of his whining and barking, and we built him a fence in a small area around my septic tank, and he either goes under it or jumps it,i though giving him more room to run around would stop him from barking but now the problem is him getting out, so if any one has any ideas to get him to stop barking or whining at night please reply thanks…
Is this a serious question?
If your dog is outside all day and all night, he is not getting enough companionship. On top of that, he’s not getting any physical exercise or mental challenges. German shepherds are smart dogs and very active. Tying him to a cable outside so he can pace back and forth in a yard is not exercise. Taking him for at least six miles of running/walking per day would be exercise. He also needs training and problems to solve every day. I would get him a dog backpack and start taking him for long walks while working on obedience commands like sit, stay, down, etc.
I have a three month old beagle Sheltie mix, she has been really good about using her crate. She sleeps in it at night and during the day for naps. She recently has stop using her crate, after we left her for an hour. she wont go in it even if her favorite toy or treats are in it. I don’t know how to get her back to using her crate.
Here are some posts I’ve written on crate training:
http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/01/06/kennel-train-your-dog-to-prevent-behavioral-issues/
http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/
I have a 3 month old pomeranian, hes been fine after we got him home for the first couple weeks, but now he starts to constantly whine during the night and day. I will definetly try these suggestions. I had a feeling it may be boredom.
Sticking to a consistent routine will help, as well as ignoring him when he cries. Step up his exercise when you can, as well as training so he gets a good mental workout, too. And make sure to leave him with some tempting goodies like Kong toys filled with peanut butter when you leave. Best of luck with your new puppy!
I have a 14 year old yellow lab who has been wonderful! We went away for 2 weeks last summer, and for the first time left her with a dog sitter. The dog sitter came 3 times a day. Even though I told the sitter to let her out for a minimum of 45 minutes, I don’t think that happened.
She used to sleep all night in her bed in our family room. She now has to sleep right outside our bedroom door. She recently began to pace all night. No one is getting any sleep any more.
We used to be able to leave her all day in our basement workshop. She was in this room during our 2 week vacation. We installed a camera to watch her, and the other day she really started to cry and whine. She paces almost the entire time we are gone.
I recently brought up the crate and set it up in our family room, so we could retrain her. I only intend to put her in this at night so we could all get some sleep.
Any suggestions on how to calm her down?
Thanks,
Since she is 14, I think you should talk to the vet to rule out any medical problems. Do you think it could be that? Possibly it is uncomfortable for her to lie down or something like that?
I also want you to think about your own emotions when you left her last summer. Did you feel guilty? Did you treat her differently when you returned? I don’t think it’s likely the pet sitter did anything wrong. I am a pet sitter and dogs do just fine when I visit them three times per day. The go back to their normal routines very easily when their owners return. I do know, however, that if the owner is acting anxious, the dog acts accordingly.
If you need to re-train her, I do think you have the right idea. Go back to the basics. If she is in a kennel, she is not going to be able to pace around and add to her own anxiety. Encourage her to lie down in the kennel with a yummy Kong toy filled with peanut butter or her other favorite goodies.
First of all lindsay u can’t put a handful of treats in a dog kennel. That can make them sick. Best thing u can do is care 4 them everyday so they no u care.no one can under stand ur pet as much as u do. That’s life babe deal wit it
Hi. I have a nearly 2 year old collie cross terrier, i rescued him a year ago but since i have moved into my new house last october my neighbours have done nothing but complain! I have tried create training, being the alpha dog, leaving treats and toys and he is walked twice a day anyway. He is well behaved while im home the problem is only when i am out at work , etc. I dont know what else to do and it seems my whole street has had enough of his howling.
Please help? I really dont want to rehome him.
You need to slowly decrease his dependence on you by leaving him for short periods at a time and increasing that time. You definitely need to keep him in a crate. A dog that is anxious out of the crate will also be anxious in the crate, but with time he should learn to feel more secure in the crate. Try some anti-anxiety medication from your dog’s vet if you believe it is necessary. It’s not ideal and I normally don’t like to recommend this. But if you are facing getting rid of the dog, it could help you out while you work on conditioning him to being left alone. The goal would be to eventually take him off the meds.
Increase the exercise. Double whatever he is getting. Try dog daycare once a week. Fill his Kong toys with extra good treats like real meat. Some people even fill them with chicken broth and freeze them. Find something that is really tempting to him and use three or four Kongs if needed to keep him occupied.
Thanks Lindsay. We will take her to the vet to be sure she is ok. I forgot to add that she did have a urinary tract infection when we got home. She may associate that room with pain.
You are correct. I did feel VERY guilty about leaving her so long, so I’m sure I feel very anxious and guity around her now.
Thanks for the advice.
Best of luck!
Hi Lindsay
I have a 7 year old cockerspaniel that i adopted from a shelter.i work nights and usually get home by 12 midnight..he howls n cries everytime i leave.i even had to take him to work a couple of times because my neighborhs are complaining. I cant afford a kennel n i just want him to learn how to stay alone and not cry. i really love my dog n dont wanna take him back to the shelter please help
Unfortunately these things take some time, like weeks or months. So only you know if you are able to work on this with the dog or not.
I suggest leaving him in a bedroom or bathroom. Giving him lots of Kong toys filled with peanut butter. Leave a fan on and the TV and radio. Stick to a consistent routine. Increase his exercise as much as possible. And perhaps most importantly, stay calm and relaxed yourself. Try to picture a perfect scenario without feeling bad. Dogs respond to our own feelings so much.
If you really have to get this under control immediately, you could look into a shock collar or anti-anxiety medication. This would be a good question to ask your vet.
Thanks Lindsay ,
I am going to try what you have suggested and I will let you know how it goes.
I have a 4 year old bichon frise. He used to sleep in a cage but after time grew to sleep without it. Recently he began crying all night long so we put him back to the crate but that hasn’t had any affect on his constant cries. We are finding it difficult to deal with now as I live with elderly grandparents and I am in my exam year at school. Please help, my grandparents are talking about getting rid of him :’(
Hi, I have a 14 week old lab. He is lovely in the day but he cannot be left alone, i have to have him in my room at night as my neighbours complained to my landlord. I am going back to work now and need desperatly to find a way to leave him on his own without the constant crying. Every time he is left he crys non stop until he is let out. I also tried him with a crate from the begining but he would get his teeth and paws caught as he tried to escape so i have had to stop using it. Please help.