He won't stop barking

[Iceecool2]

I know there is a thread for No Barking! But that method doesn't seem to work. My husband and I work from 10 pm- 7 am and Titus always cries/howls/whines in his crate when we leave for work. Our condo is attached to our neighbors on both sides and they can hear Titus. During the day when I'm home, I play with him and have him cuddle with me. I also have his ex-pen (its octagon shaped) open so he can go in and play with his toys, if I close it he will bark. He is not yet potty-trained so I have to watch him like a hawk. If I leave the room for even a second he starts crying too when I close his exercise pen. I'm not sure what to do when I leave for work...its not like I can tell him to stop barking when I'm not there to tell him so.. I understand hes a baby and he needs attention but I dont want to have someone with him all the time or he will get used to having someone there and when we cant provide anyone the separation anxiety/attention barking will get worse. I want him to be able to entertain himself when we need to sleep, do errands, or go to work.

* Also I took the advice to ignore him when he is barking and only go to him when he is quiet.

** My husband and I are exhausted and we are not getting any sleep because of Titus. I'm really desperate to get some kind of relief/peace. Please if anyone can give me advice and tips on training I would be most grateful.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I have used the below technique to train anxious and barking dogs how to accept being left alone without misbehaving or becoming destructive. It is long, wordy and the copy/paste from my Word program can cause some of the words to run together but you might read it over and see if it might work for your girl. It was originally posted about an adult, male dog with female owner. When enough time and repetition is used to teach this method, it has worked every time to desensitize the dog to the concept of being left alone and they learn to relaxand accept this fact of their lives. But it takes a lot of dedication and repetition by the owner, working faithfully with the dog. I hope it can helpyour sweet dog feel less anxious when you leave her/him home alone.

Separation Anxiety

Most anxious dogs that aren't used to it get nervous and anxious when their owners leave the home. Firstly, take all emotion out of your leaving. Do not feel sad for him or tell him goodbye - just like pack leaders in the wild don't when they decide to go on a hunt or take a walk - they just walk away and nobody freaks. They are impersonal and matter-of-fact in how and what they must do. So no emotional goodbyes or hello's when arriving home. Act like a packleader. Your dog is a pack animal and is genetically in tune with a firm but fair leader. As far as your actual leaving, just slowly desensitize him to yourleaving and soon he will come to accept it. But you must desensitize him to itslowly and allow him to adjust to each step. Be patient with that baby -his anxiety can be overcome with time and patience and knowing what to do. Keep your training sessions short and impersonal, matter-of-fact. (You can reward him once each exercise is over with a big, loving play session and lots of loving hugs, kisses.)

Give him a lovely food-stuffed kong toy, sit down and watch him playing withit, take up your keys and purse and whatever else you do as if to leave homeand sit back down and just watch him. Don't go anywhere. Just sit there. Nowthis is key: keep repeating this for a day or two on a weekend over and over,giving him different things to chew on or play with as you get ready to go but don't.

After a day or two of this, when he's playing with his kong and has acceptedyour getting your things together, get your keys/purse, watch him for a while then get up and without saying one word to him or looking in hisdirection, just like an alpha wolf who acts in its pack without question from one of his pack members, walk out of your door outside. Shut it. Standthere 10 seconds and walk back in, DO NOT NOTICE HIM AT ALL, nomatter how he's dancing around your feet or whining in joy, put your thingsaway and sit back down where you usually sit when you watch him with his kong toy. Repeat this over & over and keep increasing your times outsideto let him learn slowly that though momma goes out the door, she will be backand I'm really okay. Slowly but surely as you stay out longer and longer but docome back in, he'll have grown to accept this action as inconsequential in his life and soon grow to accept your leaving without thinking a thing of it -he'llknow he gets a good thing to play with and some good food, momma will be backand he'll accept it. B4 long, he will just accept your leaving without any toys or kongs or anything. After a while, include getting in the car in thistraining exercise, even starting it up and getting right back out and coming inthe house without noticing him. Repeat repeat repeat - sitting in the car a while with it running. Eventually, drive around the block and then back home,inside, not noticing your dog and putting your things away, coming to sit inthe same place on the couch where you always sit during this training. Once youhave sat there a while after each training session, now it is time to play and reward that anxious baby who is learning to be a goooood dog so now have ablast with him. Lots of love, hugs, kisses, tugowar, etc. Happy, happy rewards for his efforts are definitely in order!

If you are patient enough to do this, it works EVERY SINGLE time and turns an anxious, crying dog into one that accepts leaving as just a part of hisday.They soon learn to adjust their day to sleep while we are away and be readytogo when we get home.

I would also start him on a good positive-rewards training program such asinTamar Geller's The Loved Dog book. This will teach him to bond well with you as you develop a strong relationship that he will not question, nomatter what as he knows momma is always gonna keep it fun, loving and always rewarding for him.