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Cocker Specific Discussion => Behaviour & Training => Topic started by: lucyjane84 on September 06, 2007, 11:44:08 AM

Title: Barking the WHOLE time when I go out
Post by: lucyjane84 on September 06, 2007, 11:44:08 AM

Hey Guys, Just got home from a VERY bad interview - my neighbour was out in the garden and says "you do know when you go out Charlie barks the ENTIRE time" . I dont know what to do, im quite upset. He said, he must be frustrated. What do I do? He is 9 months, is kept in one room when Im out and has water, plenty of space etc. He is not on his own for over 3-4 hours.  :'( :huh:

Any help?

Title: Re: Barking the WHOLE time when I go out
Post by: CarolineL on September 06, 2007, 11:46:41 AM

Hi LucyJane

It sounds like it could be separation anxiety

Have a look on the thread below, CraftySam has a lab who suffered from SA and she has given some fantastic tips and hints on how she overcame this.

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=33353.0 (http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=33353.0)

HTH

Cx

Title: Re: Barking the WHOLE time when I go out
Post by: debbie321 on September 07, 2007, 12:34:32 AM

Lucy Jane

I had this very same report about Ben in his first year.  He barked from the moment I left until the moment I got home according to the neighbours - life was hell for several months with me getting stressed having to work for a living (part time) and then negotiating traffic on the way home with my eye on every red light  ph34r

I invested in a cheap MP3 player so that I could record Ben for the supposed complaint made to the council.  The complaint never came  ::)  Ben did bark but not for the whole 5 hours (especially as my Dad came here for the first few months) - this calmed down by the time he was 12 months so that we are now in a routine.  He is left for 6 hours a day for 4 days a week without a peek other than Ben turning and settling.

I do understand that a dog barking on and off will seem constant to a stay at home neighbour but you need to hear the evidence for yourself.  Get a cheap recorder and then spend fruitless hours with an earphone in  :005:  I did  ;)

Please don't panic just yet  :shades:  Give Charlie a chance to learn that you only come into the room when he's quiet (ignore the impulse to go in if he's still barking) wait until he's quiet for a few seconds before announcing your return - he will learn that barking gets him nowhere  ;)