The barking problem
I have had my cute little baby for almost a week now. She is extremely well behaved except when it come down to one little(okay, BIG) thing. I cant get her to stop barking when she is crated.
I am starting to get at my wits end on this. As soon as I put her in her crate and leave the room or leave the house she starts barking at the top of her puppy lungs and wont stop until I get back. I live in a apartment and the neighbors are already getting annoyed.
The crate is located in my living room, I tried covering it with a blanket, she eats the blanket, I have tried two different ones, but she has already destroyed them both. There is no point to putting her crate in my room because I work a graveyard shift and she is going to have to learn to be alone at night no matter what.
For the first two days I didn't leave, I would tell her "No Bark" and try and calm her and it kinda worked.
I tried "No Bark" with the addition to a soda bottle filled with change and that lost its effect after about a day.
The night when I left for work I was able to sneak out while she was asleep and the neighbors said she was quite for most of the night until the early morning.
The next night I tried everything to get her to sleep before I left but I just couldn't do it. When she saw be go out the front door she instantly started going nuts and barking, but I had no choice and had to leave. This time the neighbors said the entire night she was crying and howling.
For the next night I was able to temporary have her stay over at one of the neighbors house with her dog, and she said she didn't make a peep the entire night. She also has another dog to keep her company, but unfortunately I cant make that a everyday thing.
For the next night I bought this little box that emits a ultrasonic sound every time she barks. I tried it out for the night and didn't say anything to her and just let the ultrasonic thing do all the work. It didn't bother her in the least bit and she went right on barking though the whole night, even when it was place just a few feet from her crate. I know the thing is working because I can hear it myself.
I think she has been barking for two reasons.
1. She is lonely and misses her family, I can understand that but how long could it take her to get over this? She has been my 4th dog and I never remember having them bark like mad for days on end.
2. If she soils her cage she instantly starts howling. She unfortunately doesn't wiper or anything before she has the accident and I don't know until she starts crying afterward. I have a crate that has a training wall so I took it down so if she does have a accident she doesn't have to stand it in but it hasn't made a single difference and she continues to bark.
- During the day I can quickly take her out, clean up the mess, take her for a short walk then put her back so I can trying and get some sleep and for the most part that works. She always has a fit when I put her back that last about 5-10 minutes then normally is quite for the next hour or two till she needs to potty again.
- Never have I ever taken her out of the crate while she is barking or howling or crying, I have always waited till she calmed back down before I try and take her out of her crate.
- She has some toys in her crate with her in case she gets bored. She has a kong and a nylobone that seems pretty indestructible so she does have something in case she gets bored.
- No food in the crate and water only during the day is allowed in the crate.
- I would also say at night it is the worst, there unfortunately is nothing I can do to let her go potty outside while I am at work. My job will not allow me to leave and come back on my lunch break and I am gone from about 10:30pm to 7:15am. There isnt anyone in my family or any neighbors willing to take her out to go potty at night either. I have looked into a sitter, doggy day care or a walker. But no one is willing to walk her at 3am, even if it is for a week or two until she is old enough to hold it though the night, the doggy day care I am running into the same problem again and they only offer to crate her at the place and change the nightly rate for it which is 50-80 a night so that is out of the question as well.
I am about at my wits end already. I haven't been able to sleep for longer than 2-3 hours for almost a week now and it is really taking its toll. I will return the ultrasonic machine today and replace it with a citronella spray collar, but I see really mixed reviews on it as well, and I don't feel very comfortable leaving it on her all night in her crate because of a choking hazard but I feel I have really been left with no choice.
If that doesn't work I guess I could move on to shock collars, but I have always really hated them and never had to think about using one and because she is so young I am afraid it could leave her fearful.
Anyone have any ideas of something I could do or try to get her to stop barking at night?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Chezza on
-
Yes, in a week she gets her last puppy shots and I can take her to petsmart for part of the day. I will leave her more tasty treats hidden around too.
-
-
Alrighty, went to costco and petsmart. I got a huge 36' x-pen and it surrounds almost the whole kitchen which leaves jusssssst enough room to open the fridge. I also got some boxes to hide her view of the front door and to surround her crate with since she has gotten quite a taste for blankets. Also more swiffer wet mop pads and clorox wipes, I have a feeling I am going to be cleaning up lotssss of presents.
-
Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on
-
Hi Chezza,
Check out the FAQ on potty training.
Restrict her crate area, only allow enough room to stand and turn around. No blankets until 2 years old.
Keep your crate and move your crate so that she have an eye on you while she's in there. gradually increase crating time, always associate crate with happy yummy food time. find an old t shirt of yours, wear it for one day and keep it in the crate, it'll calm her down. When you leave the house, don't make a fuss, don't baby puppy talk, leave the radio / tv on if it helps.
Use a penny CAN, not a plastic bottle. Stay calm, a leader simply take over the situation, they don't make a scene. Don't respond to her protest, don't let her bark as a remote control to fetch you. A corgi is a herding dog that requires mental and physical stimulation daily, you are going to walk him on leash in your neighbourhood for 45-60, rain or shine. Backyard / dog park free roam does not count. Again, read the FAQ, there's tons of info there. Good luck!
-
Permalink Reply by Jen, Brody & Buddy on
-
I too have a new baby at home that I crate during the night or when I leave the house. I also live in an apartment as well. I'll be honest, the first few nights I had to wear earplugs and suck it up-- it's annoying and you'll be tired but it will be worth it in the long-run. I put in Brody's favorite toy and a bone and cover the crate with a blanket. I'm not sure how yours is chewing up the blanket through the crate? Anyways, during the day I do some training with Brody so that he associates the crate as comforting rather than "the place I go to when mom leaves." I will cut up a hotdog into little pieces and sit in front of the crate. I get Brody's attention and show him the treat and toss it in saying my command ("get in bed"). He will jump in after the treat and eat it-- of course. While he is in there, I pet him and tell him "good" and slip in another treat. I do this a few times a day. Then I started to shut the crate door and slip him another treat and go sit on the couch (about 3 feet away from crate) and watch TV. He would whimper a little-- when they do this, ignore it. Don't soothe them or comfort them, don't say anything to them, don't even look at them because that is giving them attention (which is what they are trying to get). It may be hard but remember that your puppy is perfectly fine, he just isn't sure what he's supposed to be doing yet and that's your job to teach him! Your puppy wants to make you happy but they need to know how. Once he would stop whimpering/crying/barking I would immediately walk over to the crate and tell him "good" and slip him a treat and return to the couch and repeat a few times. Gradually start increasing the time periods he is in the crate while you are in the room. Again, your goal is to make him comfortable in his new den and realize that just because he is in there, mom isn't necessarily leaving. When you let him out of the crate remember not to act all excited and make it a big deal on his release. If you do that, then he will think it's a good thing to get out! Instead, casually open the door and walk away, your puppy will follow. Key is to be consistent and patient! During the day when I'm at home I also leave his crate door open so that he can freely waltz in there to take a nap if he pleases. I didn't think he actually would but sure enough, I catch him snoozing in there quite regularly now. It's surprising how puppies end up loving their crates once they know they are a safe cozy den for them.
I have a crate that is over-sized for a puppy (there's a picture of him in my album sleeping) which when you truly crate train, defeats the purpose of it. However with Brody, I've been fortunate enough that he just doesn't want to eliminate in his crate. I still put puppy pads in the crate just in case. For me, changing out puppy pads in the crate is much much easier than cleaning up pee spots on the carpet all throughout the apartment. I also don't think he eliminates in the crate because I have him on a schedule. I put him in bed at 11pm (I'm a night owl) around 2am I take him out to go potty and again around 8am. I prefer the bigger crate because he has a little extra room to play around in if I'm gone during the day. But, that's just a personal preference.
Puppies take a lot of patience and time but you can do it! Wish you the best of luck!
-
-
Alright, a update!
I got a big xpen and she has the run of the kitchen to her crate. I made her area more comfortable with a large stuffed toy she can curl up next to.
I give her a 30-45 minute walk in the morning and a 60 minute walk in the evening.
I give her 45 minutes to wind her down before I leave and 20 minutes in her crate/play area while i am still home before I leave, so I am not putting her in her area and leaving right after.
I am playing with her all the time from 6pm till 10:30 when I leave, and 2-3 hours in the morning.
But she is still barking, any more ideas?
She also has access to the whole area during the day and she will nap there and eat there. So she is not fearful of her crate/play area.
-
Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
-
Did you try a Kong with cheese smeared in it or one of those balls that drop treats out? I like the Kong because it relaxes them and encourages laying down and licking it. You can freeze it first to make it a little harder to get the stuff out.
-
-
Yes, she oddly doesnt like anything but doggy kibble and milkbone. So odd, a dog that doent like peanutbutter,
They had no effect on her either, even when i would stuff the kong full of milk bones.
-
Permalink Reply by Beth on
-
Does she only bark when she's in the crate, or does she also bark when she's in the x-pen? The kitchen?
-
Permalink Reply by christy fry on
-
I also work graveyard and 12 hr shifts at that. For the first 6 months when they were puppy's, I would send them to my sisters house at night and then pick them up in the morning. I would give them a nice long walk and then crate them with me in the bedroom. Some days my sister couldn't watch Teagen so I'd take her to work with me and leave the car unlocked. People love puppy's and my co-workers would go get her and take her for walks around the parking lot or just sit in my car and give her loves =) Maybe that's a idea that could help. Now all three of my dogs run to there crates and hop in no problems. I also feed them then to.
-
-
That's a awesome idea and I wish I could, but it gets to hot in phoenix, even at night. On top of that I work at a Casino and I don't trust anyone around there, there is too many drunks and people with mental issues that may harm or steal her, I barely trust parking my car there, lol.
I wish I had family or friends to watch her at night but I don't have any friends or family here, thats kind of why I got her in the first place.
-
Permalink Reply by Steven Collins on
-
Just stick it out, your pup will adjust eventually... I do not like shock collars, I dont agree with spray collars either but it is better than a shock collar I guess. Talk to a dog trainer in your area and see what they recommend.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Rescue Store
Stay Connected
FDA Recall
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Recall
Groups
We support...
Badge
© 2024 Created by Sam Tsang.
Powered by
