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it seems our dog has been up to no good...

W

weloveourcavalier

New member
I was recently chatting to a neighbour who informed us that when we leave in the morning everyday our dog barks relentlessly for around 1 1/2 hours. He said they don't hear him barking at any other time. There is nothing WORSE than a barking dog! He is 9 years old and over the past few years has started barking more and more and I knew he barked when we left the house (seperation anxiety) but was unaware that he just kept going and going.
He spends quite a lot of time outside so I thought I might try to put him inside when we leave and see if this makes a difference but as I drove off this morning I could hear him barking from inside the house.
I need HELP!!!
 
Do you give him a treat as you leave? Every dog is different, but if you can keep him distracted and happy for a little while after you leave he may skip the barking behavior and settle down.

I give mine each a piece of chicken jerky, it only lasts a few seconds, but they're happy and it works for us.

You may need something that distracts longer, treats in a dispenser, or a chewy treat (be careful, dogs can choke on greenies and similar treats), something that needs to be manipulated to lick the peanut butter off...
 
You could try leaving a radio on, so that there are voices in the house, not complete silence. A kong or similar stuffed with treats may help (as already suggested). If the cause is separation anxiety, a couple of drops of Bach's Rescue remedy might help to relax him - when you have time, after giving him the RR, you could try leaving for a few minutes and, if there is no sound, going back and making a fuss of him, and repeat this several times to reinforce that being quiet gets rewarded.

Dogs don't have much conception of length of time, so I think endless barking just becomes a habit - he's not spending all the time worrying because you've left; he may just be bored. It may also be partly due to his age - I've noticed as Oliver (nearly 10) gets older, he's barking a bit more often, but his is usually because he wants something - 'I want it, and I want it NOW!!' Before, he would just sit looking hopeful, now he's a demanding old man!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
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