Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Sorry to post here, but this gets more traffic than the pet boards.

Does anyone know if you can break a dog of the habit of barking when it's left alone. I believe this is separation anxiety. I'm trying to adopt a dog, but I was warned that the dog barks when he's alone and I am wondering if that's a habit that can be broken easily.

Please help! I really want to try and adopt this dog. He's too cute be sitting in a shelter or foster home.

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Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

OMG, he is soooo cute From what our trainer said, if you make your dog secure in the fact that you are in charge and you are alpha, they will not bark when alone. They bark because they feel that they have to look out for you and they are alone without you and either bored or scared. You may need to get a trainer to break the habit but he is such a cutie, I am sure it will be well worth it if you are willing to invest the time.

Good luck

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Thank you for that info. Yah.. He's adorable. I can't resist that face. I really want to get him. I live in a co-op, and i'm willing to work with him, but I hope he's willing to work with me as well. We have a sound ordinance that we have to follow here. I'd hate to get him then have to give him up because he barks all of the time. So I just want to make sure it's something that can be worked with.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Def get him training lessons.

Try this too. When you are home with him, go into the bathroom and close the door . After a few minutes, come out. Later on, go into your bedroom and close the door. read a book, do "whatever with hubby" etc. Come out after a bit.Go outside, come back in. THe more you leave him for a little bit, the less he will experience seperation aniexty. It will work, but you and hubby have to be patient.

When he is left alone, always leave a shirt /old towel with your scent on it. Place it in his bed or where he likes to lie. Keep the radio on for him. 96.3 is classical radio station. It might relax him. or put on pop music.

Every time you come back from being "gone", give him a lot of attention Shower him with words of praise and hugs. . When you are gone for a while, bring him a toy or give him one doggie treat. He will start to associate the positive reinforcement when you return.


Leave a lot of toys out for him when you leave to keep him busy.

Good luck!!

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

what mix is he? our puggle had separation anxiety, but it started with whining. we moved his cage into our bedroom, still whined. He stopped when we let him sleep in the bed with us.

My parents adopted a goldie mix and he had separation anxiety....it's a fear of abandonment. Once they feel safe in their home and that you will continually come home to them, it will taper off. It may be a puppy thing too...something he has to grow out of.

There are SOME breeds though that are barkers regardless.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Bless you for wanting to adopt that beautiful dog. It can definitely be worked at. Like Daniela said, you will need to invest in a trainer, but I am certain things can work out.

Good luck and keep us updated!!!!

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Thank you ladies!!! You are all so helpful!!! He's gorgeous. He is a puppy. He just looks like such a mush. The shelter said that he just cuddles with everyone and kisses alot, but that he's a barker. I only worry about this because I live in a co-op. I am definitley willing to put in the time.

Does anyone know how much a trainer would be? Can you recommend any dog trainers?


OH... His name is Pedro he is a labrador/dachsund mix. He has the face of a lab, and the body of a dachsund. I just thought he was precious the moment I laid eyes on him.

Here's his biography:

Notes: Pedro is an absolutely adorable little guy who was rescued from a crowded shelter in Virginia where he had been found as a stray. This cutey is super sweet and loves everyone he meets. He is full of kisses and loves to play. Pedro is almost all black with a little white on his neck and has the look of a Lab in the short/long body of a Dachshund. He is approximately 24lbs and is fullgrown as he is now about 1 year old. He still has a lot of puppy play in him and he loves to play with other dogs in particular. He seems to have the concept of housebreaking down, but still has a few accidents now and then. A refresher course on housebreaking would be recommended. And like most puppies he likes to chew so ample chew toys and a little training will be needed for him. Pedro has been vet checked, neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and is heartworm negative

Message edited 4/27/2006 7:59:42 PM.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

oh please do, he is adorable.

I also have a mix labrador and chow.
they are truly the best dogs.

here is mine.

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Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

awe.. how cute! I'm working on DH over here. Trying to convince him that it will all work out. Giving him the "puppy dog eyes".

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Please keep us posted!

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

My sister ha s adog with separation anxiety, he barks and cires when left alone and is very destructive..even if you leave the room for 5 minutes he'll pee and poop all over the floor out of nervousness. he did do better on training and medication, but they havent' stuck to anything so far. I don't think its the dog's fault at this point, I think it's my sister's for ebing inconsistent. With training he did a lot better, but it's a hard habit to break, unfortunately. This dog is almost 3 and he's still really bad.

Good trainers=
They come to the house for an initial session $200 and then it's $30 each group obedience session. They're very good1Canine Cadets

Message edited 4/27/2006 9:49:28 PM.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

I hate the be negative here, but breaking the habit of barking is NOT easy. Personally, I don't even believe it's completely possible. I got my dog when she was 7 months old and she couldn't be left alone AT ALL. She would howel relentlessly from the moment I would leave the house until the moment I got home. My parents almost made me get rid of her. I finally stopped keeping her in her crate and the barking lessened. But she was kind of destructive when left alone.
To this day, and she will be 8 years old this summer, she will howel and bark like crazy if she is crated. But on the upseide, she isn't destructive at all. She does have the occasional accident, but it is occasional.
We usually leave her with my parents when we go on vacation and she loves it, but the last time we went away was only for a few days so we had our tenant take care of her. He came uo and played with her, fed her and walked her, but as soon as he went downstairs she would bark and howel for hours. At any other time she could care less that the tenant is downstairs. She knew that we were away and was very upset about it.
I'm certainly not telling you that you shouldn't adopt this dog, but don't expect the barking to ever fully stop. I'm sure you can get it down, but the tendency will still be there.

Message edited 4/27/2006 9:47:59 PM.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

thanks for your honesty. I'm definitely willing to work with the little guy. I only worry about my neighbors because I don't have my own house yet. That's my main concern.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

we have this problem with our golden retriever he will bark constantly for hours on end - we had him through training and it did nothing to stop the barking - the biggest waste of $500....
after talking to our vet about it for the umteenth time he told us to get a muzzle and put it on the dog when noone is here - that lessens it but even that doesnt stop him cause he howls with the muzzle on - so we tried leaving the tv on and that didnt work we have been at this nearly two years and nothing has worked.
there has to always be someone home to be with the dog or he goes ape sh*t you dont have to be right in the room with him but you have to be somewhere on that floor - if noone is downstairs he does it too.
getting a dog that barks alot can be a major undertaking sometimes they stop and sometimes they dont - when we first got our pitbull 15 years ago she did this too - but she stopped on her own after about a month.

hope that helps - it's all good to want to save him but just be sure you are ready for the possibility that he may not stop.

keep us posted on what you decide

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

What a beauftiful dog! Such sweet eyes!
I hate to say this but I think you should consider whether or not he is a good match for you. What if you cannot break him of this barking habit? Are you going to move or are you going to bring him back to the shelter if he continues to bark? That would be so unfair to him to bring him back there. Maybe he really does need a family that is home all the time.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Sorry, I know I won't have the popular opinion here, but having volunteered at a shelter I have to say this.

As much as you want him and I'm sure you could provide a good home you really should heed the warning and not expect to break him of this habit. If this animal has separation anxiety issues he should be adopted out to a home where he won't be alone. Rescue dogs with special needs really should be adopted out wisely or else the end up back in the shelter.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

On The Dog Whisperer, they had an episode about a dog with separation anxiety. I can't remember exactly how the problem was fixed, but he said that the dog had separation anxiety not because it will miss the owner when the owner leaves, but because the dog is the alpha and when the owner leaves, the owner is changing the dog's environment and it doesn't like that.
So if you establish yourself as the alpha, that's supposed to help fix the problem.
Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) has a book out now - maybe that would help you.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

He's so cute. Also, a radio with soothing music (like 106.7 LITE FM or something) also works. Or even a classical CD on loop. It is soothing.

good luck

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

What an ADORABLE dog! I agree that leaving on the TV or a radio might help. Maybe the dog is scared. You'll never know, maybe the change of environment will even help. Best of luck!

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

Well Traci, any news?

Message edited 4/28/2006 5:57:48 PM.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

no news yet guys. Still talking it over with DH. I will definitely keep you posted. We're on the fence. I love this dog, but there's no way to predict if we can work with the barking issue. Ugh. .. I'm so torn! I just want to scream!

I have been back and forth all day and just banging my head against the wall on this one about what we should do. I need more time to think..

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

THere are medications that can be tried for seperation anxiety: Colmicom; this med has been used successfully in seperation anxiety.

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety

yah, but do I want the expense of medication every day just because my dog would get lonely? Medical Reasons.. NO QUESTION.. but...because of loneliness?

Re: Barking due to loneliness/ separation anxiety