Why does my dog barks when i leave the house

A common suggestion by trainers for dogs who bark when owners are gone is to leave the dog with some familiar sounds such as a radio or television. The idea is that these approximate the household sounds when the owner is present. Citronella collars spray a burst of citronella when the dog barks. Citronella is made from the oils of lemongrass, and it is often used in perfumes, candles, and incense. This collar is seen as a humane alternative to shock bark collars. There can be a problem when more than one dog is barking and the collar is sometimes hard to fit on very small dogs.

Online reviewers report that some dogs learn to bark in tones and frequencies the collar does not detect. There are several anti-barking devices that do not involve collars. These devices detect barks and sends a high-pitched sound that only dogs can hear. But if his barking continues, you might need to play detective and explore beyond the simplest solutions.

Once you identify what triggers his barking, you can go about reducing or eliminating that trigger. A recent study confirmed what many dog behaviorists and owners already know: separation anxiety in dogs is a complex problem. Submissive or Excitement Urination Some dogs may urinate during greetings, play, physical contact or when being reprimanded or punished.

Such dogs tend to display submissive postures during interactions, such as holding the tail low, flattening the ears back against the head, crouching or rolling over and exposing the belly. Incomplete House Training A dog who occasionally urinates in the house might not be completely house trained.

His house training might have been inconsistent or it might have involved punishment that made him afraid to eliminate while his owner is watching or nearby.

A dog scent marks by urinating small amounts on vertical surfaces. Most male dogs and some female dogs who scent mark raise a leg to urinate. Please see our articles, Destructive Chewing , for more information about these problems.

Excessive Barking or Howling Some dogs bark or howl in response to various triggers in their environments, like unfamiliar sights and sounds. For more information about this kind of problem, please see our articles, Barking and Howling.

Treatment for Mild Separation Anxiety If your dog has a mild case of separation anxiety, counterconditioning might reduce or resolve the problem.

Over time, the dog learns that whatever he fears actually predicts good things for him. For dogs with separation anxiety, counterconditioning focuses on developing an association between being alone and good things, like delicious food.

To develop this kind of association, every time you leave the house, you can offer your dog a puzzle toy stuffed with food that will take him at least 20 to 30 minutes to finish.

You can feed your dog all of his daily meals in special toys. For example, you can give your dog a KONG or two stuffed with his breakfast and some tasty treats every morning before going to work.

Treatment for Moderate to Severe Separation Anxiety Moderate or severe cases of separation anxiety require a more complex desensitization and counterconditioning program. The following steps briefly describe a desensitization and counterconditioning program. Please keep in mind that this is a short, general explanation.

Desensitization and counterconditioning are complex and can be tricky to carry out. Fear must be avoided or the procedure will backfire and the dog will get more frightened.

Please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help , to locate one of these experts in your area. And this is not necessarily an easy or viable option for many people. As stressful as it is for us, we have to remember, it could also be stressful for our dog and they may be experiencing anxiety when left alone. Does your dog struggle with your work schedule or have separation anxiety? Sign up for our Left Alone course now! Many dogs have been selectively bred to bark.

Dogs using barking as a way to alert us to intruders or to alert to prey when hunting. Nowadays, especially in urban settings, barking is not a valued trait.

Often dogs who are afraid will bark in reaction to sights, sounds or smells. This trigger could be almost anything.

It might be something that causes fear because they can hear and not see, or they can see and not smell. Or, perhaps they were sleeping and something suddenly startles them. The response might even be exaggerated when left alone. I know if I am home alone and I hear a loud, unfamiliar noise, I am much more jumpy than when my husband or dogs are there with me!

Puzzle toys can help soothe nervous and anxious dogs. Maybe the UPS driver just dropped a package off at the door, or the power company came onto your property to read the meter. When one dog barks, they all often join in. If there are many dogs in the neighborhood, this might increase the potential to bark.

This one can be very concerning. Often, but not always, it is accompanied by other signs, such as destroying furniture or defecating in the living room, for example. This can be an indication that your dog is distressed when you are not home. If you suspect that this might be the case, we are offering a new online course that might be helpful to you.

Avoid aversive tools. Unless your neighbors tell you, you may not know your furry friend is barking or upset all day. After all, when you come in through the door, your furbaby is thrilled to see you and the separation anxiety temporarily disappears. You can even use Furbo to dispense treats and talk to your dog remotely to calm them down when they do bark.

Be together with your pup, even when apart. Foster parents are also extremely important to help animals that are either pregnant, too young, injured, recovering from an illness, or suffers from kennel anxiety. However, t here are pros and cons that comes with fostering.

Here we list out 5 things to consider before committing to fostering. Visit Your Location X. United Kingdom. Step 1: Make sure your dog is calm before you leave If your dog is barking, crying, or pacing around as you leave, then your pup is most likely feeling anxious, sad, or scared.