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Originally Posted by roxybc  Thanks very much, please keep the advise/comments coming. We live in a 3 room flat in south london that is very very close to the road and walkways. Our bedroom windows face the parking lot, and to be honest our entire condo/flat is not very sound proof at all - I don't know what is with Brits and not having very thick windows! Anyways, since Roxy grew up with these sounds constantly around her they don't bug her, but I'm, just so worried that her barking will be heard outside. That being said she can't have a whole room to her self yet, as she can't be trusted - she's so snoopy when she's bored she loves to get into things! I guess we will probably have to get her a bigger pen, the only problem is it will take up a lot of space in our tiny place. What do you think about leaving her crate inside the pen? |
If she likes her crate and thinks of it as her space, that's a great idea! If not, you could still put it in there so she'll get used to it being her very own sleeping space. Maybe then you could put her in just the crate later on when she's used to it without to much protesting for a couple of hours or so. Bella is used to her crate now and doesn't mind staying in it at all. If she hears us though, she starts crying and barking because she wants to go too. I don't leave her in her crate when I'm gone for work, though...I just think 8+ hrs in that tiny space would be terrible, but that's just me. When we're going to be gone longer than 3-4 hrs., I put her in my bedroom with toys, food, water, etc... AND, she gets a treat everytime she goes in there. In the mornings, when she sees my bf go to the treat jar, she gets soooo excited--it's almost like she doesn't even mind we're leaving. Sometimes she eats the treat, other times she doesn't, but it's something for her to look forward to anyway. Do you have a bathroom you could keep her in (so you don't have to buy a pen)? My bathroom is carpeted, so it's just as easy for me to use my bedroom, but if yours isn't, that might work. Just pick up the trash can and anything else she can get into before you go!
Also, I had also seen the "It's Me Or The Dog" episode where they go in and out and in and out to get the dog used to them leaving. That particular dog had separation anxiety, which is what it seems like yours has too. Bella had TERRRIBLE separation anxiety when we got her (she had been spoiled by the breeder's daughter!), so we did that to get her used to us leaving. I live in a duplex and she would howl and howl and cry and then pee all over herself because she was so worked up jumping around. The combination of doing that, leaving treats, and leaving the tv on helped with her. I really think doing the training is a must for you.....I can explain exactly how to do it if you think you might want to give it a try--just PM me. It's kind of time consuming and gets really old really quickly, but it is SOOO worth it!!