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joannec · 12-15-2006, 06:01 AM

Piper is 7 months old, and we have had him for four months. Right away, when we got him, he did the anxious barking thing when we left him in his room (the tiled kitchen). We used a combination of techniques...the first is leaving him alone for two minutes, then 5, then 10, and keep coming back to him, to decrease the anxiety (a weekend project), the second, and probably less popular method is this--I am the woman in the home, and probably less intimidating, I would stay quiet, in a stern voice, and then lean over him in an intimidating manner, like I am the boss. I will wait, and when he is quiet, praise with a good quiet, and a small piece of treat. I try to continue that until I get further away, and then sometimes after 10 min I will come back, and he will be sitting there, and I will say good quiet, reward him, and take him out. The third, and most invasive technique I will use it to use my two fingers under the chin with a stern quiet, and push him a little to snap him out of the mental state (he tends to press the panic button and start to pace in circles in protest) with a stop, or go play, or no, quiet. After a few times, he knows I am serious. I had to use this after a few weeks at doggy day care. They don't stop barking at that place, and all the dogs barked, and I had to pretty much retrain him. He now whines a bit, sometimes he might cry this sad howling cry (I don't let him sleep in my room yet because he is also indoor potty trained), but he stops. I ignore that. He cries himself out like a baby in maybe two minutes time. I have a relative that is a behaviorist, and he says a dog only has seperation anxiety if he is causing harm to himself i.e, barking all day until he is hoarse, or foams. Then you may need more serious help.

About missing the puppy pads. I have watched, and sometimes Piper goes for his "good potty" and he is there on the paper, but not good enough! He pees at the wrong edge, and it is on the floor. I don't get upset because he was there, he tried, and he has no clue what a paper edge is, so I give him credit for the effort! He can't be perfect. I figure little kids miss the toilet all the time, so what is the difference, right? Hope this helps!

12-15-2006, 06:01 AM	#4
joannec Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: IL Posts: 23	barking problem Piper is 7 months old, and we have had him for four months. Right away, when we got him, he did the anxious barking thing when we left him in his room (the tiled kitchen). We used a combination of techniques...the first is leaving him alone for two minutes, then 5, then 10, and keep coming back to him, to decrease the anxiety (a weekend project), the second, and probably less popular method is this--I am the woman in the home, and probably less intimidating, I would stay quiet, in a stern voice, and then lean over him in an intimidating manner, like I am the boss. I will wait, and when he is quiet, praise with a good quiet, and a small piece of treat. I try to continue that until I get further away, and then sometimes after 10 min I will come back, and he will be sitting there, and I will say good quiet, reward him, and take him out. The third, and most invasive technique I will use it to use my two fingers under the chin with a stern quiet, and push him a little to snap him out of the mental state (he tends to press the panic button and start to pace in circles in protest) with a stop, or go play, or no, quiet. After a few times, he knows I am serious. I had to use this after a few weeks at doggy day care. They don't stop barking at that place, and all the dogs barked, and I had to pretty much retrain him. He now whines a bit, sometimes he might cry this sad howling cry (I don't let him sleep in my room yet because he is also indoor potty trained), but he stops. I ignore that. He cries himself out like a baby in maybe two minutes time. I have a relative that is a behaviorist, and he says a dog only has seperation anxiety if he is causing harm to himself i.e, barking all day until he is hoarse, or foams. Then you may need more serious help. About missing the puppy pads. I have watched, and sometimes Piper goes for his "good potty" and he is there on the paper, but not good enough! He pees at the wrong edge, and it is on the floor. I don't get upset because he was there, he tried, and he has no clue what a paper edge is, so I give him credit for the effort! He can't be perfect. I figure little kids miss the toilet all the time, so what is the difference, right? Hope this helps!