Help! Mocha barks all day while husband works from home!
 

Hello,
My dog is 9 months, and she wants to be by us constantly. It's good that she loves us so much, but there are times when she needs to be in her x-pen or crate away from us. If we are home, she barks in her crate or x-pen because she wants to be near us. My husband works from home during the day, and he was putting her in the x-pen until she recently started barking for hours at a time. She doesn't have to go potty. She has food, water, toys, a bone and a blanket. She just doesn't want to be away from us. My husband is having a difficult time getting work done and doesn't want clients to hear our dog barking in the background. There is really nowhere in the house she can be without us hearing her barking. She's only three pounds, but she is so loud. She isn't fully potty trained yet, so she can not be in his office where there is carpet. We have new carpet, and we really don't want any accidents on the carpet.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what we can do? She gets a walk in the morning and during lunch, so she should be fine to sleep. My husband didn't want a dog for reasons like this, but he agreed because I wanted her so badly. He loves her , but this is definitely reminding him why he didn't want a dog. Any ideas would be a great help. Thanks

Have you guys tried telling her "No" when she's barking. You really have to try and discourage any unwanted behavior or it will only persist. Hopefully someone can give you better advise than I can. Good luck :)

we recently got a citronella collar and it is working wonders! we got ours from sitstay.com

Do they make those for the really tiny 3 lb. dogs? Thanks

She knows he is there and wants to be with him.
Dogs being social creatures and she being so young that is normal to want to be with those you love.

What about putting a play pen in the room where she can hang and play and see him.

A walk around the block may quite possible not be enough to tire her out.
Mine needs as long as a half hour ball play to get tired.

JL

Thank you for the advice. I have thought about putting the playpen in the room with him, but I don't think it would work. One, I don't want her to go on the carpet because she has peed in her x pen before. Two, she barks when I am in the kitchen and she is in the x pen because she wants to be right by me and wants the freedom to roam about. I can't quite say that I blame her. She is quite stubborn and wants what she wants when she wants it.

A travel play pen for childern has a plastic bottom.
We use them for travel with human kids as their crib.
diaper and let her roan??

Do not most kids want what tehy want when they want it...

JL

I had to put Pita's x-pen in my bedroom which is the only room with carpet. What I did was go buy a cheap vinyl tablecloth to put over the carpet in the x-pen. It works great!! If she has an accident that's not on the pee pads, it is easy to wipe up. Just a thought if you decide to put her x-pen in the room with your husband.

Thanks! The tablecloth and diapers are two ideas I think I'll try. I think I'll start with the diapers first since she's so close to being potty trained. She only has a couple accidents per month. Does anyone have any tips about what kind of diapers to buy? Does wearing a diaper deter a dog from going to the bathroom or does it not seem to make any difference?

Thanks again for all the good posts!