Barking in Crate During Day
 

Our 15 week old Yorkie, Bronco, is doing great on most accounts. He has picked up on potty training very well, sleeps in his crate soundly through the nite, and will even eagerly go into his crate when we tell him to "get in his bed" (likely because he expects a treat).

The main problem that we are having is barking in his crate during the day. Sometimes when we do an activity that prevents us from giving him full watch, (cleaning the house, the occasional puppy-less dinner, going out on a quick errand) we will put him in his crate. He is mostly fine if we are in the same room (mild whimpering), but not all the time. If we are out of the room he will bark his little head off.

Just today we were cleaning our guest room and we had him in his crate, in the same room, and he barked, whined, and even peed twice in his crate within a half hour span (and he had been out to pee a little over an hour before).

I know that many people will likely attribute this to separation anxiety, but sometimes I think the term is overrused. I sometimes think that he pees in the crate because he knows we will come over to clean up the crate and he will get out momentarily (and get attention).

Most of what I have read says to ignore the barking and that they will eventually learn that this does not work and will give it up, but in my experience this has not been the case. He seems to respond better to scolding than being completely ignored.

Has anyone been in this situation? My girlfriend and I are at the end of our collective rope.

P.S. We are starting puppy training classes in about a month and I am hoping that will help.

shameless bump :) Anyone got any advice?

No advice... sorry... but the same issue with a 4 yr. old rescue. Things we have tried but didn't work for us... may work for you...

Try the pennies in a can and shake every time you hear the bark.

We also got an ultrasonic sound no bark trainer that would sit near the crate and when she barked it would go off. worked for a few days.. but then she figured out what barks would set it off and didn't bark that way anymore!

I know a lot of other people have had success with these ideas...

I sincerely doubt if your tiny baby is peeing on purpose. There is a rule that a puppy will hold it's urine 1 hr. for every month he/she is old. Your baby is only 15 wks. old. Bronco is going to pee often. Have you thought of an ex-pen? I have ex-pens on each floor of our house. Inside my ex-pen I put a bed/small crate, a washable piddle pad, and water. Accidents aren't that upsetting. Maybe an ex-pen would help your little Bronco feel that he's part of the activity.