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Dogomania

Annoyed Nieghbors


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Got home yesterday to a note on my front door saying that Felix had been barking all day and was annoying the nieghbors. He was in his kennel in the apartment and for some unknown reason refused to stop barking. He usually settles down after a few minutes in his kennel once he figures out that no body is home and he's not going to be getting out anytime soon. I left for work around 9 am and didn't get home until after 5 and by then the manager had called my husband's work to find out if someone could come get him so he'll settle down but they told her that hubby was out of town for the weekend (hubby went to car show in Wentachee about 3 hours west of us). Apparently the manager also had the impression that the boys and I had left too and we left Felix to fend for himself for 3 days :-? . So she talked one of hubby's co-workers into coming to get him until someone got home.

I had been home for all of 5 minutes trying to remember what I did with my keys (I put them down somewhere but still haven't found them yet) so I can down and talk to the manager when she showed up with Felix's leash in hand... I was so tired I didn't even notice it was gone. She was going to get him ready to be picked up. She starts talking to me like I'm a child :evil: about Felix. I stand there thinking I'm too exhausted to be showing any kind of emotion other then surprise but I'm not stupid either. I remember telling her that if we were leaving for an overnight trip that he would either go with us or go to my parents' in Moses Lake and we would NOT leave him here. Then she said he had been barking since 7:30 that morning. :o HUH?! I told her that was impossible 'cause I was still home at 7:30 and he was NOT barking. I may have been tired but I do remember what I was doing at 7:30... getting myself and the boys ready to go and tripping over Felix in the prcoess (the usual morning retuine)... me to work and them to daycare. She said she it documented.

I don't care... barking all day is the issue and I need to figure something out before we get kicked out. And before hubby gets home this afternoon I really need to have some kind of a solution. When I put him up for the day I always give him a toy and a treat so I know that's not much of a solution. I've tried using a muzzle to kind of quiet him down a bit while I was home but it took all 5 seconds and he had it off. :roll: I've put a blanket over his kennel to muffle any sound he hears or makes but that doesn't work very well at all... and it's getting warmer so that's last thing I want to contiue doing for the next several months... I don't mind during the winter his coat's not really all that thick and little extra warmth won't hurt him. And yes through all this over the last several months I've been trying to teach him "quiet"... you guess how well that works. But even if it did work how much good does it do when no one's home to give the command? So what is there left for me to do? Any suggestions at all would be welcome... PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :puppydogeyes:

Amanda

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Dogs who bark when they are bored may be similar to dogs seeking attention or those that are lonely. Dogs who are bored need something to do besides barking. We need to give them a more stimulating environment and usually a lot more exercise. A tired dog is less likely to be bored. Toys such as Kongs and Buster Cubes that can be filled with treats can get your dog's brain, as well as his body, working. You could start the day by getting up a little earlier and taking felix for a good hike (I do this with all of my dogs every morning...I get up an hour earlier to exercise them). You could also hire a neighbor or petsitter to break up felix's day by coming to visit and taking felix for a walk.
Dogs who bark when they are alone may be showing a symptom of their separation anxiety. These dogs are in the midst of a vicious circle

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all of Cassies suggestions are good, and right on the money. Those are time consuming, but should be done. In the interim, there is rescue remedy, that has a calming affect on dogs. There are also pheremone machines that can do the same thing. Leaving the radio or tv on sometimes helps....soft music is relaxing. If it is seperation anxiety, the above might help. If it is boredom, then the neighbor or friend to walk the dog is the best solution. Even a cat might help. so he's not alone all day, if the landlord will allow it. I have always had two pets, one dog and one cat, and now two dogs and one cat. They do tend to entertain each other. Just the companionship is enough to keep them behaved.

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Guest Anonymous

Thanks guys. :)

I will be trying Cassie's suggestions first. But the main problem is that Felix being alone for 8 hours is a rarity. The only reason it happened was because hubby left for his car show and we got slammed at work with dogs that needed grooming. Otherwise he is never left alone for more then 4 or 5 hours at a time. But if he's going to be alone and continually barking then I need to modify his behaviour now so it doesn't happen in the future.

I'm not allowed to have any more pets. Complex rules only allow for ONE and I know he's lonely when every one is gone. :( I've thought of buying a bird to keep him company buuuuuuuuut.... he broke the screen door on the balcony trying to get to the tweety birds that were singing in the trees barking up storm in the process. :roll: Some how I think that's a very bad idea. I no longer have a radio... hubby broke it. I had been using it as suggested until hubby stepped on it. :roll: He owes me a new one but as yet to buy me one.

As for the bark collar... ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!! I dismissed the idea when hubby and my mom both brought it up. It will be the very last option I will consider... I will find him a new home before I subject him to a bark collar. And mom as already said that if for any reason I CANNOT keep Felix then she will take him no questions asked.

I'd write more but I'm pressed for time so...
Thanks again,

Amanda

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I took Felix to work with me once. NEVER AGAIN! He barked comtinuosly there too. He was worse then most of the barkers we get in put together... drove everybody insane (the place has an echo somewhere... I swear). I even found a place for him as near to my work table as I could get him so he wouldn't bark so much but it didn't help much at all. I think his main problem is that I had to pay attention to strange dogs most of the day and not him... though I did talk to him all day and every chance I got I scratched his ears... he got treats and lots of attention from customers, I even bought him a new lovy to play with for the day (waste of money... completely ignored it :roll:) but I think he wanted more attention from me then any one else and I just couldn't give it to him. What can I say... my dog thinks I walk on water. :wink:

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