# 10 week old wont' stop barking



## spugs (May 4, 2009)

Help please, my 10 week old puppy goes mad whenever i leave him alone! If i leave him in the kitchen or in his crate he barks and whines. He stops eventually but it takes about 15/20 minutes.
Ive been ignoring him, is this the right thing to do?
When he first came home he spent the first few days with me constantly so ive been trying to leave him regularly during the day for 30min or so when im still in the house and he goes balistic (he sounds very cross!).
Any help on the matter will be great. (Ive had him for a week and a half)
Thanks


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

Babies cry, dogs bark. My pediatrician told me years ago to get used to it since you can't always make it stop.


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

But the good news is, if you ignore it is highly likely to extinguish on it's own.


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## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

Ignore it.

3 weeks ago I brought home a 12 week old pup, and whenever we crated him, he'd bark and whine and whimper like there was no tomorrow. Several weeks later, after ignoring it, he simply lays down and goes to sleep now, as he realizes he's just wasting his time. Every now and then he'll whimper or something, just to test us, but no more constant barking/whining.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

When I brought Lucia home, she cried and screamed like she was getting murdered every time I left the room or the house. I used the phrase, "I'll be right back," whenever I left the room, and ignored her fuss. It took her about a week to give it up. I say it when she's out of the crate, so when I go out to get the mail, or get something from the car - she waits, quietly, instead of trying to rush out the door. I say it when I leave the house - whether I'm gone a minute or a few hours. She's learned that it means what I've said - I'll be right back!


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## spugs (May 4, 2009)

Thanks, for the info. Should i be giving him a treat when i leave the room come back(i leave him a kong but hes not too interested), or should i just act like i havent been away?


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## Lolas_Dad (Apr 28, 2008)

I would leave him with a kong that has something in it like a little bit of puppy food or something before you leave. When you return ignore him until he is calm and quiet. If you go to him right away when you get home and he is barking it will let him know it is ok to bark when you get home and he will never stop.


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## Dog_Boy (May 9, 2009)

briteday said:


> Babies cry, dogs bark. My pediatrician told me years ago to get used to it since you can't always make it stop.


that is a horrible way to look at it, and with that attitude you will never fix the problem.

all puppies have a strong instinct to stick with their pack at all times. when i first brought home my 8 weeks old lab he would cry ever time i put him in his cage to go out and when he went in their for bed.

the dog learns very quickly that if he whines loud or long enough he will get what he is looking for (either attention or freedom)

this is the cycle you must break. like someone said earlier the dog will eventually learn that all that crying is doing no good and get tired and go to sleep. this can be accomplished in a few weeks if you are consistent with it. it is also very important to not take the dog out of the cage when he is all excited and scratching at the door cuz you just got home. this would be rewarding that state of mind. only when you are ready and the dog is calm should you open the door.

also note that a dog could be whining because it has to go to the bathroom. if this is the case you can take the dog directly outside to use the bathroom then straight back in the cage so the dog never gets the reward it is looking for through its very annoying barking.

hope that helps

_Mikey
Aka Dog_Boy


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## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

Dog_Boy said:


> that is a horrible way to look at it, and with that attitude you will never fix the problem.
> 
> all puppies have a strong instinct to stick with their pack at all times. when i first brought home my 8 weeks old lab he would cry ever time i put him in his cage to go out and when he went in their for bed.
> 
> ...


Yea, make sure you realize the difference between whining/barking for attention, and whining/barking for needing to go to the bathroom.

My pup's realized that whining and barking for attention and/or to get out of the crate doesn't work at all. If he has to go potty, he'll still bark/whine, and we'll go straight out, he'll do his business, then we'll go straight back into the crate (IF he does whine or bark for potty, it's usually really early in the morning, when he knows it's crate time so we can get ready for work/get our son/ourselves ready and whatnot)...

So be sure to figure out your pup's potty schedule so you can clue into whether it's an attention getting whine/bark or one where he really DOES need out for a valid reason!



Lolas_Dad said:


> I would leave him with a kong that has something in it like a little bit of puppy food or something before you leave. When you return ignore him until he is calm and quiet. If you go to him right away when you get home and he is barking it will let him know it is ok to bark when you get home and he will never stop.


The original poster should realize that this doesn't work for all dogs. Mine's not that interested in a stuffed kong. Sure, he'll eat at it, but if he can't get the stuff out, he plays with something else. So now, I'll stick a duck jerky treat in the top hole that's easy for him to get.

By walking him in the morning, and spending 5-10 minutes with him working on commands, by the time I put him in the crate for me to go to work, he's plenty tired and ready to sleep. So the treat in the top is just enough for him to go in the crate, eat it, and then pass out until I get home for lunch.


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## spugs (May 4, 2009)

Ive been out and bought a kong, kong stick and a treat ball and hes not really interested. He eats the easy bit then ignores it! We had a couple of incidences yesterday when there was no barking when he was left (and a few where there was) so fingers crossed were making progress. I make sure hes not in his crate for any longer then an hour and once the initial barking stops thats it till he comes out so hes not barking to go to the toilet.
Thanks for the help


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## Lolas_Dad (Apr 28, 2008)

Try a little peanut butter inside the kong. That should keep him occupied longer with it and show more interest. A few treats in the kong first and then the peanut butter. Want to make it last even longer put it in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.


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## familypets101 (May 18, 2009)

spugs said:


> Help please, my 10 week old puppy goes mad whenever i leave him alone! If i leave him in the kitchen or in his crate he barks and whines. He stops eventually but it takes about 15/20 minutes.
> Ive been ignoring him, is this the right thing to do?
> When he first came home he spent the first few days with me constantly so ive been trying to leave him regularly during the day for 30min or so when im still in the house and he goes balistic (he sounds very cross!).
> Any help on the matter will be great. (Ive had him for a week and a half)
> Thanks


i think using treats as reward for your puppy being quiet is very useful method. maybe if you tried putting your hand around his muzzle (not too violently of course) each time he barks, and then reward him with his favourite treat when he's quiet. also, if you leave him in a crate and he whines, another method is to use an old tin can with pennies in it. every time he whines or barks, shake the can until he stops and reward him with a treat. the shaking can will make him stop and be quiet. eventually, i think your puppy will learn not to bark when you're not present. hope this helps


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

> maybe if you tried putting your hand around his muzzle (not too violently of course) each time he barks, and then reward him with his favourite treat when he's quiet.


This is not something you should ever do to a puppy. Ignore the whining/barking, the puppy will get used to the drill. Be consistent, persistent, and above all, patient.


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## spugs (May 4, 2009)

Im not taking the holding muzzle or tin can advice, thanks! Trying to plug your company by giving out crap advice is prob not the best idea!!!! Im a puppy novice but even I know holding their noses is a bad idea and rattling a can at him would just scare him!

Any way ignoring him is getting us there slowly  He still barks but for less time, so thanks for all the good advice


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