Hi all,

My American Cocker (nearly 10) has just spent 11 days in the veterinary hospital, i have had her home for about a 5 weeks now but cannot leave her alone for 5 minutes as she's started barking her head off...i moved house whilst she was away so understand its all new to her but she wasn't like this when i got her at aged 5, have always been able to leave her alone with no problems at all, she follows me into every room now and wants to be by my side when relaxing at home..the vets said it is due to being in there for so long and gave her some anti anxiety medication which doesn't seem to help at all.

I have bought a dap difuser to no avail, i try giving her a stuffed kong if i want to go out but again i hear her barking within minutes, tried going into the garden coming back in..repeating it over and over again, saw the behaviourist at the vets who said when shes barking i shouldn't come back in...the moment she stops then i should come in...surely that is still saying its ok to bark as im going to come back in...there are steps down into my house so the moment she see's me coming down the steps she stops so again this is saying to her that if she barks i will come back...i can't leave her barking because of the neighbours.

I have tried moving away from her in the lounge moving to other chairs etc, shutting doors behind me etc.

Anything i have missed or any other idea's would be very welcome.

Many thanks

Annee

i would be interested in any replies too,as when i lock my door after leaving the house, i can hear my young dog howling,despite the tv left on,and a stuffed kong,and company in the form of my old dog.ihave someone check a few minutes after ive gone,and a bit later,and shes quiet,but i still worry!

part of it hard as it might sound is not to make too much fuss of the dog while you are there.  accustom the dog to not following you every second you are in the house, to spend time in another room while you are still in the house ,a nd don't pay much attention to them when you first come home, get your shoes off and make a coffee before fussing them.  its hard at first but it helps them to accept idea of a bit of independence and not being so clingy.

It must be strange coming home to a new house. How is she at night, where does she sleep? Can you not settle her in her basket and get her to stay there for short periods while you are about the house then closing the door for short periods. I wouldn't return immediately even if she does stop barking. If you do leave her do you exercise her first? Lucas does not like being on his own even with his cousin for company but if I have to leave him for sometime (never longer than 4 hours) I make sure to exercise him well first and then I know he will sleep till he hears the key in the door. I have found also that he settles better in one room with the door shut than having the range of the ground floor. Good luck.

Hi,

She sleeps in the bedroom with me, she always has done because of her medical condition i have always felt that if she fell ill during the night i would be able to see to her rather than her being on her own all night and falling ill on her own.

My days are not the same each day, if i want to just pop out to the shops etc then i do so at any time, if i were planning to go out for a couple of hours before she had her relapse i would have walked her then gone out, i have popped out for ten minutes or so and come back and can hear her barking as soon as i walk in the gate.

I have tried going out the front door and just standing to the side of the house for a couple of minutes but as soon as she starts to bark i go back in but surely that just tells her if i bark, mum comes back...i do also ignore her when i come in, i think the idea of not giving her too much attention in the house is a good idea too.

Sorry to hear of her condition. I agree with the other post of not making a fuss and giving too much attention. Can you not get her to settle in her basket with something of yours (old socks), leave her and do not go back when she barks, at least for ten mins or so and keep doing it, even if you just shut the door of the room to begin with - the hardest part is not to go back.