hi! I have just had a complaint from my neighbours who have said my pup crys when i am out. I only ever leave her for a few hours a time but they say she crys constantly the whole time i am out and its LOUD they said. But I have never heard her before, eithr as im leaving or as im returning. I have stayed by the door for 15mins before (after walking away first) and I have a see through door so could see she was not there knowing I was still stood there and thats y she wernt crying. So I dont no hat to think ?? I always make sure she is walked before i ever go any where, and has toys and treats and fresh water and fed before I go anywhere !! So I cant understand !!

Have you been round to other neighbours to ask them if they hear the same. And if they dont know ask them to keep an ear out for you.
Could you also set up a dictaphone to record when you go out??
At least that way you will know for certain :)
Lea :) :)

Ive asked my other neighbour and they said they do hear her but its not load and its not a problem as its only a few hours once a day, but the neighbour who complained said its loud and its all day and night (which is total nonsense as i dont leave my dog all day or night, never have and never would) but the thing is they are my landlords aswell so im paniking now :( she oviosly is crying as the other neighbours says she is aswell so no point in setting something up to record it. So how do I stop it, before I get asked to leave :( (and no way EVER i will give my pup up, not even if it means loosing my home)

It would still be worth setting something up, as it's a big difference between 'cries for an hour or so quietly' and 'cries constantly loudly'. But also try some stuff to keep her happier while you are out - an extra special toy, or a Kong stuffed with something, or perhaps have the radio on quietly so it's not totally silent in the house. If you're gone more than a few hours, perhaps see if a friend, or the more friendly neighbour, could go in and give her a cuddle or something?

Ive asked my other neighbour and they said they do hear her but its not load and its not a problem as its only a few hours once a day,

A few hours once a day would get on most people's nerves to be honest 20mins of howling and crying would be enough for most people and that is when a council or landlord will report it. Your pup probably knows you are still at the door when you have been trying to check on her remember their hearing, scent and sight is far superior to ours. Remember what we tolerate and are not bothered by other people are.

A friend of mine had a JR who would kick up when she left the only way she solved it was to put her in a crate with water and toys, knuckle bone, kongs etc and cover with a light throw, she placed it in her bedroom or it could be a room where passers by can not be heard etc, so that she could not see or be disturbed by anything to set her off, it made her settle down and sleep whilst she was out and she never howled, cried or barked again, the complaints completely stopped.

Your girl is still a pup, little things may make her nervous and she may then begin to cry for you, people do exaggerate but I dare say she is doing over the 20-30mins most councils will allow for, one neighbour won't be bothered by it but another will find it irritating and annoying.

Due to her problems on the other thread too, I would introduce a crate to her now, make it a good, safe place for her where she can have a treat and begin to use it when you are out to keep her safe and stop this howling/crying she is doing.

Older dogs soon get used to a crate, a friend of mine took on a 1yr old Dalmation who was chewing up the furniture in his old house, (due to boredom as the owner was at work) and he got used to a crate when left alone on a nigh-time, after only the first night :-)

Practice leaving her when home, for 5, 10, 15, 20 mins in rooms on her own to build up being able to leave her for much longer, but the crate with a cover will need to work for now, I don't want you to lose your home either. :-(

Thanks for the advice, I have been thinking about crate training her, but i would have thought that if she was confined to a small area it may make her more anxious and make her make more of a noice ?? Could this be a possibility ??

I have been thinking about crate training her, but i would have thought that if she was confined to a small area it may make her more anxious and make her make more of a noice ?? Could this be a possibility ??

Yes, it definitely can. I have to say I don't see how caging the pup would make her feel less lonely or bored. I have a 5 month old pup who like my other toydogs is caged at night. She's decided that she wants to get up at 6.50 am every morning. It doesn't matter that she's already been out for a wee (makes no difference if she hasn't either) or that it is pitch black outside and inside and that all the other dogs are fast asleep (one in with her as well) or that she has toys -she wants to be out to play and she will not shut up! That's sheer boredom from a pup who obviously is an early riser.

Have you tried leaving plenty of things to do for your pup, such as filled Kongs, a really big meaty bone, even cardboard boxes to tear apart? How old is she and did you train her to be left in stages, by adding just a few minutes a day? "A few hours" can be a very long time for a pup.

I don't know if you have a smartphone, but there is an App for some phones called Sleep Recorder. As soon as I heard about it, I thought it could be very useful for anyone who needs to know if their dog barks while they're out.

From what I gather it is sound activated and both records sounds and logs times. I guess you could set it up on a phone, leave it running in the room where the dog is (out of reach!) and go out.

If any app developers are reading this then can you make one tailored to dogs that will run on more phones than Sleep recorder does?

I think you won't know if the crate will work until you try it, is there anyone you could possibly borrow one from ?. I've found some dogs do settle and feel more secure in a covered crate, some don't.

I believe my pup (knowing her personality) will proberly not take to well to the crate !! I have got one I can borrow of some1 so I may ask for it, I did build up in stages when I first had her, but if I was to crate train that would all have  to start from the beginning again wouldnt it ?? She has LOADS of toys left out and a bone each time, and a cat left in with her, and lights on etc, but she loves paper and stuff like that so i may leave an old paper out each time or a cardboard box, she would prob love that :) or maybe even old letters (my own personal shredder :) lol)

I wouldbe very wary of leaving newspapers out for her to play with asyou couldeasily causeattention seeking destruction in the future. The dog learns that shredding/destorying stuff brings you back, leaving lights on and lots of stuff to destory is stimulating her not reaching her "settle" when you're not around. Go grab the loaner crate and teach her that it's a great place to be. Some dogs prefer the security a crate offers where you like it or not!! Some dogs find a small area fab and find a large area to be alone in unbearable. Dogs naturally den and those dens are small! Introduce the crate gradually using food stuffed knogs etc and I bet she'll settle down nicely as she's obviously not happy when you leave she's callingyou back soleave you're old t shirt for her and try the DAP spray in the crate to help her.

You don't know till you try! Had a dog at group recently who's little head would pop when everyone started moving around, so warned owners to back him into a liitle room if he did. Well how wrong could I be??? He loved every minute of it, really brought him out of his shell!! So good to be wrong!! he's so much more confident at group now and I'd have placed good money on him being scared!! You just never know till ya try!!

I think it really depends how long is a "few hours".  Crates can be great for teaching settle down, as others have said, but it is not reasonable to expect any dog to do this for more than the length of a decent nap, say 2-3 hours for a young dog perhaps a little longer when they are mature. 
They will just find it too restricting and boring at a time in their lives where they are programmed to be interacting with others, exploring and learning.  They are liking to let your neighbours know of their frustraction in no uncertain terms.

My male dachsie was 3yrs old when he was first introduced to a crate, my bitch had come into season,sending him round to my Mums or putting one in the kitchen and the other one in the lounge wasn't working so got a 36"crate which was in the lounge and swapped them about, within seconds of being put in the crate with a chew he was lying down and stayed like that after the chew was finished because he could see what I was doing and didn't feel isolated out in the kitchen.

When the season had finished I put the crate with door open in the dining room end of the lounge/diner and they often have a nap in there joined these days by 3 more dachsies.

I use crates over night or max for 3 hours when dealing with 20 week old pups, younger is much shorter during the day. I get twitchy more than that, toilet training etc. Not fair for a youngster.