This has only just started happening and its a problem I could do without. 

My neighbour is looking after her daughter's dog (temporarily) and it barks its head off when they leave it alone in the house.  We can hear it in our house but that's not really a problem.

What's happening now is that Copper has appeared to be copying this dog as he is now barking like mad whenever I leave him to go out or to work.  He has never done this before as far as I know and I only ever leave him for 4 hours at most.  Today I was out for 2 hours and I could hear him barking in the next street as I was coming home.  He's always been really good in the house and I don't want this to become a permanent habit. 

I've tried a bonio before I leave which keeps him quiet until he's eaten it, then he starts barking.  I can't think he's bored because he didn't do this before, he just went to his basket as I left the house.  Could it be because I've been at home more over Christmas and he's got used to the company.  Do you think it will stop when the neighbours dog goes home? Any advice please as I don't want aggro from the neighbours about him barking.

CG

What about a barking collar you can get all sorts of different ones theres smell ones shock ones water spray ones and they are only about £17. I have been thinking of getting them for mine i know someone who has alot of dogs and i asked her if they actually work she says they are brilliant.

I think you need to be careful using with multi dogs as another dog barking can trigger the collar.
Anne

Hi,

You could try I think they are called a buster cube,that has treats inside but they have to roll or play with it before a treat falls out.This may keep him sufficiently distracted from the other dog barking ,may depend how he loves his food.
The last thing you want is this now to become hahbit especially as he was so good before also try leaving radio or television on music/news .

Good luck,
Briony

If the other dog is starting him off, could you leave him in a room away from the barking dog and leave a radio on fairly loud to mask the noise form the other dog?

I think that's the best best; also i suspect he may be barking a bit territorially (my dog will sometimes) so once he goes home, if it is not too far away, he may well settle again.

Lindsay
X

Thanks everyone for the replies - sorry for delay in getting back, Hogmanay and all that (which equals hangover!).  I think I will try a water spray collar on him as he does bark in the street as well and I've tried everything else to stop that. 

I think it just does seem to be when he hears the dog next door barking as when I came home last night he was quiet (although it was 2am and he was probably sound asleep :D).

He does have a Kong so I'll make sure I fill that up before I go out.  The dog next door goes home next week so hopefully it will all get back to normal.

Happy New Year to everyone!

CG

my dog buffy does the same thing she cries when i leave her shes not use to being alone too we should talk

Tyler started doing that when we first got him, however there was no other dog i think he was just vocalising the fact he didn't want to be left, we just stood behind the door and everytime he barked one of us would pop our heads round the door and say no firmly, surprisingly it worked pretty quickly. Thank goodness we sorted that one out quickly was feeling really guilty about neighbours.

Copper is still barking when I leave him but I waited in the car for 5 mins this morning and he stopped after a while.  I tried going back in to tell him off but he just got excited and thought I had decided not to go to work after all!

The kong/food thing is helping as his greed gets the better of him.  The next door dog has gone home now so hopefully the barking will die down.

CG

IMO i think the best thing would be to alleiviate the barking whilst you are at work would be to have a walk first ( time permitting!) then do 10 mins of training ?games to mentally tire him out then leave him with his bonio/kong/whatever with a low radio on. This worked a treat with my girl. I do think they react to us being at home during xmas holidays and feel it when we go back, but i dont think it will take long to get him back in the routine. Obviously the other dog barking will have wound him up tho.
Hope all goes w ell
Deb