Hello everyone,

For some unknown reason Toby has taken to barking for ages if he's put in the back garden.  Occasionally we'll pop him out there, particularly if we've got people coming round (including my young neices) and don't want him jumping around.  We sometimes put him in his crate too, but again, he whines and barks.  We ignore him as best we can when he does this but it's flipping loud when he's in his crate, and when he's in the garden I'm worried about the neighbours.  On one or two occasions I've had to let him in from the garden when he's been barking, which I know is wrong, but he never actually shuts up long enough for me to fetch him in when he's quiet! 

Really don't know what's made him start with this behaviour.  Nothing's changed in the household or the way we treat him.  It's becoming really annoying and I'm worried I'm going to have problems with the neighbours if he continues.

Any help gratefully received.  Sharon.

He is barking because you are excluding him, and he eventually get syour attention, so he knows he has to be really persistent to finally be let in.

You will probably find it easier to address the reason for excluding him and train him to behave better around visitors rather than let this problem get worse.

When your neices call why not have him on a lead with you until he calms down (or until they leave).  This way you ahve control of his behaviour and he will calm down after a while and realise what behaviour is accepotable, and get into the ahbit of being clam and well behaved, as he won't have any choice.

Hi, thanx for your reply.  I understand what you're saying about him being excluded in the garden, but what about when he's in his crate?  He's in the living room with us all and can see us perfectly, gets spoken to (when he's quiet) and treats, fuss through the cage, so definitely not being excluded, but barks his little head off, and whines and whimpers for a good ten minutes or so.  Any ideas how to calm that?

Hopefully someone else will be along as I don't carate my dogs at home, only at shows or if staying at a hotel at night while I cam in bed or having meals, and then they are quiet, as they are happy to be resting in a familar safe place.  None of mien woudl be impressed at being crated at home :D

Hi,
We have our pup crated at home, i do this for certain periods throughout the day, when at home, when we are out and over night. To start with it was a night mare howling etc. But now he only does it if somebody comes in the house and he is in there. The only way we got over it was to completely ignore him, no eye contact nothing. then the moment he was quiet we would let him back out and make a big fuss of him. If you keep doing this for short periods during the day it will work. Sometimes I had to cover the crate with a blanket as the kids wouldn't stop looking at him, but this made him quieter quicker! We don't have to cover him at all now and he is a really pleasurable puppy. just have to work on the barking in the garden now. I have been using a water pistol which seems to be working so far but we will see.
Good luck
Em