Dog Community

Need advice - Casey's become a barker (Erica1989)

erica1989

Posted : 3/18/2011 9:42:52 PM

Ok. I need some advice... I'm really not sure what to do with him.

Some back story - I've had Casey about 4 years now. He'll be 5 in April-ish. He's a shelter rescue, had some BAD fear aggression issues when I got him - but he's come around nicely. Starting November-ish, we moved in to my bf's apartment with his dog, and two cats. Everyone gets along great.

Both dogs are crated when we are not home/sleeping. They love their crates - go in with no issues.

A few months ago... Casey began barking when we were out. So we've been trying different things - and they've all been working... for a short period of time.

Our apartment is a small, studio, ground floor, alley, garage apartment (if that makes sense). We have NO insulation at all - we can hear everything going on outside, and vice versa.

When Casey first started barking - we made sure to leave the window AC unit on to help drown out outside noises. When that stopped working, we began playing music. When THAT stopped working... we covered his crate. That worked for about the past 2 months... now we're back to square one.

We even have gone as far as to move his crate to the bathroom, close the door, turn the lights on, turn on the music, cover him.... still barking.

. now...he does NOT start barking as soon as we leave. He honestly could care less. As soon as I put my shoes on - he runs to his crate. It's not until we've been gone for a few hours that he starts. According to the neighbors... he doesn't stop until we get home (how much of that I believe, I don't know)

He does NOT bark during the day, when we're home, or at night when we're sleeping. It's only when we go out at night, and even then, not always. Problem is... the neighbors are complainers. They complain about everything. I do not want to have to send Casey back to my parents house.... but if I cannot get him to stop - that's going to be my only option.

I gave him a mild sedative last night (which I did not want to do... but I'm at a loss). It has zero affect on him... we got home, and it was as if I had given him nothing. So clearly, that's out of the question (which, I'm sorta glad about... I was not thrilled with the idea, just desperate for a solution).

Now... one product I've always read about, but never tried directly is Reconcile. Any thoughts on that one?

Rescue remedy has no affect on him, neither do various other herbs I've tried with him and other fosters in the past. I don't know what triggers the barking... but according to the neighbors, once he starts - he does not stop...

thoughts? Anything I'm missing?

Beejou

Posted : 3/18/2011 10:08:26 PM

When I moved in with DH T-Bone became a little harder to handle/pulling lead etc. I stopped and realized he was slowly but surely getting less attention and exercise since living with a SO and all that comes along with ir had crept in and eaten up a lot of my time with him. Bones is back to his normal self since being 110% sure he gets HIS time and just as much outdoor time. (now we are in an apartment so there's no yard to play ball, etc). Just a thought.. Has Casey's schedule/activity level changed?

erica1989

Posted : 3/18/2011 10:51:09 PM

If anything - I would say he gets MORE exercise now, because he has Dahlia to run around with. We do have a yard (not fenced, but they stay in their area) - where they play and potty. We go for walks down by the water, and BF takes them to the park on his days off... I had thought about not enough exercise - but he still seems to bark, even after a long day out at the park and such. It all just seems so sporadic...I feel like I'm missing a big clue here....

rwbeagles

Posted : 3/19/2011 7:41:27 AM

Have you tried leaving him LOOSE when you leave, maybe with a Kong...and are you sure it's him and not the other dog, or both?

Barring that,

I'd just put a bark collar on him. You can't mess around with apartment living. Your neighbors were nice to tell YOU about it but if it's not fixed soon it may be management that speaks to you next. Short of moving into a single family home, you need something that will work quickly.

I would use a bark collar myself. Old thread about those got bumped up recently...you might check it out.

IMO if you are already giving him meds, a collar would probably have less potential side effects on him and be more likely to work...

erica1989

Posted : 3/23/2011 8:07:54 PM

We've tried leaving him loose... but honestly - I don't trust him. He likes to chase the cats on occasion, and BF's grandma owns the apartment we're in (her house is in front of ours), and does occasionally stop in when we're not home. I trust him when I'm home... but for everyones safety both dogs are crated when we're out/sleeping.

He has no interest in bones, kongs, etc. He feels if has to work for something... it's not worth it *shrugs*

I'm looking at no-bark collars now... even if we don't stay at this place forever, we'll wind up somewhere else and I can't have a barking dog!

Nallah06

Posted : 3/23/2011 8:16:34 PM

Does he get any kind of stimulation in his crate?

A frozen kong or nylabone? Something to keep him busy?? I would make sure any time in the crate is a happy time for him. My dogs get a kong filled with something no matter what when they're put in their crates. I use fruits & veggies a lot or yogurt frozen overnight. Make it a rewarding experience for him to be in the crate and not just because you are leaving.

I'd also suggest INCREASING the exercise. You may think he's getting enough...but he may not be. A tired dog is a good dog.

Remi is our challenge. He's a young GSP and he needs a ton of exercise everyday or he becomes hard to deal with. Life is much easier when he is well exercised and content. I'd also increase some training time with him. Work on some bonding time and increase mental stimulation. Mental stimulation can be just as tiring as physical.

I would try doing these few things first, and if they still aren't working try the bark collar. Its always my first suggestion to introduce more exercise when dealing with a problem like this. Sometimes its an easy fix like that.

Good Luck!

erica1989

Posted : 3/23/2011 8:24:13 PM

He has no interest in kong, bones, chewing, etc. He doesn't even chew rawhides, hooves, etc. He's not interested in toys... occasionally he'll fetch outside, but he'd rather tumble around with Dahlia. I don't know what happened to him in the first year of his life... but he's a strange puppy.

He LOVES his crate - and often, when bf and I are lounging around on the couch he'll be sleeping in his crate (door open). He never hesitates to go in when I say 'let's go to bed'. He doesn't bark right when we leave, or even every time we leave. He's VERY sporadic.

Even on days when he goes to the park for a few hours - he'll still bark. Something sets him off (guarding behavior, is what I'm leaning more towards)... unfortunately - I'm not there when it happens. Or if I am - I don't hear it, and he's not bothered by it when a human is home. At this point... it's stop the barking, or the dog has to go. :/

Rexy

Posted : 3/23/2011 11:02:53 PM

I was just wondering if you've thought of setting up a video camera to see if you can tell what's setting him off?

I know it won't solve the problem, but it may help fill in the pieces to the puzzle.

Other than that, I've got nothin'....

erica1989

Posted : 3/23/2011 11:29:17 PM

I've thought about it... but have no access to one. I don't know if a camera would pick up on the stimulation though, honestly. It could be someone walking through the alley, a car driving down the road, an animal outside - we have NO insulation, everything can be heard, and it's only magnified for a dog with large ears ;)