Dog Community

barking all night

Posted : 7/29/2009 8:51:48 AM

About 2.5months ago, we decided to go back to crating our dogs (2 chihuahuas, a 5y-o & 4y-o). They're crated when we're not available to supervise them.

It went surprisingly well. I really thought we would have problems initially, but they took to it immediately. It really settled their behavior and made them far more docile/obedient.

Until this last week. About 5 days ago, Winnie (the 4y-o) started barking all night. She just barks and barks and barks all night.

They're crated by the back door. I thought maybe a cat was harrassing them outside the door (we live in an area with a lot of feral cats), but that didn't explain why Petey wasn't also barking his head off. At any rate, we moved them to a quieter area where they shouldn't have been able to hear outside noise. Didn't work. She still barked like mad all night.

We thought maybe, even though they go potty on a regular schedule, she just had to go extra and we took her out to see if that would solve the problem. We tried that a couple of nights. No deal.

I just can't imagine what is making her bark all night, but we got a complaint from the neighbors, so we need to take care of it. Any suggestions?

Liesje

Posted : 7/29/2009 9:07:35 AM

I have one dog who is crated at night. I run a box fan to diffuse any noises that might wake him (if it's not hot I just point the fan away from the crate).

espencer

Posted : 7/29/2009 10:19:39 AM

My alaskan malamute is created at night and while i'm at work and he does great BUT i need to make sure that i MUST burn all the extra energy he pents up while he is created with a good walk every single day.

It seems that the sudden lack of freedom is of course making your dogs to "recharge their batteries" faster and more often. Not able to burn down that energy is making them look for a way to do it themselves and very often they try it by barking (which is not a good outlet whatsoever).

Any dog regardless of their size needs to be walked every day and even more if now your dogs are created, "dont recharge a battery if you are not panning to use it". Sometimes it escalates into frustration and from there it becomes aggression.

A good 30 minutes walk everyday could be enough to get rid of the barking, the doggies will go back into their crates on "resting mode" ready to sleep. Its good for them AND you.

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 7/29/2009 10:23:58 AM

Our dachshunds used to bark, for no reason, right after going to bed. (They aren't crated, & they sleep in beds in our bedroom.) We play ball for about 10 minutes, & then go into 5 minute obedience session right before bed. It seems to take care of the last bits of pent up energy that they have. The obedience session right before bed, seems to tire them enough that they hop in bed & are ready to fall asleep immediately instead of listening for strange noises.