Basically, I have been crating Zeke when he is alone in the house since I got him (May). At first it was hard, as he did not like the idea at all. Over time, however, he got to the point where he would be excited to see his Kong, which he only gets in the crate. I was pretty sure he still barked some once he finished the Kong, but I never had any complaints from the downstairs people/my landlady. (I live in the upstairs of a house, and the downstairs is offices for a welding shop across the street. My landlady often works downstairs.) So I pretty much accepted that Zeke must not be too loud when I am gone.
Today, though, I was walking him after I got back from class, and a man (neighbor? I don't know, I've never seen him, and there were also workmen around, so maybe he was one of them) from around the corner said that his nickname for my dog was "yippy", which I think is rude, to say the least. But I do believe that it is probably accurate. Though I would not say Zeke is yippy, per se, he can be noisy.
He is never like that when I am home, it's only when I leave him, and it seems to be probably worse when my sister/roomate crates him, on occasions when she leaves and I am already gone, like today.
So I guess my question is is there anything I can do about this, or is it just something that is part of Zeke and I must accept? The reason I crate him when I am gone is because if he sees a squirrel or a cat or a dog out the window he always barks, and does not calm down for ages unless I specifically distract him for a while, even after whatever it was is gone. Also, I like to know that he is safe and out of trouble when I am gone.
Would he be otherwise quieter when I am gone if I did not crate him? I don't know if I could block the windows, though. Or would he still whine and bark for a while anyway, just because I am gone? He does not do it when I leave and my sister is home.
It's not that he dislikes the crate, I don't think, because he still loves to go in to get his Kong, and he gets dinner in there. Although, in the car, when he is in this crate, he also whines...but I think that is just from being confined when he is excited.
Again, nobody has complained, but I don't want it to become an issue. If only I could take him everywhere with me, but the dog at work doesn't like him, and I don't think I would be allowed to take him to class. Sigh. If only I had the money to take him to a dog daycare every time I go away for a while. At least he'd have fun while missing me. Oh, well.
Anyway, sorry this is such a long post, I just had to air my frustrations in an understnding group. I'm probably not the only one who has gone through this!