Barks like crazy when I leave..

[DahliaBelle526]

Dahlia is only 3 1/2 months and she goes absolutely crazy whenever I leave the room-I could walk from the living room to the kitchen and if she can't be with me she barks and tries to jump over the gate-and she does it successfully.

When I open the door to take Belle for her potty break she jumps all over me and tries to get outside.

How do I let her know that it is OKAY for her to be alone sometimes? If I leave her in the crate and go to a different room she'll bark and scratch at it.

I work from home and sometimes I have to crate them if they get too wild- or need relaxation. If I am in the same room with Dahlia she is usually fine after 4-5 barks. leaving is a different story.

I don't make a big deal of it when I get home or leave to go somewhere..

Any suggestions..?

Thanks!
-Thea

[DahliaBelle526]

anyone?

[Beryl]

I work from home too and had a similar problem. I crate my guys when I'm on some conference calls so that they won't embarrass me with barking at the postal worker or a passerby.

One of my guys was the barker when I'd leave and return. I give him a treat in his crate and leave quickly. I don't let him out as soon as I get home if he is barking. I wait until he shuts up. He stopped barking as much.

Keep in mind that you still have a puppy so some behaviors will stop as she gets older.

[Cassiepeia]

Three things I'd do are
1: Make sure she's had plenty of exercise
2: As Beryl mentioned....never go to her when she's whining and barking
and 3: Practice leaving her in a room on her own and not returning until she's quiet for a moment. If you can get her into a bedroom or somewhere with a door (rather than a baby gate) and play with her for a while and then just leave, closing the door so she can't get out...wait until she calms down and immediately go back into the room. No praise or anything...just go back in there and ignore her for a while...then when she's lovely and calm, give her attention and a treat.
I'd do #3 several times a day. Basically teaching her that "yes, I may leave the room and leave her, but YES, I will return and it's no big deal".

Hope that made sense.

And I do agree....she's just a pup so although she shouldn't be allowed to throw tantrums, you should expect she's going to be a bit upset about it. But as long as she's not reinforced for it, she will probably become more secure as she ages.

Cass.

[Ritz459]

Ha, I hear you. Our resident puppy is the same way; I can't even go to the bathroom without her whining by the door. I guess I'll have to try the steps, too.

[shodge]

There is hope! Lola did the same thing, except in the car (how she sensed the times I was going to bring her out, or leave her in for a few minutes, I do not know). She would bark incessantly as I left the car, even to run into a corner store, get gas etc. I just completely ignored it and started giving her a treat when I got back into the car and it has completely stopped. It may just be a phase!