My dog barks when she's left alone in the house, please help

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Had our dog coming up to five years now.

She was a rescue along with another dog who sadly passed awayabout three years ago now.

Remaining dog had a bit of a period of adjustment. She had come from the kennels together with the old dog and they helped each other settle in.

Anyway, she went through a period of messing on the floor and being upset to be left when the other dog first died.

Has been fine messwise for ages.

We moved recently and have had windows open in the hot weather which we don't always close (stupid I know).

Anyway, our neighbour came to say the dog barks the entire time we're out. I knew she sometimes barked as I hear her when I come home occasionally but not every time. I assumed she was reacting to us getting bacvk, really didn't know she would bark the whole time.

Now have a policy of shutting all windows, doors and curtains when we go out to muffle the noise as she's in a crate in a hall. We lived in a detached house, btw and the complaint has come from someone over the fence so I think they can hear her from their garden, not through walls.

Anyway, I think (hope) that's the neighbour issue sorted but I'm really upset she's so unhappy that she's doing this. She's SUCH a happy little dog and very, very attached to us all. I'm a SAHM so she's not left for long periods (max I would say is three or four hours and certainly not every day).

Is there ANYTHING I can do to help her? It just seems to be classic separation anxiety. What can I do for her??

Bump!

Can anyone help, pleease?

It does sound like seperation anxiety. How often is she left alone? There are a few things you can do.

Train the anxiety. Start by leaving the room for just a few minutes, it is important you go back before the barking starts. Do not make a fuss when you come back. Just act normally. Build the time up slowly until you can leave for her for upto four hours.

Have a special toy, only for when you are out i.e. a kong stuffed with some tasty treats.

Leave a radio playing so she doesn't feel so alone.

Thanks dooinmecleanin.

Hard to say how often she's left alone. Prob once a day, sometimes twice. Max of four hours at the very maximum but usually much less - would be for something like popping to a toddler music class for an hour then into tesco or a friends house on the way home so around 2 - 2.5 hours.

She's fine about being left in another room at home, won't bark then. She does follow us around but can handle being downstairs while I'm upstairs with the kids for an hour, for example.

She did have a kong, but she managed to eat it so I was a bit worried about leaving her with one again.

Put something you wear down by her when you go out, or under the other side of the door if she sniffs under the door. Leave the radio on as doo says. DAP diffuser worked for our dog (Dog Appeasing Pheremones). Or you can get pills from the vets for anxiety which work well and break the habit (altho not a long term solution).