Dog barking non-stop while I’m out.

[PatsArrow]

I have an 11 yr old border terrier. He very mild-mannered and well behaved.
I work from home and always have done, so my Ddog is very rarely ever left alone. DH works out of the house.

Occasionally though, obviously DH and I are out together for the evening. In the past my neighbour has told us that Ddog barks non-stop while we’re out - like he’s frantic. My neighbour isn’t annoyed but says he worries Ddog is ok. Ddog is always perfectly fine when we get back, often on the sofa.
last Saturday me and a DH were out from about 7.30pm to midnight. This morning my neighbour saw me and said Ddog had barked constantly again.

How do I deal with this? Ddog doesnt bark a lot normally. I know it’s separation anxiety and we’ve probably caused it by me always working from home. He’s normally a happy, calm dog. Me and DH don’t go out very often. Our next time will be in Nov!
My DC’s are away at uni. My family live 5 hours away. DH’s family is unwell. I’ve looked at Pet sitters (for someone literally to sit with him) but most seem to only offer overnight at minimum?

anyone got some great tips?

im 75, have had dogs since I was 12, mostly border collies. Had a few other breeds. Have had this problem. Firstly,if its new,vet check for cc'd. Had this with 2 previous dogs (older) Have always had 2 dogs, previously 3..ATM have an 11 year old BC, and a 3 year old BC. With her,we put our cheap wildlife camera in the room, went to the paper shop, then a bit further. They are renown as the most clever dogs on the planet,so she knew shoes,coat. We put both on before going out. No fuss out the door,back in,no fuss, ignore the dog. We kept doing this,took a few weeks. We had neighbours once,2 big dogs, they started barking when she left at 5.30 to much out her horses, continued all day until gone midnight when she came back from the local club. I worked nights, couldn't sleep, tried reasoning with her. Dogs weren't walked. eventually went to the council. They suggested I walk the dogs,I'm 5ft she was late 20s almost 6ft and she couldn't manage them.

Your neighbour is annoyed and rightly so

It would drive me mad

Even though your dogs old you still need to invest time and effort in to training it and helping it learn that behaviour isn't good

I have neighbours with a small yappy dog and it barks non stop when they go out which is for many hours at a time.
Especially early mornings and weekends.

I don't communicate with them as he is an absolute pig of a man. I don't need his abuse and the animal welfare charities want a diary kept.

I do believe this story is true and not made up as you suggested.

As you get on well with your neighbour and you know he dogsits for others could he also be a potential sitter for you also?

you have goy some good tips here. defo recommend the snuffle mat and kong toys they tire my lad out. I also recommend a Teddy that has a beating heart in it. you switch it on and let them lie with it it mimics a human heart so its like you are with them I also leave the radio on for back ground noise for them

Why? I have the same problem where I live. It’s a nightmare!!

We use hemp based calming treats which seem to have helped with nocturnal separation anxiety barking. We did not want to give in to having ddog in our bedroom.

If he usually stops at the sound of your voice you could try a nanny cam that you can speak to him through?

I'm amazed that you go out so infrequently.

Our neighbour told us our dog barked the whole time we were out (1 hr for school run twice a day). I got a camera and he barked for max 5 mins (clearly saying ‘guys, I think you forgot me?) and then looked thoroughly depressed and abandoned for the rest of the time. So we worked on settling him with a sniffle mat before going and that broke the habit

he doesn’t respond to our voice through the camera or phone

I was just wondering about a companion animal? Maybe a kitten?

Yikes! Not with a Border Terrier!! 😳

Borrow My Doggy?

I have 3 dogs, the two girls are fine but the 12 year old boy barks none stop when on the odd times they are left in the house alone. The boy is clingy to me. I tried a camera with a microphone which I found made him worse as he couldn’t understand where I was. Let me know if you find a solution as nothing really works. Treats seem to help for a very short time.

If your neighbour dog sits his daughters dog, maybe he'd be happy to look after your dog if you're out. You can only ask. From his perspective a furry friend would be way preferable to a barking dog. I'd feel him out and say obviously you wouldn't expect him to always be available. Then look for other options as well. Nice neighbours are generally more than happy to help out if you don't take the piss, you reciprocate and, as in this instance, it solves an unpleasant problem for them.

Why on earth would the neighbour make it up?
My Mum’s neighbour’s dog is like this. As a PP said, it’s the poor dog I feel sorry for, as it is clearly in distress. And no doubt OP’s dog is too.
What a bonkers comment.

We leave the radio on or ask Alexa to play calming music for dogs.

How about having some kind of camera that you can speak to him through or video?

@PatsArrow

There is training you can do on separation anxiety. Slowly building up how long he is left. Sounds like attention seeking too. Make sure you are not inadvertently rewarding the undesirable behaviour AND that you are praising the good!!

Would your neighbour look after your dog if you get on well?

Also, you forgot to pay the dog tax 😉

Why do you think that? And why on earth would they?

@PatsArrow

This can be worth a try, but my dog was worse not better for it, seemed to confuse rather than sooth.

One with a treat dispenser may be good? I’ve not tried one of those.

My thoughts too. There is always one… 🙄

Yes that what my neighbour said . . . the labrador dog was a nightmare when they were out. A pair of police workers.
We cheered when they moved . . . awful people.

Hi. I haven't read all the thread. I have two 12 year old borders. They are fine during the daytime but don't like being left in the evening. They don't bark but howl! I set up a camera to check and they did look cute howling away. Luckily we don't go out much together in the evenings but when we have recently we have got a sitter from Rover - she just did the evening for a few hours, not all night. I know this is ultra obvious but make sure you leave a light on.

I agree. Barking dogs are a total menace in an otherwise quiet neighbourhood. I don't know what the answer is. Maybe consult a dog therapist or trainer to see if they can help.

I’ve come to the Dog House looking for a thread like this - but we are the neighbours.

We have new neighbours whose dog, a little sausage dog, barks and howls non stop from morning to night, essentially a whole working day of howling with a lunch break when someone pops home. They only moved in last week so I am hoping it settles down as the dog gets used to her new home. The poor soul sounds so distressed and it’s distressing to hear - as well as being a pain like any other neighbour noise. DP works from home full time, I am hybrid, and we have two cats who are finding it quite disconcerting.

I don’t want to be an annoying neighbour and say something (I only met them briefly on the day they moved in) but it’s a lot!