[PetPerson]

I have a 6 month old dachshund that I adopted from the shelter I work at (3 months ago). He has was attached to me before I even brought him home. Because of this, he yipes (high pitch) constantly anytime I leave the apartment.....and I do mean constantly, because I can hear him from outside. Understandably, my neighbors are quite sick of it. I am thankful that my boss lets me take him to work every day, so I don't have to worry about it then. The problem comes in when I have to go anywhere else. I've been just leaving him in the car when I go somewhere, but it's getting hotter now and it won't be safe for me to do that anymore. I've considered getting a bark collar, because I really need to fix it fast. I know of the desensitization method of leaving the apartment for an increased amount of time and praising him when he's quiet...increase the time, etc. I tried that for a little while, but it didn't go well. Most of the time he barks before I even go out the door. On the few times that he doesn't bark within a minute (hasn't lasted longer than that), I give him a treat and praise but he isn't motivated by it. Anyone have suggestions on a good bark collar? I hate to get a shock collar but I'm afraid he's too stubborn for a citronella one.

I should note that he has made some progress since being home. I used to not be able to leave his site in the apartment, and now thankfully I can. No special tricks on that, it just sorta happened on its own.

 

[spotted nikes]

Get him a Thundershirt.
Walk him briskly, no stopping to sniff,twice a day for about 45 min to tire him out. Excess energy will increase anxiety. Do some training for about 15 min a day to tire him mentally. Google "I'll be Home soon" and "crate games".

 

[Nil]

This is a 6 month old puppy so I don't think a bark collar is in order. That is a somewhat harsh way to go with a puppy especially when you haven't really given this a good solid effort. I only say that because you claim to have worked on desensitizing him but from your post it sounds like you didn't commit to it and carry it out exactly right.

Have you tried these things?

1. Take him for a long walk to tire him out before you have to leave
2. Freeze a kong with something yummy inside and give it to him when you leave (buy a Kong for his size and put some kibble, treats, maybe some cut up meat, then seal the top with peanut butter and freeze it).
3. Get a food dispensing toy and put his breakfast in it (if you are leaving in the morning) for him to play with and eat from
4. Take 20 minutes before you leave to train him something. Can be something useful like sit, down, stay or something for fun like high five or spin in a circle. This gets his mind going and mind games like training can really leave a dog feeling tired.

Talk to your neighbors. Be nice. Go knock on their door and say "Hi, as you have probably heard I have a new puppy. I just want to give you guys my cell phone number in case I am away and you guys annoyed by it so I can come home. We are in the process of working on it but it might take some time but do know we are working on it and will hopefully have it under control soon. Again, I'm really sorry for the noise!" Let them know you are working on it and you know it's annoying.


But, if you are adamant about getting a shock collar go for it. I just don't feel you have exhausted your options yet and resorting to a shock collar can do a lot more harm then good to a 6 month old puppy.

 

[doxiemommy]

I agree with Nil. The bark collar just doesn't seem appropriate for a puppy who is still young, and still adjusting to a new home (it CAN take months, I have a rescue dog myself) and, by your own admission, HAS been making progress.

Tire her out before you leave. Leave an unwashed piece of your clothing in the crate with her. Give her a chew treat that will take awhile to devour, like the frozen, stuffed kong, or a bully stick. Cover the crate. Bake cookies for your neighbors, and deliver with a note apologizing and asking for their patience.

I have a mini dachshund and he was never super yappy or howly, or barky, BUT he did whine and get anxious when I left. When I started giving him kongs stuffed with peanut butter he stopped noticing me when I got ready to leave. The house could fall down around his ears and he wouldn't care, as long as he has the kong....

 

[Amaryllis]

I'm going to fourth no on the shock collar. It isn't fair to shock a 6 month old puppy simply because you haven't had time or haven't put in the effort. Please exhaust your other options before shocking a puppy for being a perfectly normal dog. You could end up making this worse. The lesson your puppy learns may well be that when you're gone, pain and terror happens. That's not going to help the barking or the SA.

 

[odiesmom]

I recently rescued a one year old black lab with some behaviorial issues ( his name is Lucifer , that says it all ) one of the worst problems he has was barking , especially when I tried to talk on the phone . After working with him for several weeks with no progress I broke down and bought a bark collar. I put it on him, he barked ONCE and has NEVER barked again !!! Try other options first but if they dont work the bark collar may be right for your dog !!! GOOD LUCK !!

 

[doxiemommy]

The difference is, this is a young puppy, still, and your dog was older. Puppies are like toddlers, you would never be as strict, nor use punishment as harsh for a baby as you would for an older child/teen....

 

[oldhounddog]

>I hate to get a shock collar but I'm afraid he's too stubborn for a citronella one.<

PetPerson ,
I think the Bark collar would be a waste and it could cause problems that you do not want. IMO
The advice given by others is spot on and in time things will get better. Some sort of daily routine of exercise and OB training together with the desensitization work you are doing should help in time. I am not anti training collar as I train hounds and my dogs wear high quality Dogtra collar (can be set to a fine tickle) every time we go out , for me it is a safety issue and is rarely used , but it guarantees recall in an emergency situation.

Best , oldhounddog

 

[HollowHeaven]

I'm just going to step in here and ask, please do not shock your puppy. Yeah, it'll probably stop his barking, and make him frightened to open his mouth again over anything.

 

[JonTempleton]

My friend has a new Cockerspaniel and most of the time she is okay. Then sometimes she just starts barking, at us, at a cat, at nothing. It is very strange because the impulse is rare, but when she does take up the behavior, it is impossible to make her stop.

 

[bear_42]

My dog had a major problem with barking, and I feel your pain. He still does, but it is manageable now.

Have you done any crate training?

Have you tried doing the speak and quiet training?

 

[odiesmom]

of course you are not as harsh on a puppy as an older dog . I worked for WEEKS with Lucifer and was even told by many people I should just get rid of him . All I was trying to say is IF you cant break this habit another way the bark collar can work. I think the barking problem was a huge part of why Lucifer needed rescued in the first place !

 

[JonTempleton]

Yea. I am seriously considering a shock collar myself.

 

[HollowHeaven]

Yea. I am seriously considering a shock collar myself.

To you, and all the others who think a shock collar is the perfect solution, an easy fix and yeah it's not going to harm your dog at all, just deter him, do your dog a favor and put the shock collar on yourself before you do your dog. Make a little noise and experience what your dog will be having to go through every time he makes a sound. I'm sure once you experience what it's like to get fried for trying to communicate, you'll change your mind about it. Or hopefully you will -.-

OP, if you dog has made progress since being home, it stands to reason that he could get better if you kept trying, doesn't it? You said yourself that you stopped training after only a little while. Training takes time and patience.

 

[CrazyDogLady]

I've got to chime in against the shock collar, too. There is a 1 year old GSD in Mercy's eactive Dog class who is EXTREMELY people and dog reactive. He was trained with a shock collar by his breeder before he went to his forever home at ~6mos. Our trainer thinks that this is at the root of his issues. Using a shock collar on a dog this young could set you up for more problems inthe future.