Could it be a different dog? I'd be tempted to get a drop cam and see what he's doing.
My neighbor very kindly told me tonight that Cooper barks non stop from the time I leave in the morning until the time I get home. I find this hard to believe since I've been coming home on my lunch and he's perfectly quiet and not even panting the slightest bit, which I'd expect if he'd been barking for several hours. Same situation when I get home at the end of the day. He greets me at the door, but he isn't worked up at all.
Any suggestions how I can curtail this if it is happening? He's our only dog now since we put down our 13 yr old lab last week. I also have him gated in our kitchen because he's been having some potty issues lately. He's only 6.
Suggestions???
Could it be a different dog? I'd be tempted to get a drop cam and see what he's doing.
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
Hidden Content
I would confirm that it was my dog as well. However, with the potty issues, it could be anxiety wanting to go out. Also, pred has been known to affect behavior negatively.
If it is him, anxiety could be kicking in because he's now alone.
I'd suggest using a DAP (pheromone) collar to calm him. This is the one I'd used but it's been taken over by another company...can't vouch for its effectiveness. You may want to check around.
Amazon.com : Adaptil, D.A.P (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) Collar for Medium to Large Dogs - 27.6 : Pet Collars : Pet Supplies
How much are these cameras and are they easy to use? Can they be rented?
Maybe when you leave in the morning you could drive around the block and then park a couple of houses away and walk back to your house to see if you can hear Cooper barking. If you can park away from your house at lunch and after work, I think you would be able tell if he's really barking non stop all day.
I agree you need to make sure it IS Cooper who is barking. We have had a major bad barking problem and several neighbours have identified different dogs. We now know who the culprit owner is and a court order is the next step for her. She's an idiot, the owner, even when informed the dog was barking she did nothing. In the meantime it turns out several other dogs WERE/ARE barking but none as bad as hers.
As well as the ideas above some other things to consider are:
- A dog walker
- Doggy Day Care
- A bark collar which can be shock, tone, vibration, spray of citronella or a high pitched whistle tone. But you probably don't want to leave this on all day.
- The same high pitched whistle tone is what is used in this: Outdoor Ultrasonic Bark Control by PetSafe - PBC00-11216
Cooper knows the sound of your car or your step or your timing, that's why he's not barking when you come home, if he ever was.
Cooper has had a big life change with the loss of you other dog and he needs to adjust to being alone. Maybe starting all over with testing his alone time, as you did when puppy proofing him, would be a help. Personally, I like to have an animal companion. NOT another dog. I think I will always have a cat with a dog. Mine, even the two not the best friends, are at least some other living being in the house. Even if the cat stands at the top of the stairs and says, "Nyah, Nah, N'nyah, yah" at the dog it's a least a social interchange for the two of them. I think it helps.
Good luck. With Oban's exercise so limited now we are having some barking issues too. I'm going to try the Dognition games I think, from the link someone put here last week, to occupy his mind more, since he can't run as much. But I work from home.
Problem averted for now...my daughter's work schedule has changed so she is home days now to be with him. I hope this helps him feel secure enough for now that if he has to be alone he will be ok.
I made a new thread about possible depression / illness he is having if you get a chance please help! I'm so concerned for him.
Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet? | |
|
|