Help...dog barks whenever im not home...shock collars?

[HenryTheGreat]

hi all,
im looknig for advice and opinions about training my 1 year old jack russel to stop barking. He seems to bark pretty much the entire time im at work or at school (generally for 4 hours a time) and apparently my landlord and those around me have had enough and im worried they will ask me to find him another home...which is pretty much out of the question.
I realise his barking is quite annoying and if i had to listen to Henry bark all the time, boy id be mad too!
so this needs to stop....but how?

what are your opinions on shock collars or those which spray whenever he barks? What other routes can i go?

I try to be home as much as posslb,e but like i said i do have to work and go to school so he does have to be alone about 20 hours a week, in his crate (he will destruct my apartment otherwise...lesson learned) with water, toys, food and a nice bed.

landlord has told me as of yesterday shes phoning the humane society (I just got the note yesterday am however i was at work all da so we have yet to discuss) so things need to change.

looking forward to any and all responces!! :hail:

 

[BlackPuppy]

I got a shock collar for my younger dog last summer (Tritronics Bark Limiter XS $99). All it took was a couple of shocks, now she knows that when she's wearing it that she isn't supposed to bark. I hardly ever use it anymore, though. As she gets older, she keeps getting better.

Yes, it's surprising how much more they bark when we're not around. Just protecting their butts, is what I always say.

 

[Herschel]

How much exercise does he get before you put him in the crate?

Parson Russell Terriers are working dogs--they may be small, but they need as much exercise as larger working dogs. Are you fulfilling that need?

 

[Sweet72947]

HenryTheGreat, your dog is probably barking due to separation anxiety and using a shock collar will probably only make it worse. There are training methods where you teach your dog not to freak out when you leave. Your dog could also be barking due to boredom. You could get a Kong toy and fill it with peanut butter. That should occupy your dog for a little while. Oh, and a note about those citronella collars, some dogs learn that after so many barks the spray empties, so those can lose their effectiveness!

 

[Zoom]

I would first see if increasing his exercise before you leave helps any, as well as making his toys more interesting. Stuff a Kong with Peanut Butter or yogurt and freeze it...that keeps 'em busy for at least 20 minutes and usually once they start chewing on the Kong they zone out for at least an hour or so. Put half of his breakfast into a puzzleball of some sort so he can focus on how to get the food out of that.

Have you thought about doggie daycare or hiring a dogwalker in the middle of the day so he gets more exercise and stimulation?

PRT's are a barky breed to begin with and they need a LOT of mental stimulation to keep from getting bored.

 

[Doberluv]

Along with the good ideas you've already gotten, you can also get several stuffed toys and other little treats and hide them throughout the house. He may be kept busy tracking and finding them. It is hard for a dog like that to be alone with nothing to do for a long time. I like the idea of doggie daycare or someone coming and taking him for a walk. And a good deal of exercies (mind and body) before he is left and when you come home. Obedience training, tricks, interactive games can do a lot to tire a dog out as well as physical exercse. (running)

 

[Andie]

Shock Collars are cruel

I do not think any dog should be subjected to a shock collar. There are other methods to make them quit barking. If you are going to use a shock collar then my advice is to try it on you first. That way you can see what kind of shock it is going to give your dog whenever he/she barks. It might change your mind on the whole shock collar thing. But best of luck with it.

 

[dr2little]

I agree with so much of what's been said on the "there are better options" side.
You could save some money just buying one of these instead of the shock collar and save your dog (and likely yourself) the stress, anxiety and pain associated with such a devise.
http://www.kongtime.com/

 

[daaqa]

how does he handle being in the crate when you are home? perhaps if you put him in it at random times while you are there, letting him see/hear you. get him used to being able to settle in and take a nap. for instance, put him in his crate with a stuffed, frozen kong. and leave him in there for a while with it, while you are home.
a suggestion i read to help break the separation anxiety thing is to walk through different steps of you leaving at random times, but without leaving. like, pick up your keys and then set them down. put him in the crate, then let him out [but not if he's whining/barking]. put on/take off your jacket. put on your shoes, then take them off later. put him in the crate and then go outside for a minute, and then come back in. gradually increase the length that you are gone, so the dog doesn't know when you are coming back. i would exercise him well, as has been suggested, before putting him in, as well.
if you keep the dog guessing, it might throw him off his pattern enough.
once you have done this randomly and he remains calm then give it a longer test. if you leave with some music/TV on, put something that carries your scent in/over/near his crate, and give him a stuffed kong before you leave, he may not notice your departure as much.

 

[HenryTheGreat]

thanks for all the replies.
he does get to go out for a run with me daily, for a good 45 mins to an hour and he quite enjoys it and it sure does tucker him out.
I often do put him in his crate when im home, or in another room and he is fine, it is once i actually leave does he bark.

Im not interested in hurting him, and no, the shock collar is not going to happen i was just looking for opinions on it..the only thing close to the chock collar i would look into would be the once which sprays and i still am considering that route after talking to people around me who have tried it, and know my sitation.
Ideally i would love to have him in some form of doggie daycare, however finantically that isnt an option right now

 

[Cimorene]

Barking

Wow, when I read some of these messages, I realize I'm lucky to have the problems I have... It sounds like a really tough situation, and I sympathize, because I got my first Golden Retriever, years ago, when I too was working and going to school, and she was a royal pain. I felt sorry for her, too, obviously, and I feel sorry for both you and your neighbors! The people next door to us--who we don't know well--have gotten a puppy, and like so many people, think they can leave it in an outdoor run all day, where it howls and barks loudly, echoing through the mountains and making my boys upset. I'm still trying to think how to handle this touchy situation. I'm home a lot, and I really worry about the dog; it's a sweet dog, and they're ruining it. That makes me crazy!!!

But the thing that concerns me about your Jack Russell is that he's already a year old and hasn't gotten over this yet. I'm sure some of the experts here can say whether that is a problem or not; I don't know. I do know that the main lesson I had to learn when I got my first puppy was that for awhile, at least, you have to make a lot of sacrifices....and it's worth it. My trainer told me to use the "penny can" routine: you put some change in a coffee can, cover it, and give a sharp rap to the top of the kennel when he starts up--while rattling the can. Now, the problem here is that you have to be able to spend some good, quality time at this, night and day, but eventually it works. My dogs have always eventually realized that there are certain things that are not negotiable, and your guy hasn't "gotten" that yet. I'm sure he's lonely, but he still doesn't get to do that, and when you get clear about that, I think he'll fall in line. Could you carve out a week or more to be with him all the time, to work on these things? I imagine a good chunk of concentrated time really reinforcing whatever you decide to do would get him to fall in line pretty quick, as well as reassuring him that you're there for him, if not always physically there.

Well, all these great suggestions, and mine sound pretty puny, but I hope you work this out without getting evicted. Hey, maybe if the landlord calls the humane society, they'll give you some good ideas! My guess is that the humane society probably has other fish to fry, though.

 

[tinies12]

I have learned alot from these wonderful people. They are very well versed in what they do. Use what they have to offer and things will change for you and your dog

 

[HenryTheGreat]

yes thank you for all the wonderful ideas, i will for sure use some of them!

Ive been told "he must have" extreme separation anxiety, and i agree with this. I feel bad for those around me who have to listen to him bark and howl and i feel bad for him as i too would hate being left alone.
I have tried leaving my tv on (which faces his crate, as well as music...however it has yet to work. What other things can i try?
I will be trying the peanut butter in a kong toy, im sure he will enjoy it but im worried he will be too preoccupied with my absence to even show any attention to the toy.
Ideally once my hours pick up (one of our stores closed, thus the people atthat store came to ours so my hours got cut by about 70%) I plan on putting him in doggy day care so he can socialize and have more humane interaction. But for the timebeing im doing the best i can

Also alittle update...i went to my landlord (who used to be the super at my old building so i know her rather well) and she claimed to not have written the note, or have ever heard of it being written. She hasnt had any noise complaints about me or henry and said not to worry about eviction or the humane society being called as she knows im not ignoring him or hurting him...and there isnt much she can do for a dog who barks (as hers does too! just not as loudly). So that makes me feel better...
However this barking is an issue which needs attention regardless

again...thank you all! i will keep you updated

 

[IliamnasQuest]

The kong is an excellent idea and I think you may find it works pretty well at least for awhile. What I would recommend is to use a couple of kongs and to not feed him in the morning before you leave. Stuff the kongs with his food and enough peanut butter or squeeze cheese (I have better luck with the cheese - my dogs aren't very impressed with peanut butter) to keep the kibble in. Consider filling one the night before and sticking it in the freezer so that it will take him longer to empty it.

Then just before you leave, put him in the kennel and drop in the kongs and quietly leave. Don't make any sort of fuss over leaving. Have the TV or radio on for awhile before you leave and then just don't turn it off.

Do you have spring break coming up? If so, you may have a bit of time when you can practice leaving and coming back frequently to reward him for quiet behavior. I would use the kongs EVERY time you leave, however.

Good luck with this. It's hard having a dog that has separation anxiety, but it can be dealt with in a large number of dogs.

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

 

[Cimorene]

Alaska???

Hey, Melanie, this is off-topic, but where are you in Alaska? We lived there for a long time: King Cove, Valdez, Wasilla.....and we had a chow there, which is what made me notice you. They are such sweethearts! We really miss living in such a dog-friendly place!

 

[FoxyWench]

i just wanted to add to all the great advice by saying, 45-1hour of exersize is NOT enough for most terrier breeds, it might tucker him out after the run but unless the run is in the morning before you leave its not going to help.
JRT's (or parsons) are VERY active terriers and prefer a job to do.
Flyball and agility are good sports that can be done just for fun on the weekends. and id try and get him out for AT least 1/2 hour in the morning for playtime before going out and then again in the afternoon for potty break/walk and a good run/play in the evening.

all the jrts (ill never get used to calling them parsons) have all liked search games, (hide their favorite toy and tell them to go find it. it requires some training to begin with but these dogs are ratters, chasing and hunting are what they were bred to do.
when your not around i agree, kong toys, puzzle toys, anything stimulating.

 

[polarit]

barking

it sounds like the dog wasn't properly crate trained and percieves the crate as a prison. I always feed my dog in his crate with the door open until he starts to see it as a good place (several days to weeks depending on prior training) then I start to close the door and feed him through the bars, the after a few more days I will lock him in and ignor him till he stops barking, whining, scratching, when he is COMPLETELY calm and lying down, i reward the calm behavior by letting him out and going for a walk. OVERUSE OF CRATE CONFINEMENT CAN MAKE A DOG CRAZY AND IMPRINT HIM FOR LIFE! so easy does it. gradual crate traing will teach a dog good habits, hasty or improper crate training will teach him BAD habits.