Question
My foster puppy is such a great puppy when I am home…however he barks constantly while I am gone. I am gone for a few hours in the morning and in the afternoon for work. My roommate is not happy with the situation, and I am not sure what to do. I live in an apartment complex and I am worried about the neighbors as well. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do about his barking? I am open to any suggestions you have.
Answer:
This behavior is pretty typical of a single puppy. There’s a good reason why puppies are born in litters! All dogs, no matter the age, are social creatures, and for puppies in particular that social interaction is so vital. They learn from their brothers and sisters, they stay warm sleeping on them, they play together, and they thrive on these relationships. So when a pup is separated from not only his mom but also his siblings, it is extremely stressful and hard on him. Having experienced such a huge loss, it’s little wonder that when the pup forms a new bond with another caregiver/playmate, he freaks out when that caregiver leaves him. That can be very stressful on the caregiver. I fostered a couple single pups in the past, and at some point I remember taking them into the bathroom with me just to get some quiet!
There is really is no instantaneous solution (I would probably make a million dollars if there were). Mother Nature works in her own time, and eventually the puppy will calm down and learn to comfort himself. The important thing is that you don’t give it any more attention than you absolutely have to. You don’t want to reward him for this behavior. So plan for times away carefully and in advance. Make sure he’s nice and warm, he doesn’t have to go potty, that he has a plush, stuffed buddy in his pen or crate with him, and perhaps invest in some good ear plugs for your neighbors. If he is physically able, a few energetic play sessions during the day to tire him will definitely help you out in the peace and quiet department. You can try leaving him with a stuffed kong or other tasty goodie, but I found in this situation, the little guy is usually too upset to want to eat. When you must leave, as long as you know that all his basic needs are met, then you don’t have to feel guilty or worry that he really needs something. He’s just lonely and doesn’t know what’s going on, and in his eyes, you’re not just caregiver, you’re also playmate now too.
You can also do a little training with him when you two are together. First, make sure you aren’t coddling him a lot when you’re around. Have plenty of playtimes and lovin’ sessions. This is very important to a pup’s development too. But it’s also important to start teaching the pup to entertain and comfort himself too. Here’s how you do that.
When you are in the same room with him, practice totally ignoring him (don’t talk to him, don’t hold him or touch him, and don’t even look at him (except to be sure he isn’t going potty on the rug)). Start with a few minutes where you ignore him, and gradually work up to maybe 15-20 min. When you’re watching TV, this is a great time to start this type of training. Give the pup a couple toys to play with and chew on, and then ignore him totally when the show is on, no matter how he tries to get you to play. Then, during commercials, reward him with a couple minutes play or petting. When the show comes back on, ignore him again. Do this for maybe the span of a sitcom (don’t forget to make one of your play breaks a potty break!). During these times, he is learning how to entertain and comfort himself.
Also, make sure you’re ignoring him at your meal times. He needs to know that just because you’re around, that doesn’t mean you’re always going to pay attention to him. He will learn how to entertain himself. And when he can do that when you’re around, then he’ll be able to do it when you’re away.
Hang in there and I promise it will eventually get better as he settles in and gains some confidence.
