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Barking continuously while away from you is not a sign of spoiled but it can be helped with good training.
I definitely do not recommend shutting it down in a basement. Your dog's barking is a call for you to be near; isolation is only going to increase its anxiety at being away from you.
It definitely sounds like separation anxiety. Medication may help but won't solve the problem altogether.
What I would do is start with a very short away time from you. When your dog barks, simply say hush. Reward any time he remains silent with a treat and release. Whether you use a crate or a room with the door closed, that is when he is to be quiet. If he does remain silent for even a full minute, reward and praise. If he doesn't make it a minute, wait a day and the next day work on it for 30 seconds. Slowly increase the time. When he doesn't make it any length of time and immediately starts to bark, release but ignore for a minute.
You're using a form of behavioral training that uses the ignore and no treat for an aversive (punishment) and the reward is a treat and praise. Slowly increase the time you expect before the treat.
Barking continuously while away from you is not a sign of spoiled but it can be helped with good training.
I definitely do not recommend shutting it down in a basement. Your dog's barking is a call for you to be near; isolation is only going to increase its anxiety at being away from you.
It definitely sounds like separation anxiety. Medication may help but won't solve the problem altogether.
What I would do is start with a very short away time from you. When your dog barks, simply say hush. Reward any time he remains silent with a treat and release. Whether you use a crate or a room with the door closed, that is when he is to be quiet. If he does remain silent for even a full minute, reward and praise. If he doesn't make it a minute, wait a day and the next day work on it for 30 seconds. Slowly increase the time. When he doesn't make it any length of time and immediately starts to bark, release but ignore for a minute.
You're using a form of behavioral training that uses the ignore and no treat for an aversive (punishment) and the reward is a treat and praise. Slowly increase the time you expect before the treat.
I agree with this. Medication will help but training is also a good idea. Desensitization can work well.
I got my insane Catahoula to be mostly happy in his crate by using my cure-all dog solution. Mash up wet-down kibble and stuff it in a kong with some high-value treats randomly layered in, then seal it with peanut butter. Freeze it. Then leave it in there with the dog. It usually works for any dog with a reasonable food drive.
My Catahoula will never be as happy in his crate as my border collies were. It's just not in his nature. Sometimes he still has a minor temper tantrum when I stick him in there (violent barking for a few seconds). But he settles right down.
It's not a for sure fix but I have cured barking dogs by getting another dog. We board dogs in our home and many of the seemingly unfixable problems these dogs come to us with are quickly solved as they become part of the pack we have around here. I would never willingly have a single dog ever again.
I also have a crazy Catahoula and he LOVES his kong, which I also put Peanut Butter in and freeze it. I like the suggestion of stuffing the mashed up kibble in there first, great idea! That's when we leave the house completely; I've checked and he's quiet when he knows/thinks we're not there. If he's put in his crate and we're home (out shoveling etc.) he barks and freaks out like crazy dog - once he finishes his kong Ignore the barking, very difficult to do, but it should help eventually.
I have never bought into the "ignore the bad behavior" idea. Maybe for some behaviors it will work, but how in the world does the dog learn if not taught? Ignoring is not teaching.
1. make sure the dog has been out for exercise and potty time.
2. Put the dog into his crate with a very loved toy or treat that is saved just for this purpose.
3. Tell dog to stay and relax. Use your authoritative voice, not your I'm Sorry voice. Be positive!
4. Leave the room and don't look back.
Now, if the dog is quiet for 5 minutes, go back and allow him to come out. No craziness on your part of the dogs part, be calm! Don't make a big deal about it and your dog will follow your energy.
If the dog starts to bark as soon as you leave, rush right back there and give him a good talking to!!!!! Don't allow it to escalate to the point where the dog is crazed. Stop it before it gets there.
Do not allow the dog out at this point... after your lecture, turn around and leave. If the dog stays quiet, return quietly, allow him out, be calm. When you are going to allow him out, don't let him bust out of the crate. Make him wait inside for a moment or two, he can only come out when calm. Be deliberate with your actions..... use the door of the crate to make him wait and stay. Then walk calmly to the door, have him wait and be patient until you allow him outside.
Take him outside and give him a few minutes to do whatever.
Bring him back and put him back into his crate (again with his prized toy) and leave the room again.
Continue this until the dog can stay by himself for an extended time. This is teaching your dog what you expect and quiet will get him out. Barking will get him in trouble. Don't accept this behavior, don't ignore it.
Dogs with very high energy levels need to be dealt with calmly, and I mean calm to the point of you acting almost zombie like. If you get worked up, so will he. When the dog is acting nuts, take deep breaths, and do your best impression of a person with no emotion. Use a calm deep voice, keep your actions calm and slow.
It takes some time, and it takes commitment to change bad habits. You can do it!!
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