Barking constantly when I leave the room

[Christi Mahu]

Hi everyone,

First post!  I did look for this topic before posting, but I didn't see anything that matched my situation.

Puppy: 3 month old (as of today!) minature goldendoodle (62% mini poodle, kind of a F2B but not quite).  

I brought her home three weeks ago.  I'm taking time off to adjust to puppy life, so I'm home with her 24/7.  Her last shot parvo shot is next Friday, so we can't go for a walk or play outside -- our world is currently my 100sqft balcony, with a wire crate, a wire crate that I drape a blanket over in the living room, and a wire crate in the bedroom.  She doesn't roam the apartment because she's not potty trained.  I have a Doggie Lawn on the patio, and plan on just using that for potty training -- she goes pee there when asked, but only poops in the crate -- and only poops when I leave the room, she won't go any other time.  

I don't know if it count's as "separation anxiety" (I saw a post describing that as a condition), but she is very upset when I leave the room even for a minute, and barks -- I wouldn't say "yaps", she doesn't seem to bark just to hear herself bark, it's this desperate whiny "PLEASE COME BACK TO ME" tone.  

Yesterday and today I'm trying leaving the apartment and going to the common area for an hour or two to get her used to the idea that I'm not always around.  I have a camera, and see that she does have moments of settling herself and resting in the crate.

I ignore her when she barks, when she's on the patio and I go in the apartment / in the kitchen (where she can see me but only kind of), and when she stops barking I say "good quiet!" then go back to ignoring her when she barks.  

Growing up I had dogs, but they weren't treated all that well.. the excuse is they were hybrid wolves and had to "show them who's the alpha" but biological dad went overboard and I am now realizing anything I knew about handling dogs doesn't align with my values.  I came here because of the Instagram posts showing the methodology of being more of a loving partner, not the "boss" -- but that means when she does something like barking, I don't know what to do.

Please help 😵‍💫
- 🌲 Christi and Maple 🍁

[Christi Mahu]

I'll note this: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/signs-of-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/ 


(This happens every single time I leave the room for a few minutes, unless she has nothing to pee / poop -- when I'm home, we are together, and she wakes up from a nap, she will wait until I take her to the grass, and pee in the grass... but not poop, she only does that in her crate when I leave).

7) Inappropriate Urination and Defecation

The term “inappropriate urination and defecation is often used to depict dogs peeing and pooping in the home. In simple words, the “dog is having accidents.”

Although the word inappropriate makes this sound as if the dog is behaving in an undesirable matter, we must remember that having accidents when left alone is not the dog acting “out of spite” or “revenge pooping” because he hasn’t been taken along for a car ride.

In reality, dogs who pee or poop when left alone are often in distress, they’re dealing with their worst fear. “It’s symptomatic of a general anxiety-like state.” (Bradshaw et al., 2002)

These dogs normally exhibit a good level of bladder and bowel control when the owners are home. Affected dogs may defecate in the home even if they defecated when taken on a walk prior to being left alone.

(and this has happened several times):
 

10) Escape Attempts
Dogs may injure themselves in their desperate efforts to be reunited with their owners. These dogs are literally trying to escape and this can lead to bleeding gums and nails as they scratch and bite doors.

Some dogs have even been reported of breaking through windows.

Dogs who desperately try to escape may present with uneven nail wear and scored teeth.

(I have not noticed bleeding gums, but she does put her mouth between the gaps of the wire crate like she's trying to squeeze out of it, and a few times a day doing that she will yelp).

11) Overly Enthusiastic Greetings
When dogs with separation anxiety greet their owners after they have been away, they’ll throw out an exaggerated greeting.

(She's a puppy, so I expect this, but she expresses it with ONLY wanting to chew on me, not her toys (when giving her substituion of toys, she doesn't want them, she wants to chew on me).  After a while, she will let me redirect her to toys).

[Christi Mahu]

One more:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-puppies/

Specifically:
 

Don’t Let Puppies Cry It Out!

In the past, it was common practice to let puppies cry it out and not open their crates until they were quiet. Even worse, sometimes owners were instructed to yell at their crying pups. Yelling at or trying to discipline a puppy is as silly as yelling at a baby for waking up from a nap. Ignoring or yelling only leads to a sense of fear and confusion, negatively impacting the potential of the formation of a bond based on trust.

Such approaches can therefore cause deep anxiety and a state of helplessness which ironically may inculcate what we may be ultimately trying to avoid: separation anxiety later in life.

Fortunately, nowadays we know better. Puppies are social beings and have a strong need to establish with their humans a relationship of trust, they need to know they have somebody to count on that will cater to their needs. This gives them security.

The more we allow our pups to experience strong distress, the more they’ll be taking a step back in their learning to be confident when left alone. So pay attention to your puppy when you are teaching him to be alone. Take baby steps and work at your pup’s pace always ensuring your pup isn’t over threshold.

(Ok, but how do I not let her cry out)? 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

So how do I not let her cry it out?

Great question!

In these cases, we very gradually and systematically exposes them to small increments of alone time. The goal is to avoid pushing the dog over the threshold to the point of exhibiting signs of distress, which will lead to sensitization (making the dog more anxious).

Side note: I am glad cameras set up so that you can carefully monitor your pup's progress. 

Calming Aids: The adjuvant use of calming aids may be helpful to help the dog be less on edge. Pheromone-based diffusers or sprays such as Adaptil can be helpful during changes. I always make sure to have a plug-in diffuser in the room where a new foster dog or a client's dog will spend most of the time.

It may also help to play calming CDs for dogs, such as Through a Dog's Ear, to muffle the sounds.

Always Consult With Your Vet:  Consult with your vet for specific recommendations on calming aids/medications.
Many dogs struggle with being crated. There are chances that once crated, as they watch us leave the room they start associating the crate with our absence. This may put a dent in even the most well-intended efforts to create positive associations with the crate.  Accidents may happen in the crate also due to the distress. 

Helping Foster a Sense of Independence: When tackling problematic behaviors in puppies and dogs, it's important to address the problem from the root cause and implement a multi-pronged approach.

Research has found that dogs, just like children, display what's known as a secure base effect, which means that they rely on their owners as a secure base for interacting with the environment. It's important to establish in puppies and young dogs a foundation of safety and trust while gradually fostering a sense of independence. Ideally, this is started early on with simple exercises to prevent separation anxiety in puppies.

For established cases, puppies and dogs need a more systematic approach, always being careful not to push them over the threshold. Here are some tips:

Keep the Mind and Body Busy: Along with creating a foundation of safety and trust, it's important to provide several outlets for a dog's need for exercise, play, socialization, training and mental stimulation. Your pup may also benefit from confidence building exercises and impulse control training incorporated into their daily lives. Make sure to encourage independent play and exploration. I like to encourage treasure hunts around the home and fenced yard and play games of hide-and-seek.

Gradually build distance and duration in being away from you. Put the act of exploring on cue and then call your pup (or use a silent whistle) and reward with a treat, followed by letting her explore again.

The Right Balance Is Key As with raising children, it's important to find the right balance. Ignoring often a puppy's cries of distress or smothering the puppy with overprotective attention are two extremes that may lead to future problems. The right balance, where we acknowledge our dog's emotions and take steps to address a pup's anxiety and then offer opportunities to foster more independence is key for a stable development.

When we meet our dogs' needs, especially when they are feeling fearful or anxious, we help foster in them a secure attachment, which paves the path to developmental independence; whereas, when we fail to meet their needs, this paves the path to an insecure attachment with its associated anxious behavior patterns.

While a certain degree of uneasiness may occur during adjustment periods, such as a new home/routine or change in the dog’s sleeping arrangements, persistent or severe anxiety symptoms (panting, whining, panic) should prompt a reassessment of the current strategy.

If the situation is not improving, despite taking a systematic approach, we may need to take a step back and consider looking at the broader picture. This will also warrant a reevaluation to establish what future steps can be taken to prevent the puppy from rehearsing distressed behaviors which will put a dent in her learning to be alone.

Dealing with dog behavior problems would be extra easy if we could just rely on a simple formula that works for all cases. Instead, each dog, as an individual, requires a customized approach. "Each animal with a behavior problem is a case study of one," points out board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Lore Haug.

In a nutshell, every dog will need a customized plan as there are no standard operating procedures we can rely on other than observing how the dog does with a selected approach and carefully gauging progress. If the dog does well, we know that we can raise criteria and move forward; if there is a setback, then we will need to go back a few steps and carefully evaluate what we can do to make things easy for the dog again.

If your puppy keeps on barking and whining and appears distressed and not making progress despite your efforts, then it's time to get professional help from a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a certified applied animal behaviorist.