Noisy Puppy Not Getting Any Better

[Loripot]

(Sorry this is a long one!)

 

Gahhh!! Now I just want to say that this isn't bothering me, it's just bothering my neighbours!

My little Demon is only 9 weeks, and obviously I know that it would be ridiculous to expect a little baby to be perfectly quiet when he's locked in his crate home alone, but of course my neighbours don't understand that. I've tried to explain to them that it's going to take some time, and leaving him alone to cry is a good thing because he's learning, but I'm getting noise complaints because he goes crazy and they just don't get it!

 

I live in a flat block and I do feel bad for having a noisy puppy. But he can't help it, he's just a baby. They don't understand, and there's an old man downstairs who stopped me today and said how noisy he's been whilst I was out, and has reminded me on several occasions that I should make sure he's quiet at night. This was during the afternoon time though, I never leave him at night. I guess people are getting tired now.

It's only been just over a week. I'm getting stressed out already, I don't know what to do to keep my pup quiet! I don't want my neighbours to get angry at me, but they don't seem to understand WHY he is noisy. So I need a way to try my best to keep Demon quiet whilst he's alone.

 

Obviously he needs to spend SOME time alone, otherwise he'll never learn, and I am not sacrificing having a nicely trained dog just for the sake of angry neighbours, who hopefully I won't be around much longer. (Hoping to move next year). But I still need to try and keep the peace. Any ideas of how to keep a puppy quiet? I really am trying my best, and I've tried a variety of things.

 

His cage is in our living room which we spend most of our time. He sleeps in there at night without a problem, except an occasional cry early morning to go potty. He wanders in there during the day on his own, eats in there, naps in there and plays in there. We try covering it with a blanket. We keep most of his toys in there with him. We play with him during the day to wear him out. We've tried giving him new exciting toys, stag antlers and filled Kongs, but he just doesn't pay attention to them when he realises he's stuck in the cage and we've left him. He just screams his little heart out, bless him.

Any other time, he loves his cage. He's not afraid of it, and he can chill in there during the day when we're sat on the couch near him with the door shut. We try and make him sleepy before we leave but obviously that's not always possible. Besides, if he hears us leaving and wakes up, he'll start crying right away and won't shut up until we return. 

 

Any other tips, please?! 

I know a lot of people say things like putting a piece of clothing that smells like you in there, or perhaps a hot water bottle for comfort, or certain special toys, but nothing seems to work. He's the type of pup who will pay absolutely no attention whatsoever to anything in his cage once he discovers we left him. He'll just cry and cry.

 

Again, I myself know this is crazy and know it'll probably take a long time for him to stop, but my neighbours are getting angry and won't listen when I explain to them. I can't be with him 24/7. Help?!?! 

[mydiamond]

Have you tried:

- Leaving the TV/radio on while you're gone?

- Getting a puppy fence instead and leave the crate door open? At that age he may not be 100% crate-trained yet, and the closed door may or may not make him feel trapped. If he likes the door open but you can't trust him roaming around, get a puppy fence and put his open crate in it just make sure he can't jump over!

[Loripot]

Yeah we've tried that, again, doesn't do anything for him!

I could try that, but if say for example, we're in the house but we go into a different room and leave him alone, he often still cries. I haven't experimented enough to find out if it would be better than being in the cage, so perhaps I could give that a go. 

[mydiamond]

Aw poor baby do you think he has Separation Anxiety? (we often abbreviate that to SA, so I wrote them with capitals). What about hiring a dog sitter to check on/play with him during the day when you're gone?

[Rachael_Astro]

Have you tried taking him for a v.long walk & playing ball games with him etc before you go out? Tired husky = sleepy husky

Dog sitter is also a good option. Or doggy day care, bit expensive to do it every day but would break up his week a bit, and your neighbours'!

[Dan]

I'd agree on maybe looking into a sitter or daycare, at least for a few days. If you mention something like that to your neighbours they might be a bit more forgiving, knowing you do actually respect they want some quiet time. If you go with daycare though, just make sure he's had all his vaccinations. I'm not sure but they may have a minimum age too, you'd have to check. I haven't crate trained my boy as I'm fairly confident with him just roaming the yard during the day, so I'm not sure on the specifics

Don't stress yourself too much though, puppies are a pain in the rear, but it'll get better, you just wait

Edited December 17, 2014 by Dan

[Loripot]

Thanks guys. Unfortunately we cannot really afford a sitter/doggy daycare And he's too young to go outside yet. He's 9 weeks, will be getting his second injection on the 23rd. After that, hopefully walks would tire him out.

Even if I could afford to have someone look after him, would that even help? I mean in a training way. He would never get used to being on his own.

[Dan]

The way I've usually recommended dealing with it is by leaving him alone for increasing lengths of time, but I think you've had that discussion in another thread. You just have to remember 9 weeks is still very young. I think your best option is just try and make it up to your neighbours, maybe buy them a little something with a letter explaining you're doing your best to train him. Personally though I'd prefer if the neighbours confronted me if my dog was being noisy, so don't take it in a bad way

[mydiamond]

Do you have friends/family that can act as a doggy sitter? I do realize that providing someone to look after the dog will never teach him to stop whining, but you have complaining neighbors and the last thing I want to hear is one of your neighbors complaining to the landlord and you guys getting kicked out :(

[Loripot]

Arghh, don't know what to do. This is a real problem. Yeah I agree, that's the last thing we want. But we also want a dog who is able to be on his own. Dilemma! 

My mother has dogs and I have asked her if sometimes I could bring Demon over and just let him be caged up for a while, to get him used to it without the risk of noise complaints. That way he can cry to his little hearts content (hopefully that doesn't sound too cruel  You know what I mean) and hopefully begin to understand that making noise won't get him anywhere!

Any views on that? Do you think it may help? He could also have the company of the other dogs around him, so that may or may not contribute. 

[NOBELHOWLUC49]

Howler hated being alone, but the crying stoped the moment he had his brother with him Lucky.  He is so much happier and he never cries anymore.  I don't feel like the wicked witch of the west now everytime I shut the door.  We did plan to have another dog so this was not a decision we made to stop the crying we just palnned it this way any how.  Bella and Noah were pups together and we had no problem with crying.

 

I think they need company but many dogs are only dogs and they seem to be perfectly happy.  Just have to wait until they settle down.    Sorry I cannot be more help.

[Andy]

Have you tried taking him for a v.long walk & playing ball games with him etc before you go out? Tired husky = sleepy husky

Dog sitter is also a good option. Or doggy day care, bit expensive to do it every day but would break up his week a bit, and your neighbours'!

The pup is only 9 weeks old, so long walks aren't an option right now.

However tiring him out mentally with training and games before you go out, is a good thing to try.

Put some treats in an empty fizzy drinks bottle, that keeps them entertained for a while.

You can get puzzle balls (again you put treats in and they have to roll them in all sorts of directions to get them ou)t.

Kongs. . . same thing

[Clare70]

Makes me a bit cross, if it were a human baby crying noone would say anything

 

Poor pup, guess he just misses his mummy

[mydiamond]

Arghh, don't know what to do. This is a real problem. Yeah I agree, that's the last thing we want. But we also want a dog who is able to be on his own. Dilemma! 

My mother has dogs and I have asked her if sometimes I could bring Demon over and just let him be caged up for a while, to get him used to it without the risk of noise complaints. That way he can cry to his little hearts content (hopefully that doesn't sound too cruel  You know what I mean) and hopefully begin to understand that making noise won't get him anywhere!

Any views on that? Do you think it may help? He could also have the company of the other dogs around him, so that may or may not contribute. 

 

That should work, but to make it *really* work you have to do that every single day. What about borrowing one of your mom's dogs and let them accompany Demon?

[Jase]

Look into an Adaptil DAP collar, spray or diffuser - it contains the pheromone of a lactating bitch. It may help bring down the anxiety a notch. A thunder shirt may also be worth looking into. 

 

Also start working on desensitising training on the weekend or when you have plenty of time. Leave the house for 5 minutes then return, then 10 minutes etc etc until you can leave for a period of time that causes no stress. 

 

I would normally recommend that a new owner take 2 weeks off work with a young puppy. So if this has not been the case you just need to do extra work now. 

 

A radio set to a talk station as already suggested may help. Also don't make a fuss when you leave or comeback to the house.

 

Best of luck with getting this under control soon 

Edited December 20, 2014 by Jase

[Loripot]

Thanks for the suggestions. I may get one of those, hopefully it will work in my case. 

Yes I have tried that kind of thing before. My problem is he will cry no matter what. If I put him in his cage and leave for two minutes, he'll cry. If I leave for five minutes, he'll cry. Unless he's asleep or very tired, he'll complain when we leave him when he's in his cage. I'm not sure when to go back and let him out/reward him because there never even seems to be a break in his crying. It's just constant, and I don't want to reward his noisiness. It seemed like such a simple idea before I tried it  Now not so much.

Any suggestions for that kind of training? It doesn't seem to work with Demon 

 

EDIT: Oh, and this may sound silly, but if I were to go for the ThunderShirt, what size would be best for a 9 week old puppy? Obviously he's going to grow so fast. 

[sarahjng]

The way I see it you have two separate problems, demon crying is one, the neighbours are another. I can't help much with barking but I have an idea for the neighbours. Print out a little letter from demon, put the cutest picture of him on it and make it from HIM, e.g hello my name is demon, I'm 9 weeks old I miss my mummy and sometimes I get scared when my human family have to go out, I'm sorry if I'm a bit noisy I will try to be a good boy. Perhaps put your mobile number with it and ask people to call if he's really upset, I know it's a bit manipulative but if you can make them like him it might help. As for the old man downstairs, next time you see him, stop him, ask if demons been crying, ask his advice, maybe take DEMON down to meet him, anything to break the complaint cycle. You don't say how old he is, but if he's 70 plus, try saying `I won't hit my dog, but... spare the rod and spoil the child`. It's a phrase someone of that age will understand and usually approve of.

I am lucky in that I am home all day, but when we first got bear I took him round to my immediate neighbours and introduced him, I apologized in advance for any crying, and they fell in love with him and even now two years later I still ask occasionally if the noise bothers them.

[HuskyMomma]

It really sounds like SA to me, and if the little mite is anything like one of ours, just leaving him to cry won't help We tried everything too, but she just likes having her people. She doesn't take any kind of separation, even now, with a baby gate separating rooms she gets anxious. She's physically chewed her way out of three metal crates to try and find us

Leave him with his comforts, try recording yourself talking for a few minutes and play it on loop? Leave something that smells of you. Separate yourself from him while you're home. Shut yourself in a different room, don't make a fuss, just leave him with toys etc and leave the times longer. Extended to actually leaving the house. You have to start really small.

He just loves his people!

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