Is a dog that barks when alone in the house distressed or just lonely?

My dog only barks when someone comes into our garden. Even when we are out. The perfect guard dog. I have a feeling it's just lonely, doesn't like being left alone. I doubt it would take much training to get the dog to stop the constant barking.

Have your parents speak to the owners nicely and explain the situation. I'm sure they will be grateful of the information.

If after your parents have spoke to them (a month later) there is no change then I would consider threatening them with the rspca.

Before contacting the authorities, it would be nice if your parents approached these owners, who may not be aware that their dog is doing this when they are out! He may be distressed of course, and I suggest your parents approach this from a 'we were worried about him' angle rather than a 'he's kicking off and being a nuisance'. They are less likely to get 'verbal' if they do!! Nobody liked to be caught in the wrong.

If, after trying to talk to them, this doesn't stop, then is the time to approach the Council - Environmental Health Department who will probably need you to keep a record of the times you are being disturbed. They are more likely to act if this is happening during anti-social hours however.

You could call the RSPCA, but don't hold your breath that they will react, unless there's a TV camera around!!! And much as you can do this anonymously, these people will know who has reported them, and you may get a reaction!

ps I had a neighbour in an adjoining property who bought a puppy Westie. And left her barking her head off all day while at work. I ended up going round and offering to take her in with mine during the daytime rather than have to sit listening to her crying. At least I could give her lunch!! Eventually she had to go back because I wasn't really doing her any favours and couldn't have her forever in with mind. But at least she was older by the time I said no longer. And they then moved!

The dog is probably suffering from separation anxiety problem, and is barking/calling out for its owners to return. Your parents are probably best to speak to the neighbours, who may not even be aware of the constant barking. Don't think this is a RSPCA issue. Your parents could suggest a large bone would keep him quiet when they leave him alone. My dog would bark constantly when he was outside on his own so we would always let him come inside; he has us trained! He could not bear to be alone. He slept indoors of an evening so he didn't bother any neighbours. He became an excellent guard dog though and would often patrol the household while we slept; this enabled him to sleep a fair bit during the day too (and keep quiet as well).

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The thing about proper dog training is that the more you know, the more you can use towards training your dog. If you have gotten a new dog or puppy, you should work on training them right away. If they are going to be indoor dogs, you can start crate training them . This prevents bathroom accidents or your items being chewed on. Start off with the right sized crate, so that they have enough room in the crate to move around a bit.

If you are trying to crate train your dog or puppy you must understand that you can not expect them to be able to hold their bladders for extremely long periods. You must provide times for them to go to the bathroom. They don’t want to go in their special place. So it is up to you to take care of them. If they have a accident don’t get mad at them, it wasn’t their fault it was yours.

When teaching your dog discipline, regardless of what training method you use, you should always apply it with speed and consistency. Not correcting your dog for bad behavior every single time, sends him mixed signals that may only make the problem worse. Likewise, not correcting your dog immediately, may make it hard for him to understand why you are punishing him.

I would suggest a Thundershirt this worked on my dog, search Thundershirt on youtube and you can see how they work.

I totally agree with Jedi Jan.