# This barking is driving me CRAZY!!!



## bellasmom (Oct 20, 2010)

(Meant to start new thread, sorry)

Bella rarely barked..doesn't bark at strangers, doesn't bark at visitors, doesn't bark at dogs.

She is just over 6 months old, sleeps in her locked crate in the kitchen at night. Has been fine with that. When she wakes up in the morning (early, 6:00 or so) she starts to whine and bark. She has been doing this for a long time now but it used to be a whine and whimper and now it's a LOUD bark. She won't stop.

I go down and open the crate to let her out to pee and pay some attention to her but then she won't go back in the crate or even stay gated in the kitchen with her toys or food. She wants us to be with her and will bark and bark until she gets her way.

I have tried everything. I have let her bark it out (she can bark non-stop for more than an hour), I have tried to reward her for being quiet and not barking (but as soon as I walk away she starts up again), I gave her treats, toys, everthing I can think of.

Summer is coming, windows are open and this has got to stop. I don't plan to start my day at 6 am and she is going to wake up the whole neighborhood with this barking if I don't give in to her. She is not reliable enough to roam the house alone yet.

Help!


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

Since Ache, my Hav, came home my day starts almost at 6 am. (because of her) I think Bella is doing great sleeping by herself in the kitchen, in her crate. 6:00 am is enough for her to be alone and I don't think she will be happy going back to her crate or being alone again after that. They like to be with us all the time. Maybe you can consider having her crate in your bedroom where she can see you. That way she doesn't feel so lonely and let you sleep more time in the morning. Good luck.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Hello!
Can't believe Bella is already 6 months old!!!
I'm so sorry to hear about the barking, hope an expert can chime in to help you out!
In reading your post, I do think that "giving in to her" when she lets out that bark in the morning MAY be what has caused this problem. From what I understand, we are NOT suppose to let them out if they bark, we are to wait till they are quiet and sitting before letting them out. Tillie has been crate trained also, but she is in our bedroom and she will stay in her crate without a peep until I CHOOSE to get up and let her out. I even get up and get the kids ready for school and out the door while Tillie stays quiet in her crate and then I typically go back to BED! LOL We did this by starting early and being consistant and never letting her out if she was barking or even whining... hope anything I've said makes sense and can maybe help you. I know you don't want her to bark, does she respond to a "QUIET" command? Even if you are standing right next to her crate? If she does respond by stopping barking, even for just 30 seconds, make her wait quietly in the crate and then let her out and "ignore" her. Don't make a big deal, just open the crate say good morning and get on with your morning activites. Each time lengthen the amount of time between when you say quiet and when you let her out.
Just some suggestions! Hopefully other will chime in soon!!!


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## bellasmom (Oct 20, 2010)

TilliesMom said:


> she will stay in her crate without a peep until I CHOOSE to get up and let her out. I even get up and get the kids ready for school and out the door while Tillie stays quiet in her crate and then I typically go back to BED!


That's what I'm talking 'bout, LOL. Bella is having nothing of it. I have tried most of the things you said. She will quiet for a minute when I say "quiet" but then starts right up again. I have trained her to wait to run out of her crate until I say it's okay and she will do that for a treat, but once she's out she wants constant attention or she will bark.

What do you do about early morning peeing if you leave Tillie in the crate all that time? I always feel that Bella needs to go relieve herself as soon as she wakes up.


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

Havanese are companion dogs and they really want to spend all their time with us. I like Teresita's suggestion. If it was me, she would be up in my bed, but both my dogs sleep in my bedroom. You could also try putting her to bed later and she might sleep later.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, we have been BLESSED, that's all I can say!! 
Seriously, this girl has an amazing ability to hold it overnight! Not so much during the day, but at night, she is a ROCK STAR!  She goes potty for the last time around 10pm and typically doesn't go out to pee and poo until 9-ish am. Wether I let her out of the crate at 7am, 8am, or 9am, she will actually wait awhile, get some loves in, play for a bit, greet the cats, rub herself all over the carpet, etc before she wants to go out to go potty. it isn't unusual for her to wait for nearly an HOUR before she goes out!! I never "force" her to go outside, she is nearly a year and she has been trained to ring the potty bells since she was 4.5 months and hasn't had an accident since. I fully trust her to know her body and KNOW when she needs to go AND ring those bells when she needs to go!! She hasn't failed me yet!  So, I guess the answer to your question, is that Tillie doesn't need to have an early morning pee! I wonder if she is just bizarre or if any other Havs are this way!?? and YES, we are BLESSED!!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I do like the suggestion to move her crate into your room if possible. OR if you can, let her out to potty, then let her come hang out with you in your room while you go back to sleep!!  As long as she is WITH you, I bet her barking will cease!


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## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

Bella is really cute!! Hmmm, Lizzie was and is quite lazy in the morning. She no longer has a crate, but when she did she would just sit in it and watch us get ready. She was barking like crazy at night. So after several nights of no sleep I brought her to bed with us. All is fine now. She sleeps and in the morning stays on the bed until she is ready to get off. I used to think she had to potty immediately, but she waits about an hour after she gets up until she has to go. Of course, you could let her out and take her back to bed with you, but then she will never want to go in the crate. Sounds to me like she misses you.


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## bellasmom (Oct 20, 2010)

That's what I'm thinking...if I keep her in crate at night and take her upstairs to bedroom in the morning, won't I be encouraging the barking until I go down and get her, especially if she knows that she will be brought up to the bedroom with me?

She might stop barking once she gets up there, but how do I stop the barking from the time she wakes up? 

Should also add, the days I work and my daughter is in school she stays happily in her crate without barking. It's just this morning thing...


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

So she's in her crate all night and the days you work she is in it most of the day?
I bet she is missing you. Is there no way you could move her crate to your room?
My DH will NOT let animals on our bed, but we compromised by having her crate next to my side of the bed, she never makes a peep. Might be something worth considering... she just wants to be with you.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

bellasmom said:


> That's what I'm talking 'bout, LOL. Bella is having nothing of it. I have tried most of the things you said. She will quiet for a minute when I say "quiet" but then starts right up again. I have trained her to wait to run out of her crate until I say it's okay and she will do that for a treat, but once she's out she wants constant attention or she will bark.
> 
> What do you do about early morning peeing if you leave Tillie in the crate all that time? I always feel that Bella needs to go relieve herself as soon as she wakes up.


 I always get woken up with a lick a wine or even a bark some mornings are earlier than others. We go directly out side and stay out for both jobs. I have a family room kitchen thats gated so we have our play time sometimes it is as early as 6:00 am. If I'm real tired we all go back to bed. I think If she has done her business out side that you could trust her to follow you around the house for at least a half hour or so. Mine are 7 and 10 mo and will last over a hour. I have found that their is something about the 6mo age that they find there voices and tend to be a bit more vocal. They still need there boundary but would like a bit more freedom too.


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## bellasmom (Oct 20, 2010)

Well, the 3 days I work she is in the crate but my Dad takes her out a couple of times during the day while my daughter is in school. Then my daughter plays with her from 3-7 until I get home. Then she has my attention from 7 until I go to bed which is usually after midnight. The other 4 days of the week she is with me all day/evening.

It's just the incessant loud barking in the morning where she is demanding my undivided attention that is driving me crazy. I can try the crate in my room but the second she sees me move (even roll over) she thinks it's time to wake up and play. I'm sure she will bark there as well, waiting for me to let her out.

I was hoping there would be some way to stop the barking other than keeping her with me 24/7.


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## bellasmom (Oct 20, 2010)

Suzi said:


> I have found that their is something about the 6mo age that they find there voices and tend to be a bit more vocal. They still need there boundary but would like a bit more freedom too.


You are right, Suzi. She used to just whimper and whine but now she barks this LOUD non-stop bark like she is a great dane or something, lol. I'm sure my neighbors are so thrilled!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I know this is not the popular opinion, but if you put her in bed with you to snuggle and fall back to sleep, she will. However, she'll expect that everyday from then on out.

Me, personally? I love my sleep...Gucci has always slept in bed with us and never bothers us, I do think if she was in a crate, she'd have done the same thing 'barking incessantly', some havs just do NOT like to be alone and have to be right there spooning you in the morning .

I hope you get some helpful tips that work for you!

Kara


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## TnTWalter (May 9, 2007)

the crate didn't work for us either. It was more trouble for us than worth. But unlike Gucci [lucky dog], Winston lays on his bed on the floor on my side of the bed. He is 4 now and it has always worked well. When my parents have him he lays on his bed in their room.


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## SnickersDad (Apr 9, 2010)

Here's my thoughts --

First, our dogs love being with us. The one thing they want is to be with us. 
When you are trying to correct a behaviour like this it's difficult to do in a "positive reforcement" way. ie - Give her a treat when she becomes quiet only indicates to het that if she makes noise and you say "quiet" she'll get a treat.

So, I've seen folks do this - Turn your back to your dog - keep your back to the dog till the dog quiets down -- if this means you have to continually move in circles to keep yourself from their view then do so. Don't say a word let Bella reason it out. She's barking to get your attention, when she realizes that barking isn't working anymore she'll become quiet all on her own. The trick here is to NOT give in. As soon as you do your sunk.... (Say you work on this and you have your back to her for 20 minutes and she's still barking, the moment you turn around and acknowledge her you've lost. -- She now knows that if your ignoring her all she has to do is continue barking for 20 minutes and you'll cave.) Remember she wants your attention.

Another thing to think about, is when you take him out early in the morning the ritual needs to be such that she knows it's potty only and then back to bed --- No play time - no food - no treats - no water. Giving her those things are telling her that it's time to wake up and start the day.

Just my two cents worth - others may well disagree -- or agree!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

SnickersDad said:


> Here's my thoughts --
> 
> First, our dogs love being with us. The one thing they want is to be with us.
> When you are trying to correct a behaviour like this it's difficult to do in a "positive reforcement" way. ie - Give her a treat when she becomes quiet only indicates to het that if she makes noise and you say "quiet" she'll get a treat.
> ...


I agree completely, Jim. That's exactly what we did with Kodi. He does need to go out to pot around 6:00, but that's understandable, since we go to bed pretty early. (he's in his crate between 8-9) On week days, that works out fine, because DH is up then anyway, getting ready for work. On weekends, I take him out with minimal talk, let him potty, and put him back in his pen with his breakfast. He'll settle right back down and wait until 9 or later if we want to sleep in. But, just like a baby who needs changing or feeding during the night, you can't make it a "fun" time. It's business and then back to bed.

Some of it is, I think, the age though. Kodi went through a period of demand barking where he just about drove me crazy, and I think it was between about 8-15 months. He still tends to be talkative, but much less of the loud barking.


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

This totally happened to me. Mars was perfect - loved his crate, had just mastered potty training completely. And then he started barking to wake us up WAY too early.  Never barked at any other time. There was no taking him out and then putting him back in the crate either without the barking continuing. 

Solution? Yeah, he won. He now sleeps in the bed with us; at the foot most of the time. But hey, he sleeps as late as we do and hasn't barked to wake us up since. And he patiently waits for us to get ready in the morning, make coffee, etc before we take him out. Our cat is more annoying in the AM - insisting we don't sleep too late because she needs the blinds open so she can meow/chirp at birds.


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## El Bueno Habanero (Oct 20, 2009)

marlowe'sgirl said:


> Solution? Yeah, he won. He now sleeps in the bed with us; at the foot most of the time.


One more vote for this solution lol. And I wouldn't want it any other way! I have never crated Fedja and never had a problem with him waking us up or barking. They just want to be with us!
Sorry, if you absolutely don't want him in your bedroom, I know, I'm of no help for you problem lol. But seriously you should try it, I bet you would like it after all :biggrin1:. I know for sure he will !


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## Susan0406 (May 16, 2011)

Has anything worked? My pup not only barks, but she screams. We live in an apartment, so ignoring her is SO hard, our neighbours are soon going to be complaining I am sure of it. Her scream is so high pitched. My pup is not crated (though I would like to crate train her), she is in an ex pen. I could use any advice people have. She screams anytime we leave the room, during the day I ignore her, but I am guessing it has to be consistent. Any advice folks have would be greatly appreciated. All I know is I want to pull my hair out right now when I hear her scream.


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## West End Girl (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm reading this thread and thinking how lucky we are. While Lola barks, she's able to quickly self-soothe herself so that the barking doesn't go on for an eternity. 

See, while I think that Havs are velcro dogs, I believe that ALL dog breeds enjoy being with us and would cling to us 24/7 if limits weren't set to some extent. Like children, pups need limits to some degree. 

We provide Lola with plenty of toys and rotate them quite often so she doesn't get bored. 

We also leave her alone for short periods so that she's used to being alone during the day- even when we're all at home. While it sounds cruel, I think it actually works to our advantage. She's a very good little girl.......there are days where she really never ceases to amaze us.


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## becks (Oct 18, 2010)

Really interesting reading!

I had exactly the same problem. Boz was really good at sleeping alone in his crate in my craft/laundry room to begin with, then when he hit about 5 months he started constantly barking from about 5am. It was worse than having a baby. I tried everything, even to the point of setting my alarm for about 4am so the moment I heard him stirring I could let him out of the crate before he felt the need to bark. (trying to break the habit). Eventually I put a basket beside the crate and left the crate door open. He straight away preferred the basket and never barked..... for a while. Then it all started again, but not quite so early. I have now solved the problem. I and Boz go to bed at about 11 or 12pm, he sleeps in the laundry in his basket. When my husband gets up at 6.00am he lets Boz out. Boz greets him them rushes through the house up to the bedroom jumps up onto the bed with me and we both sleep for another hour or so. He's happy and we're happy. Bliss. Yep I admit, I caved in but I love the new routine.


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

Susan0406 said:


> Has anything worked? My pup not only barks, but she screams. We live in an apartment, so ignoring her is SO hard, our neighbours are soon going to be complaining I am sure of it. Her scream is so high pitched. My pup is not crated (though I would like to crate train her), she is in an ex pen. I could use any advice people have. She screams anytime we leave the room, during the day I ignore her, but I am guessing it has to be consistent. Any advice folks have would be greatly appreciated. All I know is I want to pull my hair out right now when I hear her scream.


I think there is a difference between barking to wake you up in the morning (original poster's problem) and what you're describing - separation anxiety. Search the boards for separation anxiety or SA and you'll find a lot of solutions. While my little guy woke us up at 6 am or earlier, he's never had an issue with me leaving the room or being left while we're at work.


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