What went wrong...Did I fail my dog? :(

[Puppy Love]

Sudden separation anxiety. This really happen overnight and I am beyond devastated?

My 9 month old Goldendoodle is barking like a mad man. Nonstop neighbors are leaving me notes and they are very angry about the noise disturbance. This is my worst nightmare, so so sad!

I love my dog and try to give him a lot of love and affection.  I am not sure if I caused this.  Did I spoil him rotten? 

It just started Tuesday, March 5 when he was sneezing. No more sneezing. But did the sneezing trigger something worse? He is still barking. We never had this problem. We have the same routine no changes. Am walk, lunch time walk, afternoon walk at least 3hrs per day.. He is crate trained and cooperates with the daily routine. But this week has been a nightmare for us both:( He is barking before I get up in the morning and when I leave to work and on my lunch time for at least 2 hours straight each time. He starts with a growl for awhile then the loudest bark possible for a long time. I am so sad...what triggered this? How do I reverse it:(

 

Tuesday-Saturday

5:20-5:35AM Outside to relieve himself

Laydown near mom on leash out of crate

6:00AM-7:00AM  Outside for walk and play

7AM Eat

7:30AM Crate

12PM-12:45PM walk and eat

1PM -5PM crate

5PM-7PM Walk and Play

7PM-8:30PM hangout with family  

Sunday-Monday-  Flexible Schedule All day with mom (some crate time for naps)

Doggie Day Care 2times per month 4 hours at PetSmart

[Puppy Love]

I went to obedience training and practice often. I will practice more often. And I plan to sign up for next level traing tomorrow.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's great.

So often, we forget that the real training for any dog takes place at home and in public on a day to day basis, in between classes. The classes are just where we get the tools we need to train our dogs, where we learn to train them. But the actual training takes place every day, in real life, not in class, and is never really done. :)  

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

So very true Karen!  

[L.M.]

Just a comment on my own personal experience.  I have 2 doods and crate trained them both.  Neither of them ever "liked" the crate, though they tolerated it for a while.  One day...rather suddenly like your situation... Seamus (my oldest doodle) started to cry all day from his crate.  (My very tolerant neighbor told us this.)  Around the same time he also started to literally break out of his crate.  He is big...95 pounds now full grown....so breaking out I guess was easy for him lol.  But anyway, that was basically our sign that he was ready to have the run of the house.  It was at about 11 months for him.  With Stella, our younger dood... she never liked the crate one bit.  She cried constantly from day one, so once she was house broken, we let her have run of the house with Seamus.  Maybe your pup is simply ready to be out and this is his way of telling you?  I had a hard time initially trusting them out, but they really just spent their time sleeping.  It may be worth a shot to see if it is the actual crate he doesn't like, or if it's being alone.  I do, however, also think a physical exam is a good idea since this was extremely sudden.  Good luck to you! 

[Marianne *OZZY & ZOEY]

Wow, I hope nothing is wrong.  The vet should find that out.  Everyone had great ideas, I just hope you get your answer real soon.

[Bonnie Owen]

Just a thought--the last dog I had before my doodle was an English setter.  I bought him from a breeder/vet at age 2.  He had grown up in a kennel and crate although the breeder had a farm and on occasion different dogs would be allowed to roam the property--but he was definitely a crate dog.  The first night I brought him home we put him in a large crate in the bedroom and he cried and howled until we finally let him out.  He settled in and never went into the crate which we gave away.  I thought since he had been raised this way he would feel safe and comfortable--never happened.  A very easy going wonderful animal who at 2 refused to be grated.  He always behaved beautifully at the vet and they were fond of him but one day he needed to be on IVs and he set them nuts crying because he was crated. 

My doodle on the other hand absolutely adores his crate and although he tends to be hyper, he is totally relaxed in his crate.  Think it may be an individual trait and like my setter it can suddenly change.  Shortly after I got the Setter he was left alone for the day by himself.  When I got home I couldn't find him.  Eventually I found him in the back corner of a large walk-in closet.  Apparently he felt safe there.  Just a very large crate. If you find nothing wrong you might try as others suggested putting him in a larger space such as bedroom, kitchen, hallway, or bathroom where he is less confined, perhaps a walk-in closet with shoes safely put away. 

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

You have gotten lots of good advice.  I am glad you have connected with vet and trainer.  That said, a lot of doodles are very attached to their people.  Just like a two year old is attached to his mom.  The baby who adored her baby sitter or grandma suddenly howls when Mom is not there -right there.  I truly think this could what your dog is experiencing too. 

Of course he's going to have to get over it.  There are some options - no-bark collars either citronella or battery.  Either one should be put on first thing every morning and taken off last thing every night.  Do this for three days before you turn it on.  The electronic collar helped Tigger, not Roo.  There are also gadget you can sit in the room that emit a high pitched noise when barked at - didn't work for me, but I think they do for some.

The trainer should have lots of "tricks" to try.  From leaving him with a stuffed Kong or similar, throwing a sheet or light blanket over the crate so he cannot see out, to intensive training with leaving - only you don't leave - you just sit right there where he can see you until he is quiet and then he is released.  This is a tough one,  timing is critical as is a determination to see it through. 

Basically, I think he is just old enough to want to be right by you all the time a and is also old enough to try and figure out how to make it happen.  If I am reading your schedule correctly after his 5:30 potty break he lays next to you (on the floor) without complaint, while you catch a little more sleep. He wants to be as close to you as possible and has figured out that escalating from a snuffling, grumbly growl (low noise)  to barking hysterically ( loud noise) you will get him out of the crate.  He probably wonders why you suddently went deaf - just kidding, sort of.   

Hang in there.  Someone will figure something out.

    

 

[Puppy Love]

I am thinking of Tuesday Thursday daycamp 8:30am-1:30 lunch brake pick him up and put him in crate. Wensday -Friday out of the crate free time till 12:30pm, my 21 yr old daughter is home study time but agreed to keep an eye on Jackson while I'm at work. Then lunch & walk then crate. Do you think this might work or make him spoiled with more demands. Will he be tired and sleep in crate. I don't want this idea to back fire.

[Puppy Love]

Back fire I mean 2 days will take him to the next energy level. And start demanding more playtime.

[Julie and Charlie]

All you can do is try it- his needs are going to change as he gets older, and your schedule or routine may need to be adapted.

Charlie does fine when I work at home, although he does take some of my attention some of the time. But his distraction is no worse than any office I've been in. Just warn your daughter that she may need to spend a few minutes here and there with him. Also, consider what it might take to keep him somewhat active and entertained. I have a gigantic box of beef tendons, interactive food dispensing toys, new toys, etc for when I really need him to be busy!

Again, you might want to consider cutting out the crate entirely.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Maybe your boyfriend should be the last one to leave the house and crate him and see if that works.

[Puppy Love]

Good news! I tried a lot of your suggestions. This morning after the potty break I took him off the leash. When it was time for me to get ready for work I decided to let him follow me around. He actually didn't follow me he relaxed on the fireplace. He did not enter my bedroom or kitchen while I was walking back and forth. Just before I left for work I open the crate and he walked in before I threw the treat in (wow)! My daughter got home at 9am and our original plan was she would take him out for awhile. She called me and said I didn't take Jackson out of the crate today. My little boy is growing up! What a break through! This is so amazing to me. A million thanks to all my DK friends. You are my luckycharms;)