Desperate Measures-Stew's barking, I was YELLED at.

[Jess & Stewart]

I was harshly yelled at last night by a neighbor for Stew's barking. I suspected he'd been barking more during the day lately, so I ordered a bark collar. Ironically, it's being delivered tomorrow. I came home, took Stew outside, then left him out of the crate while I ran down to put laundry in the washer. I literally walked very quickly down the stairs, threw detergent and my laundry in and came back upstairs. Gone 2 minutes. Stew was SCREAMING, hence the rush. As I exited my basement I heard one of my neighbors SCREAMING "it's time to take care of the dog" over & over. He saw me run up the steps, I said "sorry, I just ran down for my laundry, I know I suspect he's been barking more, I'm working on it." As I said this quickly, he kept saying "no, no, it's ALL day, everyday, ALL day, start taking care of that & the dog or I'm calling the landlord the next time he barks". As he was saying this, I started to ask "do you notice if it's morning, evening etc" He said the landlord thing again quickly and then slammed his door.

I was so distraught, I grabbed Stew, my phone and took him for a long walk. It was about 7 pm. My phone has been not holding a charge, so it died about 20 minutes later as I was sobbing on the phone to my mom. I cried for almost our whole walk, I must have looked crazy. I then just did my usual route, about a mile to a park & back, adding other streets in. Just because I didn't want to go back to my apt.

I came back around 8:10. I brought Stew down with me both times I emptied the washer & dryer. I also didn't take a shower, since I normally put him in the crate. I took off work today because I was so worried/upset, called a coworker, who let me borrow her bark collar for today. I didn't have much to do at work today & my supervisor is out, so I don't feel bad, LOL.

The same coworker has dogs & is having a party tonight, offered to pick us up later around 3:30 & have us at her place tonight. Tomorrow & Sunday, I'll be in NJ. Stew has pre-op for his neuter next week. I'll also be in NJ from Wednesday night until Sunday next week. Neuter is Thursday morning & I took Friday off work. Maybe being away & now having the bark collar will help...

I just can't believe how that guy snapped at me. Also, I'm typically in NJ most weekends, but I haven't been there for about 3 weeks as my dad's work picked up. I'm wondering if he was just partially having a really bad day, since I've had Stew in his crate while I'm at work since December. I've only seen this guy maybe 5 times since I moved here in July. His GF is a teacher, I see her often and she always says hi to us & pets Stew. I thought he was also, but he seemed like he was home during the day. The apartment is pet friendly, there are 4 dogs including Stew, but I rarely see the other neighbors' dogs. There are no breed or size restrictions, so I know I'm fine, but I'm still shaken up considering if the landlord would do anything.

My sister is moving to NJ with her dog, so I'm hopeful we'll just end up spending the weekends together, so that lessens the barking on the neighbors & gives Stew stimulation/exercise.

Stew has also become quite aggressive, really growling, lunging & nipping. He hasn't broken any skin on me, but he's really started to guard. Almost like he's territorial. He growls if I open my closet to get laundry out of my hamper when I stand in front of him. He really wants to grab something. If he gets a hold of something he does not want to give it up. He'll drop it, but when he sits & I approach to grab it or give him a treat, then grab, he growls. He snapped this morning when I went to grab my shoe he had dropped, he attached himself to my jeans & ankle, snarling, growling, biting.

I'm hopeful he's just testing me & that the neuter will REALLY CALM him down. Geez, sorry for the length!

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

I am sorry you are going through this…Have you done any formal training yet? If not, maybe a trainer that specializes in behavioral issues will help..they can even come to your place and work with you in your own home..which is where the problem seems to be with his barking. I am sorry that your neighbor was so nasty about it.  What kind of bark collar did your order? a stimulation kind, or the citronella spray?

[F, Calla & Luca]

It will all work out but it is upsetting.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with that, Jess! That just adds stress to an already stressful situation. Hopefully Stew will calm a bit and it will become less of an issue soon!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Barking aside....it may be time for some professional training. I hate to say it, but neutering is not going to be the overnight fix.
Hoping the bark collar works it wonders for you, I know many have had great success with them.
Agreed, you neighbor did not have to be so nasty.....but, and there is always a " but"....if he has been listening to barking non- stop, it can be pretty annoying. I love dogs and have had neighbors with barking dogs...and it can be pretty disturbing. I can't imagine it being in the close quarters of an apt. building.
A professional trainer can help you both, deal with both sets of problems.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jess, how long is Stewart alone and crated during the days you are at work? 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

You are going home to at least let him out once a day, right?  When they are this young, they must have exercise mid-day.  I used to be home every day during lunch to take Peri for a walk - for the first two years of her life. Now she is free to roam one side of the house and does great. 

I agree on training also - the lunging, nipping, etc.. can be helped with formal training.

[Deborah Brown]

You need a trainer ASAP.  A bark collar is not the answer to your problems.  It sounds like Stew has a pretty severe case of separation anxiety which is going to take a lot of work on your part to resolve.

The aggression could be a result of Stew being under an immense amount of stress.  If he spends his day barking and being worried, then I'd guess he is a total stressed out nervous wreck.

Poor Stew and poor YOU! 

I've posted this before.  It is a blog that a friend wrote about her dogs and their separation anxiety.  Maybe it can give you some help.

http://www.dogseparationanxietycure.com/

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

I agree..the collar will not solve Stews anxiety.  If anything, the collar may add to it…I am sorry you are going through this. A lot of times, when dogs react..separation anxiety, lunging, nipping.. it is fear based, not agression. Stew is young enough that you can fix this..

[Jess & Stewart]

Stew is alone about 4 hours in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. I go home at 12 for an hour lunch. I take him on a short walk, he goes to the bathroom, we play the rest if the time, then it's back in the crate. I'm wondering if I could try uncrating during the day & section off part of my apt?

We have done one formal puppy training class. I may call the training facility, as they do private training sessions. I do a lot at home as well. He has a good sit, down both verbally & hand signals. He knows right/left paws, high five, sit up (sit pretty), roll over, crawl. We're working on longer sit/down stays, jumping & loose leash walking. He loves people & dogs-wants to greet everyone he sees.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Jess: when we talk about professional training, we aren't talking about teaching to do tricks and such, but more about behavioral training. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Try some private training - in your home. You need someone to help with the anxiety.  I forgot you go home during lunch. Maybe it'd be better to section off an area. Not sure.  I do encourage the private trainer, and possibly 1-2 days a week in daycare (if you can afford it, but that's not always feasible which is why I recommend trainer).  I am sorry, this sounds like a bad situation - you are doing everything you can and you have to work.  Peri had issues in the beginning but got better with a lot of training.

[Jess & Stewart]

I ordered a citronella collar. I hate that he has this anxiety-I did everything to prevent exactly this. Makes me feel like I totally failed. I wish he was fine in it and at night. One of my boundaries was not to uncrate at night for a while, but he's uncrated as I felt like I had no choice. I'm sure I can't go back now, either. I had really thought the barking had gotten much better. I wish I would have known it was apparently this bad earlier, but no one had ever complained, so I thought it was fine. The trainer for the puppy class said to just keep up the crate games since it didn't seem to be a huge issue, she didn't think it was that bad of a case. I also didn't realize others were home during the day. I was thinking of hiring a dog walker or doing daycare, now I'm really thinking it's needed.

Of course, today he has been completely quiet. It might have been a second walk we took to get the collar, then to drop off a rent check. He's been in his crate sleeping since 10:30 am, not a peep. He barked a few times on our walk, but I couldn't tell if the he'd reacted to it. I may do some training with him and have him bark to see his reaction.