Big Problem With Dog Barking

[inbox]

Hi everyone

My 11month old Japanese spitz has a big problem with barking, funny enough right after he was de-sexed. This was a small problem before this but now it was been reoccurring a lot more often for the past week.

He would bark when someone leaves the room, any sound or sight of a stranger, any sound/footsteps outside his area thinking someone will leave, when other dogs in the area bark but the worse is when it is like 5am and would randomly bark.

I have read a lot about this issue but still no progress, I have tried water squirting him and firmly saying quiet, rewarding him when he is quiet by verbal and touching appraisal and also when he is just being quiet randomly. If there is noone in the room and he starts to bark, I ignore him completely where 10minutes later he would stop. When I do see him and leave him, I don't say or look at him at all, not giving any attention that is. I have taken him out before he sleeps for some mental stimulus and also throughout the day so he isn't so bored by himself.

When I'm in the room with him, I have used sprayed water and saying quiet, it sometimes feel he is challenging the water with the barking. He does eventually stop but I'm not sure if its because of the water or he just stops after awhile. Also I have tried leaving him completely when he starts to bark at all and then coming back in when he does calm down and quiet.

I know its been a week now, unless it takes a lot more than that, I feel i need to call some professional help, unless there is something I'm doing wrong and any further tips would be much appreciated.

Thank you

[Just Midol]

Is it urgent to fix?

Is it likely to cause complaints? If so, would your neighbours be willing to put up with it for a while till you've fixed it?

With dog barking, those questions are more important than anything imo.

[caffiend42]

For one thing, it indicates that the dog may be unhappy, upset, or fearful about something in its environment that may have changed - at least in its perception.

Getting a happy dog back would be my main motivator, rather than the prospect of complaints, although that too is a high motivator. Not least if you yourself find it irritating/annoying.

Maybe he's got a little sensitive to new situations/noises and a bit of separation anxiety thrown in, and one trick may be to desensitise him to those noises that set him off, and/or put some background noise like a tv or radio in place that may override the other noises.

There are a few ideas, good luck.

[inbox]

The only difference that I can think of is that he has been getting out of his crate more often and playing all around the house instead of just the kitchen now. Should I be looking at cutting the time he spends out? He tends to bark alot when he is in his crate which is where he sleeps and always has been which just a week ago it has been a problem with barking. I also noticed that when I'm in the same room and eating now he would tend to bark, I don't respond and ignore his barks during this period, also tried water squirts but nothing seems to stop him.

I'm trying to think of ways to improve the crate so it isn't something he keeps barking about staying in. The main reason I keep him in there is to sleep which is pretty much the only time unless im out as well because leaving him alone I know he will start toileting in the kitchen as oppose to outside.

It is a problem with the neighbors as it is loud and I know they will start to complain soon enough.