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I have a Brittany that is 7 months old that barks when she is in her crate when I'm away (I have a webcam set up so I can monitor her while I'm gone). She knows that she only gets let out once she is quiet, so the second she hears me pull up she quiets down. She is also quiet while she knows I am still in the house but once I pull away she starts barking. If it wasn't for the webcam, I would think she is the perfect dog in the crate.

I have tried doing very short sessions in the crate, where I go out the door and come right back in, then try to extend it a little longer but she can't seem to go more than about a minute after the front door closes before she starts barking.

She doesn't bark the entire time; she barks for 5 minutes or so then lays quietly for awhile, then repeats. I am not leaving her in the crate for long periods of time, at most 1 to 2 hours.

She is getting plenty of exercise before I put her in the crate as well, in fact I purposefully get her tired before crating her in hopes of her being tired and less likely to bark out of boredom.

Is there any way I can train her to not bark while I am not home? Is she barking as a way to self-soothe? Any help is appreciated!

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    Honestly, she's still a teenager and being confined to her crate and left alone is soooo boring. It's no wonder she barks. She's trying to call you back to let her out again. Not sure what else to do than letting her sit it out and get used to it, though.
    – Elmy ♦
    Commented Apr 19, 2022 at 19:54
  • Thanks for the reply, that is kind of what I expected but it is good to get some confirmation on that. I usually give her a stuffed Kong to try to prevent boredom but she usually ignores it until I let her out.
    – jteezy14
    Commented Apr 19, 2022 at 20:41
  • @jteezy14 I was going to suggest a kong when she goes in because that would maybe distract her from the initial moment of you leaving and keep her busy enough until she typically calms down. What are you stuffing it with?
    – selene
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 20:00

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There are various bark control collar options out there, as well as sound machines that could work. If you don't want to go that route (owners preference)...

Some other options that have been proven to work:

-Cover the crate with a blanket or bedsheet. (Due to being open all around, a crate can make the dog feel exposed, thereby raising their anxiety levels.)

-Serve meals to her in the create (Dogs associate food with comfort. Therefore, by serving him her meals inside the crate, they will associate it with a place of comfort. Consequently, when it comes to naptime, they should be feeling comfortable being inside the crate)

-Provide a snuggle toy

-Reward her for being quiet.

Here is a website with even more great suggestions and resources, which is where I got the information from. https://puppyintraining.com/crate-training-puppies/

So whoever downvoted can take it up with them

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