Thread: GSP Barking

Harley really didn't like being left alone in her kennel at first. It took me half a day to sort it. First thing is to make sure that they are happy and comfortable with the kennel or wherever you leave them. What I did next worked for me but I am no expert so I might have just got lucky.

I put her in the kennel and locked the door (she had water, something to chew, an old blanket and an old shirt of mine for my scent) I then went around behind the kennel and sat down where she could not see me . I put a podcast on my phone just for the sound of people talking etc. That worked too well and wasn't a realistic long-term solution so I turned the noise off and went back behind the kennel again.

As soon as she started crying I banged the roof of the kennel with a big stick and it scared the hell out of her, no more noise for a minute or two so I let her out for a quick pat and a play. Then I put her back in and repeated over and over again slowly extending the time she was in there between being let out until she did an hour happily.

For the next two or three days I would take her out at random intervals and put her in the kennel and just wait out of sight for her to bark or cry and if she did I would bang the kennel with a stick. She now spends the work day in the kennel other than being let out for lunch and has no problems.