# What should we do when she barks when we come home?



## Serawyn (May 23, 2011)

My husband and I don't leave Ellie in her crate for long...maybe one hour each time. The length of crating her isn't an issue because she never cries or barks in her crate. She actually really, really loves being in it and often goes inside even when we're home. 

We try not to make a fuss before we leave the house; we don't say goodbye and only leave when she's busy chewing on a toy or playing in her crate. When we come home, we ignore her and only come over when she is calm. 

However, this past week, whenever my husband comes home from work (she doesn't get to see him all day, but I am home with her all the time), she would bark and bark and bark. She whines if he doesn't acknowledge her and we've been told not to pay attention to her when she is in this state of mind. Are we doing the right thing? I feel like her barking has intensified as we ignore her and I don't want to cause any separation anxiety. Ellie is 10 weeks. 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I actually enjoy being greeted by the swirling twirling barking squeaking twittering fluster of excitement from my dog. Why would you discourage that?


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

I would suggest your husband 'leave'. If she starts barking he should instantly go straight back out the door and close it. Wait until she stops then come in again - repeat as needed. She will then learn that her barking makes what she wants go away. My guys used to bark and jump up at the gate when I got home, I would turn around and walk away - it took a few trials but it didn't take them long to figure it out.


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## Chance911 (Apr 20, 2011)

Have you tried giving Ellie a stuffed kong as soon as your husband walks in the door? Also we keep a kong in our freezer at the ready incase someone comes to our door so we don't have two dogs bouncing all over them.


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## Serawyn (May 23, 2011)

Megora, We don't want to encourage any excitement when we come home. I think it could make her an anxious dog. We want her to greet us and be happy (tail wagging and smile on her face), but if she's anxious, spinning, barking, it means she's anxious. Her heart races and to me, that is unbalanced and unhealthy in the long run. I try to imagine it as if my husband is coming home. If I am so excited I pee my pants, twirl, spin, and my heart in pumping at a high speed, I would not want to feel that way every day; it must not be healthy. 

Charliethree, Thank you. I will mention this to my husband. We didn't think that if she barks, he should leave and re-enter to stay if she's calm. It's a great idea. Thanks!


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## Serawyn (May 23, 2011)

Chance, I've thought about giving her a kong when my husband comes home. But, one thing I'm hesitant about is that she would associate him coming home with something good. So wouldn't she want to bark even before he comes home so that she can get a kong? Maybe I'm being too cautious about it!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> but if she's anxious, spinning, barking, it means she's anxious.


Not always. 

When dogs get older, they usually tone down the greeting parties. They still will beat the wall next to the door and bark and twitter (my Danny would wing his ears - and actually I have a picture of him somewhere greeting me with something he had randomly stuffed in his mouth so he could do his greeting grumble). 

When they are younger, they generally are a bit more up and express their joy in twirling, dancing, twittering, squeaking, and even barking. It does not mean they are ill or anxious. 

My guy spends his day at my mom's feet or following his collie bro around. He still shows his joy and excitement when I come home. Especially in a flustering rush to bring me all of his toys and my shoes as I walk in. It's sweet. That's how a golden shows his affection.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Megora said:


> I actually enjoy being greeted by the swirling twirling barking squeaking twittering fluster of excitement from my dog. Why would you discourage that?


I think I made the mistake of encouraging the swirling twirling and squealing of Flora when she was a puppy and now it has blown into ridiculous proportions. If I could go back in time my #1 step would be to discourage that behavior. But I think it just depends on the dog. I don't mind a happy squirming dog, but a dog that is so happy that she's frantic is a whole 'nother issue. :


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Are you home when he gets home?


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

My husband travels with his work and when he come home Hank thinks of himself as the Welcome Wagon. He seems beside himself with joy! We never thought of it as a bad thing, unhealthy or being anxious. He's just happy to see his dad!


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

Do you have a fenced-in yard? Mulligan was quite the overzealous greeter when he first came home, although at 1.5-2 years, not a young puppy. Still when I walk in the first thing that I do is ignore both dogs and open the back door to let them out. He ends up draining his over-excited energy by playing with Samantha. After about 5 minutes I bring them both back in and greet him when he is calm. 

He's no longer jumping on me when I come home and he's been with us about a month. Initially it was instant bruises the second I walked in the door. When Samantha was a puppy we used the typical ignore and pet when calm routine which worked well. It didn't seem to be working with Mulligan as they would get each other worked up... he's crated and Samantha is not so they were greeting each other as well. I figured that the best way to address it in our situation was to let him first drain his excitement in an appropriate place/fashion... by playing in the yard. 

The Kong tip may work in a similar fashion.


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## LincolnsMom (Sep 28, 2010)

Hmmm I can understand with your concern a twirling puppy can soon turn into a jumping teenager if not managed -trust me-

Have you taught sit? With lincoln I ignored him -he wasn't crated tho- did what I had to do let him twirl around me then when he was calm I gave him a treat. He eventually got then hint that a calm-er dog is a good dog. He's still a happy puppy when we come home, But he's learned where the line is between happy and hyper.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> a twirling puppy can soon turn into a jumping teenager if not managed


Unless you train your dogs not to jump. 

I can most definitely have a problem with a dog who is so overexcited that he's jumping up on you. <=- I'm usually dressed up for church or work when I come back home to my guy and don't appreciate wet paws (if we've let him outside during his happy fit) on me. I do encourage hugs when he isn't wet and dirty, but I give him a cue that it's OK.

So definitely I would train a dog to keep his feet off, but I really love the dancing display of joy that they give. If you've been sitting on the highway for a half hour or more or had a hard day at work it's like a spoonful of sugar.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

It's funny. Barking at our arrival home was the only time my Bridge boy Sam was vocal. Every other moment of the day he was silent, even people coming to the door. He only barked when we came home...and I'm a stay at home wife and he was with me all day long. I'm talking the occassional times when we went somewhere without him. He'd be barking while we were unlocking the door, tail going a million miles an hour. I actually looked forward to it....and I miss it terribly now. Ike, our current joy and Golden treasure, stands at the door silent as a church mouse starring at us while we unlock the door. Anyone else comes to the door, or down our driveway for that matter, and he's barking up a storm. If she's not causing disruption with her greetings at any other time than your hubby coming home, I'd say cheerish it....one day it will stop. =(


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