# barking when i go upstairs



## stow (Feb 6, 2012)

My stairs are situated in part of my lounge, i have a stair gate in situ, everytime i go upstairs my 5 month old puppy really barks. 
I have tried going up a step at a time and if she stays quiet i click and treat however this doesnt seem to be working, i have a very intermittant response, sometimes i think ive got it, but most the time she just barks.

I've looked into seperation anxiety but she doesnt seem to have the other signs like following you into everyroom in the house, and she sleeps in a crate ok at night.

Anyone got any advise, thank you


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## BananaBassett (Apr 24, 2012)

stow said:


> My stairs are situated in part of my lounge, i have a stair gate in situ, everytime i go upstairs my 5 month old puppy really barks.
> I have tried going up a step at a time and if she stays quiet i click and treat however this doesnt seem to be working, i have a very intermittant response, sometimes i think ive got it, but most the time she just barks.
> 
> I've looked into seperation anxiety but she doesnt seem to have the other signs like following you into everyroom in the house, and she sleeps in a crate ok at night.
> ...


My dog doesnt have separation anxiety in any other way except when I go upstairs. He whines and yelps as if in being sooo cruel. I made the mistake of running to him, or making a big deal when going upstairs ("Oooh I'll be back in a minute, don't worry, it's ok" etc) and he fed off this; runnin to him taught him he can scream for attention, fussing him first made him THINK it was something to worry about!! Now I just ignore him, go upstairs quietl and shut the baby gate. He sometimes does still whine and bark but I continue to ignore him and now he stops and lies down. I then give him lots of praise when I come downstairs. Some might compare it to having a baby. Letting them cry a bit isn't harmful and they will stop. Doing otherwise can lead your dog to think demanding attention is fine. Good luck


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

I think I would desensitise by popping upstairs for a few seconds, not making any fuss about it, and when the dog gets used to that, making it a bit longer... and so on. 
It may be that by making it a `special` thing to do with rewards etc it has taken on more imprtance than it should to him?


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## Strawberryearth (Apr 5, 2012)

I agree with what has been said above. Both slowly desensitising and also ignoring the barks/not making a fuss. If you go and come back your pup will realise that you always come back.

MY 5month old pup is the same, when I go up the stairs she will sit at the bottom (or run up after me, as is the new game) and also when we go to bed at night- she sleeps in the kitchen which is baby gated off. She gives it some for a while, a few barks and a bit of whining but then settles down.

I think the term Separation Anxiety is overused now. It used to be used to describe an extreme reaction of dogs not being able to cope when being left alone- chewing walls (etc), digging, pacing, salivating and general anxious behaviours. Now it seems that the slightest sign of a dog barking when you leave a room (for example) is labelled as Sep.Anx because of how it sounds. In my opinion this just leads to owners over worrying about their dogs when they are not there or those few barks when they get up to go to the loo! 

I think you are right (as is above poster) when you doubt it being Sep.Anx because of the lack of other behaviours. 

Just realised it looks like I am having a little rant at you there! I'm not, I promise! It's just that I used to be an owner who panicked about everything and would look things up online where every little thing points to Sep.Anx and how difficult your dog will be/how much of a bad owner you are for letting it develop (of course, this is utter tosh) and how difficult it will be to remedy! It had me going out of my mind! Until I realised that she show's no other behaviours other than barking a bit when we go to bed at night, or when I leave the room. She is easily distracted by a toy or treat, so it can't be that bad! And she happily snoozes in her bed while I am out at work, barely lifting her head to see who wandered in!


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## stow (Feb 6, 2012)

Thank you, yes mine is just like the last bit you described, she sleeps happily in her crate at night most nights and appears to just sleep and play with a few toys when im out at work so i will just hope that sooner or later she will realise that i come back downstairs when i go up!

Thanks for your help.


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