Need training suggestions.

[LeahBoo]

I got a 7ish month old puppy from the shelter a week and a half ago. He is Dachshund and something terrier-like, I think Rat Terrier. He is GREAT! Awesome almost all the time.

I put him in the crate when I go to work, he yips when I walk out the door, I assume he stops after a bit. I think he's getting better, he didn't yip this morning. This really isn't a problem, as my apartment is not connected to any others and the neighbors are old and deaf anyway. But when I come home, he starts yipping as soon as he can hear me. Loud, and so high pitched. I wait until he stops to open his crate. I put him outside and he yips and yips and yips until he can see me. He won't go to the bathroom until I am in sight. He is very attached to me and just doesn't want to be away. I only leave him for 4 hours in the morning. I leave for another three hours in the afternoon, with a 2 hour break in the middle. In the afternoon, he hangs out with my mom.

I think I just need to leave him out there until he stops yipping. But, ugh, he's so loud. And did I mention the pitch?

He is so smart, so trainable. Goes everywhere, doesn't bark any other time, is housebroken, and does what you tell him. Just doesn't like being alone.

I have been ignoring him for a little while after I get home (after the barking fiasco), so homecomings wont be such a big deal. I do this with my other dogs too. It bugs me when you come home and HAVE to give the dog attention before doing your own thing. My mom's dogs are like this, it takes 5 minutes to get past the excited dogs. But mine don't even get up. I have also been using NILIF, after I started seeing some of the terrier showing through.

I am usually very good with this sort of thing. I just can't stand the yipping.

Any suggestions? Keep ignoring? He'd be happiest if I went out with him every time, but that's not gonna happen. He doesn't bark any more if I have been home for a while and let him out with the other dogs.

[greenmagick]

I really dont know, but I would think part of its still the newness and the fact that he is still a baby. I still have to go out with my 7 month old most times to make sure she goes, especially if I just get home.

[Nicole915]

Does he do the yip thing when you leave but someone else is in the room? This would leave you with other management options.

While it may not be what you want to hear, it sounds like you're doing everything right.

[LeahBoo]

He did when I got him, I couldn't leave him without the yipping, but now I can leave him with other people.

I've decided to cut him some slack. I've started going outside with him again, but I stay on the other side of the fence (you have to go through a gate to get to the yard). Today, he only yipped a few times, and stopped when I told him to. Now I just have to get him to stop bolting out the door when I open it. He doesn't go anywhere, he's just insuring he doesn't get left behind. I know how to do that one, and he is getting better.

[Ola_]

What I normally do when I get home is give the dogs a quick pat on the head (they're not crated) and then put my stuff down, get changed, etc. He isn't left too long so he shouldn't need to pee urgently so this should be fine to do.

Not sure why he is going outside on his own - is that important to you? I always go with my dogs, especially since after they potty we usually play with a frisbee or something. After sitting in the crate on his own some interaction with you is a good thing. You can do a little training if he doesn't play with you exactly, or just hang out.

For the bolting out the door I taught one of my dogs to sit and look at me when I open the door. Basically I started with just opening it a crack (so she can't fit through it) and tell her to sit, wait for her to look up at me, and then let her go. Slowly you'll be able to open the door more and still ask him to sit and wait, then it will become a habit. Good luck!