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How to stop dog barking at noises when left alone?

Hello! My dog is alone every day for about 5 hours. We've had a strict routine since he was 6 months old (he is 2 now). We take a long walk and play fetch every morning for at least 1 hour before he needs to stay alone and before I go out I give him a special treat he needs to dig out of a toy contraption I made. My neighbor recently told me that he barks when left alone. I got a camera to watch him and he is mostly fine. He doesn't even pay attention to me leaving as he is busy getting his treat out. He then dozes off. But as soon as he hears a noise, he jumps up and starts barking and sometimes even howling. He does that for about 5 minutes and then stops... until the next noise comes. I have a white noise machine but it doesn't seem to help. I live in an apartment building with lots of neighbors and noises throughout the day. I don't know what else to do to stop him barking and people complaining. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks!

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I leave either the tv or a radio on while I'm at work, and the barking stopped immediately. I believe it helps my dogs feel like there's someone home with them at all times. I hope this will help. Good luck.

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I have seen on TV that you must relieve your dog and ease your dog's mind by saying that you are leaving and will be back in few hours! Even though your dog cannot speak, can still understand by the tone and behavior of the owner. Your dog seems to be barking, because he/she is nervous and anxious. So, relieve your dog's anxiety and calm he/she down overtime before you leave!

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This may sound a little dumb, but have you considered getting something a little bit louder and more sound obstructing? We have a large air purifier that eliminates a LOT of noise because of all the air it's pushing out. A big fan might help in the same way. Is he crate trained? If he's in a crate with the noise machine or a fan next to him, that might help out a lot since most of the outside noise could be obstructed.

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Usually, right after an owner leaves a dog with separation anxiety, the dog will begin barking and displaying other distress behaviors within a short time after being left alone often within minutes. When the owner returns home, the dog acts as though it’s been years since he’s seen his guardian. For dogs with separation anxiety, try counter conditioning which makes the dog focuse on developing an association between being alone and good things, like delicious food. To develop this kind of association, every time you leave the house, you can offer your dog a puzzle toy stuffed with food that will take him at least 20 to 30 minutes to finish. These type of activities need to be offered every day, and toys need to be rotated to maintain their appeal and interest.