Hey guys,
I'm new to this forum but I came on here to get some advice. Rory, my 6 month old husky cries constantly when he is left alone outside. He is never left outside for more than 30 minutes with water, tons of toys and shade when I shower or take a quick nap.
A few of my neighbours have come to the conclusion that since he is crying - and not barking - that I must be beating him or under feeding him, something I would never do. Rory is super spoiled
In any case, they've threatened on numerous occasions that they are trying to get Rory taken out of my care and have been sneaking into my backyard feeding him human food, like ribs, which makes him ill.

Not only am I terrified of someone taking Rory away from me, but also of my neighbours making him seriously ill.

How can I train him to stop barking constantly? I have been told to get him a shock collar but I find them to be cruel.
Also I'm sorry for the rant, I'm just terrified, I love Rory more than anything.

Hi, welcome! I love the pic with the glasses..lol.

If Rory doesn't like being alone outside then I would hang out with him outside for a few minutes and bring him back inside. I personally never leave my 2 outside alone, but that's because I'm paranoid of them getting out. I had one scare and that was enough for me to never leave them outside alone.

Is there a reason he has to be left outside when you nap/shower? It sounds like he's primarily an inside dog; does he have a crate? How long have you had him? Is he kept outside only for these two occasions? Try making him associate being outside with something positive. Run around with him, play some tug, maybe even incorporate treating him with something yummy when he's out there? Like Melissa said, try keeping him outside for shorter intervals to start. If you can keep him outside for 5 minutes without him crying, do that for awhile. Make a big deal about it and praise him like he just found the cure for cancer. Reward him with something he loves, like a treat or toy.

About your neighbors, have you spoken to them about the situation? Sometimes people assume the worst if we're not vocal about what's going on. I would check with local law enforcement if talking to them doesn't work; I don't think they can come onto your property without permission.

Yeah... why is he being left outside? Why not leave him inside when you are napping or taking a shower? What if he got hurt while you were out there?

I don't blame your neighbors for being concerned. Leaving a dog outside unattended doesn't give the right impression at all.

There isn't an explicit reason that he is left outside.
I just feel bad after coming home from work playing with him for half an hour and then putting him back in his crate to take a shower ( I work construction so it cant be put off ) I mean he's been in his crate for 5 hours already.
I thought that it would be better for him to go outside for half an hour to play while I do that, perhaps I am wrong? My parents do that with their dog Jake and he's fine so I assumed it was a good idea.
Afterwards I either play with him outside, take him for a walk or bring him inside.
It's just he starts crying the second he realizes that I've gone back inside.

'Make a big deal about it and praise him like he just found the cure for cancer.' lol!

Did your parents have a husky? LOL. Huskies are a high-energy breed and known escape artists. I would never leave a husky outside unattended.

If that's the case, bring him outside, let him eliminate, then bring him back and put him back in the crate while you shower or nap... or if you're napping, let him nap with you. He wants to be with YOU. You are taking yourself away from him, so he's going to cry.

Or if you feel badly putting him back in the crate. Come home, shower, then let him outside to do his business. An extra 30 mins isn't going to kill him. He's 6 months old, so he can hold it for 6 hours.... he should be fine.

On some days when I'm not home, mine get 10-12 hours of crate time and they are fine

I'm sure we'll all have different opinions on this matter, but I would rather my husky be in his crate for an additional 30 minutes then leave him outside alone, for a few reasons. 1. Anything can happen to a dog left unattended. They could get hurt, especially a husky. He might try to climb a fence and hurt his legs, try digging out and get stuck, eat something he shouldn't, etc. 2. Someone might try to take him. I would especially be concerned with your situation since you already have neighbors who have stated they want the dog taken out of your care. 3. Not sure where you live, but WOW it sure is hot out there. Even with some shade and water I'm sure your husky would much rather be inside.

I just don't think the extra 30 minutes of outside time (and it doesn't sound like he even likes it!) is worth the other risks involved. ^____^

i would suggest a few things other then what others have said.
A. you need to install some form of lock on your gate so your the only one that can open it. this keeps others from coming in as well as knowing the gate is locked and will not open and let your husky out on his own.

B. puppy proof a section or room in your place to keep him while you shower or nap other then the crate? is the shower in your room like a master bath, can you just leave him in your room while you shower? does he make a fuss when you try to nap and thats why he is out side?

C. come home walk him and play with him then recrate him and take your shower and nap.

you can't stop a huskies cry, they are very vocal when they want something and your guy just wants to be with you.

Well, I'm the bad owner here who has had her dog outside unattended all it's life... Koda always had the dog door open, whether someone was home or not, and that is what he prefers and he has never in nearly 4 years given me a reason not to do so. People aren't bad husky owners if their dogs are outside alone people, let's remember it can all depend on the dog and also your fencing.

Anyways, with that said, do you have a dog door or do you have to manually open it? Koda was nearly always outside by choice, but the first few times we closed the dog door on him (first Holidays with him at my moms house), he would flip and acted like he was dying. He ended up being fine with it when my mom started throwing treats or bones outside when she needed him out of the house for a bit, as his mind was focused on that. But I would bet if you had a dog door and left it open, he'd choose to stay outside but like the option to go in.

When Koda was a pup though, he hung out in the bathroom with me when I showered and for bed and naps, slept in my room with ms or under the bed.

In terms of Rory escaping, I do have both fencing and a long leash so he won't escape, I learnt that the hard way when he went to go visit our next door neighbour's dog.

Thank you everyone for your help, I've been working with Rory religiously and he's gotten a lot better at being outside. He actually started playing with the soccer ball without me outside instead of just sitting there and crying.

Glad to hear it Maura! Keep up the good work

That's great to hear! Have you been doing something inparticular that you think has helped him be more comfortable outside?

I actually partially used your advice. The second I get home I run him for 10-15 minutes to tire him out a bit, get him into playing with the ball and slowly start leaving for short periods of time. I give him ton of praise and rewards when I first clip him onto his leash, when I take him off and for staying outside and not crying.

Yay, that's awesome! I'm so glad you're getting results. Keep us posted on how he continues to do.