Separation anxiety and barking

Hi, Roxy is 2 and spends most of her time at home with me. Husband works, 3 kids at school, but I'm home with her.
Walks are not scheduled and are different every day, with different family members, so lots of exercise stimuli. However she spends so much time with me and I've recently been told by my neighbours that she barks while I am out.

I set up a video camera and yes, she barks when the postman comes (same time every day!), and if she sees something outside, cat, stranger etc, but the longest time she's barked is twenty minutes, when I was out for an hour.
When I come home, she's excited and jumps up for a hug, I hug her, say hello, and then leave her, she settles quickly after that.
When I go out, I leave her in the dining room with a Kong and dentistick, that's become a routine and she waits on her bed expectantly for those treats when anyone puts their coat on and she knows she's not coming. She's quiet with those, then roams for twenty minutes and barks on and off, before settling on her bed to wait.

I don't see this as excessive, but if the neighbours complain again, I'd like to be able to tell them I'm trying to quieten her!

It would also be useful to stop the barking, as during school holidays, I imagine she has barked while we've all been out for the day!

Any tips on helping reduce the separation anxiety and barking?
She would accompany me everywhere if she had the chance...and I'm a softy for giving her hugs!

Thanks, Lisa

[LOVEGSD]

I went through separation anxiety with my lad and I was told to ignore him for 10 mins prior to leaving him and don't make a fuss of him when you come in, once he's calm then fuss him.

I would suggest not allowing her to follow you into every room, leave her in one room and then just come and go making no fuss of her at all so she learns that you coming and going is no big deal.

I would also teach her the 'quiet' command so you can stop her barking when you're at home.
xx

Our older GSD Jade howles everytime we go out - she's been doing this for years, and the neibors haven't noticed, so it hasn't been a problem. Our Yunger dog Kai howerver jumps at the door and whines for a good ten mins. For this, we have done practically the same as you, giveing him toys ect...

Somthing that did work once was giveing him a really chewie treet just as we walked out of the door. There was not jumping, or whineing. But this only seems to work when he's in the mood haha.

Lots of people creat their dog when there going out for a short amount of time, but usally this is only for destructive dogs...

This might sound weired, but have you tried youtube? There are lots of helpful training vidios on there(:

[gsdlover4ever]

I haven't had a problem with SA with my GSD. Before i go out i will tell her to down/stay in an area of the house and i will hide her treats.... around the house and after i have put my jacket on.... i will tell her to go find... Seems to do the trick, as she is pre-aqupied about getting the goodies than me leaving.

When i am going out for a longe period of time i will also leave the radio on.

A lot of people make the mistake of comforting their dogs.... before they go and when they return... which seems to mix the dog up and increase stress...

You could try rescue remedy or DAP defuser and this should help keep them relaxed.... when you leave.

SA can be a real problem. Here's what helped with our Velcro Boy:

# While in the house letting him be apart from you, so not always in the same room - allows the dog to be happy with his own company and realise it's no big thing being on his own.
# 30 mins prior to leaving, ignore the dog completely, no interaction.
# Doing saturation leaving sessions to de-sensitize him. Leaving the house - just going outside - for 10 mins then coming back in. Mixing these up - so 10 mins, 5 mins, 15 mins etc.
# When doing longer leaving sessions of 30 mins or more only increasing the time by 10 mins per day.
# Keeping leaving and meetings low key - no saying goodbye, or fussing him when we returned.
# Ignoring hyper-excited behaviour when we returned. Praising him only when he's calm.
# Using a firm leaving command - "Back soon" whenever you leave him, whether it's to put rubbish out or a proper leaving session.
# Allowing him unrestricted access to the downstairs rooms and hall; not shutting him in one room.
# Leaving him with a chew toy or bone to keep him occupied.
# Leaving the radio on.

Thank you for your replies!
Have already put some advice into action:
The house is usually quiet while I'm home with Roxy, so I am putting the radio or TV on at intervals, and leaving one of them on when I go out for longer periods...
I'm making less fuss of her, especially ignoring her when I'm going about my usual routine. I've left her in another room at times too, so she isn't with me 100% of the day!
Cut all the fussing and saying goodbye (just 'See you soon' each time I leave the room, regardless of how long I'll be!) and hello when we go out and come home! Particularly ignoring her excited jumping when I get home, and ignoring her til she's settled and sitting quiet.
I shut the blinds, but may decide to shut the actual curtains in the living room, as she still sits and watches out the window while I'm out, which means she barks at people walking by, and cats and birds!
I really appreciate your ideas, thanks, Lisa