How Do I Stop My Dog's Howling?

[siamesekitty]

A questions for fellow dog-owners: have you ever had problems with your dog howling and whining when nobody's home? I used to have 2 female dogs, mother and daughter. The mother recently died, and now the other one seems to have separation anxiety.

This is a grown dog, but she's been with us since she was born, and has never been alone before. If nobody was home at least she had a companion, her mother.

The rest of the family is on a trip abroad now, and I have to go to work during the week, what can I do to stop her from howling so pitifully when she's alone? It's driving the neighbors crazy!

Thanks in advance for any helpful ideas!

[Phil Conners]

For this particular problem, pretend you are leaving but hide nearby. As your dog starts howling you quickly go back to it and shame it out ("baad dog!") in an angry voice. Do it when you have plenty of time and after a few attempts come back and stay with the dog. The key is to let the dog know

1) you're going to come back

2) she's not allowed to howl

I see all the time Thais trying to "speak" with their dog, explaining the dog shouldn't be doing something with a sweet voice. It just doesn't work, dogs don't understand any human language. They understand tones and certain words when trained. Keep that in mind and it's very simple.

[siamesekitty]

Thanks, I'll try it today. What should I do if it doesn't work the first time though? I could keep doing this exercise again later on, but I don't have the time to try it every day. Could I then leave the radio on, as has been suggested before, or would it be counteractive to whatever has been achieved so far?

The other day my neighbor asked me if I was feeding my dog, or if she was sick. (hint hint - she's moaning all day) She also kept telling me to talk to my dog and tell her that I'm going to work and wait for me.

Edited April 9, 2005 by siamesekitty

[udon]

Have you thought of getting a puppy for the dog for company?.

It will keep your dog busy, to say the least.

You really should try posting a question here

in General Dog Discussion.

They won't bite you

just a thought.

[Phil Conners]

Just keep trying the same thing over and over until she learns. It's the key to dog training.

You can try other things in parallel. I haven't heard having a radio going should help but why not try.

And yes, udon is probably right, the dog forum is probably a better place to ask this question

[Pudgimelon]

A questions for fellow dog-owners: have you ever had problems with your dog howling and whining when nobody's home? I used to have 2 female dogs, mother and daughter. The mother recently died, and now the other one seems to have separation anxiety.

This is a grown dog, but she's been with us since she was born, and has never been alone before. If nobody was home at least she had a companion, her mother.

The rest of the family is on a trip abroad now, and I have to go to work during the week, what can I do to stop her from howling so pitifully when she's alone? It's driving the neighbors crazy! 

Thanks in advance for any helpful ideas! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you tried kennel-training your dog?

Humans and dogs have a different psychological make-up, and so while some people might think it's "cruel" to kennel an animal, it is in fact, quite comforting to your dog to have it's own "space".

Of course, you can not leave the animal kennelled for long periods of time, but as long as she's kept cool (a fan blowing into the kennel) and has plenty of water, she should be good for the workday hours.

If you really want her to be comfortable, you can build a dog-house/dog-run so she can relieve herself without having to then sleep near her own piss/feces.

The key is to have the dog-house or kennel be small (but not too small, it must be big enough for her to stand up and turn around comfortably). That's the area in which human and dog psychology really differ. Dogs actually PREFER a small confined space to call "home".

Think about it. Dogs are descended from wolves and all canines use burrows to shelter and raise their young. A dog finds a burrow to be very comforting and womb-like, and it should help to settle down your animal.

The key to kennel-training a dog is to make the kennel "her space", that she can go to any time she wants some peace and quiet. In other words, when the dog is in the kennel, leave her alone, don't try to play with her or get her excited while she's kenneled.

Also, leave the kennel door open when you are home so she can go to it any time she likes, and DO NOT use the kennel as punishment (eg. screaming at and dragging the dog into the kennel after she does something bad). However, it is a good idea to teach your dog the command "kennel" so she knows when you expect her to enter the kennel on her own (and you can use this command to end negative behavior such as begging at the table).

At first, you dog may not want to go into the kennel, so give her some encouragement by putting some toys or treats for her in there and then just leaving the door open. Feed her in the kennel and put interesting things (like chew toys) in there.

You want the dog to go into the kennel on her on, so just leave the door open and provide her with the option to come and go. Eventually you can close the door for 20 minutes or so, but remember, DO NOT open the kennel door for a barking or whining dog. Otherwise you're allowing HER to train YOU to open the door whenever she makes enough noise.

Likewise, do not barge into the room and scold your dog when she's barking in the kennel. That's just another way to allow her to train you to come when she calls. Negative attention is still attention and for a needy dog, they'll take any kind of attention they can get. The key to breaking the barking/whining habit while the dog is kennelled is to start from scratch and reintroduce your dog to the kennel a little bit at a time until she equates the kennel with security, not abandonment. It takes time and patience with some dogs, but in the end, it's worth it.

Another thing you can do is to kennel her for short periods of time at first, while you're still in that same room. After she goes in the kennel to eat, just close the door and then busy yourself in that room so she can keep an eye on you. That will help relieve any anxiety she may have about being abandoned. She'll relax and after 15 or 20 minutes (when she's settled down), let her out again and she'll get the idea that the kennel is her home within your home.

For many dogs, a big empty house is very frightening. A kennel can help solve this problem by providing the dog with the safety and security of their very own den. This can greatly reduce barking and whining

There's plenty of information on dog training on the web. Try searching for crate-training or kennel-training and see what you come up with. Here's one site:

http://www.digitaldog.com/cratetraining.html

[gburns57au]

The dog is lonely.....it has always had company and now it is left on its own...

obviously once the family comes back from abroad, she will have company again and the howling should stop.

Maybe you could find someone to look after her during the day either at your house or theirs until the family returns.

The radio trick does work sometimes especially if she is a house dog. its worth a try....and has the added bonus of making other unwanted guests thinking that someone is home.

[bina]

For this particular problem, pretend you are leaving but hide nearby. As your dog starts howling you quickly go back to it and shame it out ("baad dog!") in an angry voice. Do it when you have plenty of time and after a few attempts come back and stay with the dog. The key is to let the dog know

1) you're going to come back

2) she's not allowed to howl

I see all the time Thais trying to "speak" with their dog, explaining the dog shouldn't be doing something with a sweet voice. It just doesn't work, dogs don't understand any human language. They understand tones and certain words when trained. Keep that in mind and it's very simple.

SK, i sent u a pm but actually, udon, pudg and gsburns have more or less covered it... madsere: never never nver punish a dog for inappropriate behavior connected w/separation, or submissive peeing, it just makes it worse;

the point is: kennel box train, get her a new mate, leave and return BEFORE SHE HOWLS, play/reward (not food, but attention), increase the time slowly, i.e. leave, go far away from door (they know when u are close by);

even go in to shower and come out before she starts her thing, gradually w lots of patience, u can stretch the time u leave her, etc.... it is a slow process but does work, but very slowly.... do not do the poochy moochy act when u leave her, just go out the door, and go straight back in, call her to you, and play or walk her... do this for a week, etc then increase the time... provide a box of toys in different corners for her to discover, as a game, (dont no her age or breed so this might not interest her, for two boxers it workds great); if she howls when u leave, do not return, try to wait, the minute she doesnt howl, walk in the house, this si called remodelling and demands lots of paitence but does work

[siamesekitty]

Thank you very much bina, and everybody's posts and comments. I know this belongs more in a dog forum, but just wondered if any TV members have had similar situations.

bina, I'm reading your advice and see what can be applied to my case. A few more details about my dog in case it's relevant:

- she's kept outside, but sleeps near the door

- she's never paid much attention to toys i've bought her. eats the chew toys, ignores the rubber ball with bells in it. absolutely loves bouncing a tennis ball around, (she loves to bounce it onto the floor with her mouth, then chase after it) but gets bored with it once in a while.

- she's about 2 years old, a Thai breed called "lang-ahn"

Now here's what I wrote right before bina's post:

Today I tried doing madsere's "hide and come back" thing, she doesn't really seem to get the idea, she's just so happy when I'm back that she doesn't seem to care what I say, or if I look like I'm gonna kill her, or anything. Just running around in circles in front of me, and inviting me to play. It's gonna take a while...

I've thought of getting another pet, I'm not sure if she'll accept a new addition into the household, sometimes dogs can get jealous, and my folks really don't want to deal with any more dogs. I've always wanted a cat, but my dog's likely to eat up any felines that come her way! (Her mother seemed to have taught her that.)

I really want to solve this problem, as my family will be away for almost 2 months, which means a lot more days of howling. And even when they're back, there will be days when the dog will have to be left alone. It would be a bit silly having to forego daily activities just to sit around at home and babysit the dog!

[udon]

"a Thai breed called "lang-ahn"

SKitty, I'm curious, can you post a pic of your dog here?

[siamesekitty]

"a Thai breed called "lang-ahn"

SKitty, I'm curious, can you post a pic of your dog here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sorry, I have a couple of pics but they're stored on a disc somewhere. After a bit of Googling I found that the Lung Ahn (หลังอาน) in English is the Thai Ridgeback Dog. Photos of this breed: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/thairidgeback.htm

Edited April 9, 2005 by siamesekitty

[udon]

Thanks SKitty, I posted a Q here about that breed some time ago.

Good luck & thank you.

[chanchao]

Duct tape?

I always worry that if you come back after the dog starts howling you're teaching it that the howling 'worked' as it made you come back!

[jimmi]

I Agree, your dog is lonely. I have some friends in Sakon Nakhon that will take care of your dog for you while you're gone.

[ronz28]

Try leaving a TV on

Wife always leaves the TV on and tuned to animal planet for our chocolate lab. He only barks when he hears something close to the house.

[siamesekitty]

I have some friends in Sakon Nakhon that will take care of your dog for you while you're gone.   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks but no thanks :D

I always worry that if you come back after the dog starts howling you're teaching it that the howling 'worked' as it made you come back!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Me too. That's why I've been wondering how to act when I get home. On one hand, I would assume that she has been howling up to the point of my return, and feel I should scold her. But on the other hand, would she just be grateful I'm here and as Pudgimelon said, think any negative attention is better than no attention?

Anyway, bina suggests I leave and return BEFORE she howls, this is difficult to do because 1)she howls as soon as I'm out of sight and 2)in the mornings I have to rush off to work and don't have the time to play peekaboo

[bina]

hi:

a thai ridge? i also posted once about them and got muppet (dumb crackpot) answers...

u might have to get up earlier, if she's a ridgie, then a bit of longer exercise in morning as a tired dog is a happier dog; and also give u time to , yes, play peek a boo; and thai ridgies are working dogs so the tennis ball thing fits, so a kong would be good for her, where in thailand, i dont have a clue but if they have them in unenlightened israel, they must have them in bangkok at least; there is a thai ridgie site (some guy who breeds them) maybe u should contact him, his sight is in thai, will try to locate it again in my favorites....

i dont know much about the breed other than it is a working type dog so needs to use the brain a bit more, cats will be a big no no of course; forgot to ask about feeding habits, maybe feed half in morning and then half when you return; a full stomach makes a quieter dog sometimes... a neighbor to walk her; a new puppy means much more work for you actually .... it took me 6 months to re model my boxer's wierd behaviors that he had when i bought him (as an adult)... i used a kennel box, re arranged my own work schedule, and stuck with it as consistency is the main thing.... really hard for me to help by remote control though

since thai ridgies are a pariah dog type, they are supposedly very very pack oriented and independant although dont know how they are in reality....

www.ukcdogs.com/breeds/ sighthoundspariahs/thairidgeback.std.shtml

Jack Sterling this is his site:

Thai Ridgeback Dog, TRD, Mah Thai Lung Ahn, Thai Ridgebacks, Thai Dog are some of the names this breed is know by. Please call me direct in Thailand at 011661-716-0420 and email me at [email protected].

couldnt find my other sites, but he may be able to give u some pointers; just double checked and so : it is indeed a working pariah dog (primitive spitz) so bordom and bad habits (no friend to play with) may be some of the problem so try long walk/play before work....good luck!!!! show pics this may be my next dog when the boxers go to doggie heaven... i like large smooth and intelligent working type dogs ...

since we are talking thai breeds though, here's an other breed/type and their site:

http://www.bangkaew.com/main/index.php?newlang=english

Edited April 9, 2005 by bina

[Gary A]

It's quite easy to solve that problem. Wait until the dog traders come around and if the dog is a fairly good size they will give you a plastic basin and bucket for the dog. LOL!

[siamesekitty]

I went to JJ (Jatujak Market) today as a task of Mission "Peace to the Neighborhood"

First of all I set out to find that "kong" thing - "a giant rubber pine cone type thing with holes in it, you put food snacks or peanutbutter inside, and they spend lots of time trying to get food rewards out..." - that bina told me about that might keep my dog busy while I'm not home.

However, when I asked at the shops if they had ever heard of a "kong", I received only puzzled looks and friendly but confused laughs. When I tried to explain what it was they looked at me as if I was asking for an abacus for my dog to use in solving complex mathematical equations.

I finally gave up and decided to just find the biggest, toughest edible chew toys there were, in hopes they could keep my dog occupied during the day. (My dog ignores rubber or plastic stuff; as for edible chew toys that are smaller than my hand, she seems to think they are "chew and swallow" toys which she promptly eats up right away. ) I ended up spending a small fortune on an assortment of various chew toys (made sure they were big enough to buy some time), biscuits, beef jerky, a new squeeze toy (didn't work before, but worth another try), and most importantly, a big hollow bone which I will try to improvise upon. I'll try stuffing some peanut butter or meat in the middle and see if this interests her.

I didn't get around to buying a kennel yet, was lugging too many things around already. pudgi/bina, does it have to be a proper kennel? She already has her own corner of the garage that she sleeps in, could I just arrange it to be a small enclosure?

For the past few days I've been feeding her right before I leave the house. I don't know how long the silence lasts (haven't talked with the neighbors yet) but at least she doesn't start howling the moment I'm out of sight! (I can usually hear her even halfway down the soi.)

[bina]

good going!!!! sounds like you are in the correct direction; big hollow bones are the same idea as the kong; i found that for my canaani bitch (she's a chained yard dog at the park) when she had an infected sore leg, to prevent boredom chewing, we gave her a cow skull (fresh), kept her busy for a long time!!! and kept her from removing bandages etc....

another idea that we do with many confined animals : a rope tied to something strong with that other end tied to an old tire, and to the other end of the tire is a a rope with an old basketball or something else strong or a nice big bone: the tire provides some 'give' so she can pull and it pulls back but she doesnt break her jaw or teeth... w/horse we use a ball and the horse butts the ball (prevents stall cribbing) ... keeps many types of animals (mostly carnivore types like large cats etc) busy, used at the jerus. zoo.

make sure a good long walk /play at night also for some "human bonding" in place of her mother, and a tired dog is always always a happy dog....

http://www.gundogsupply.com/kondogchewto.html