Tips to quieten howling: it's seperation anxiety

LeaAnn · Last edited by LeaAnn on Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi everyone, my name is Lea Ann and we are the proud owner of 4 and a half month old Hans. We receive him just before he was four months, so he has learned a lot of manners from his parents, which is brilliant!
A bit of backgroud, overall, he is a very well behaved dog, with the few hiccups of "doing his business" in the house. Heis crate trained and by that I mean it's his bed and he is zipped up every night and sleeps in it by my side of the bed. We put him with us in the bedroom because after the first two nights with us in the crate he would throw huge tantrums in the crate....he was in the lounge at first. The plan is to gradually move him out slowly.

ANYWAY, the problem....in this country, New Zealand, I live in a area where if someone thinks a dog is barking too much they ring up animal control, once they have two complaints (and it's usually from the same person) they either give you a ring or show up on your door and leave a note. So, since we've had Hans, we've had compliants. If it gets too bad, we start getting fined.
The problem is, when we leave for work or even go out for a couple of hours he howls. I've only heard him doing it once as he's been quiet when we leave and then quiet when we get back.
He's usually give a bone or a kong when we go......so he'll have something to do.
Anyone have any other tips that might help teach him that being on his own is okay and to stop howling? This weekend he's going to be put outside more often while we're here and reward him when he's quiet...scold when he howls.
Thanks for any input.
Cheers.

Cathy · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:56 pm Post subject:

Is he outside while you are away?

LeaAnn · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject:

yes, he's never at home for more than 5 hours during the day. The worst it would ever get is 8 hours...but that hasn't happened yet. I don't want to leave him inside all day in his crate....we would feel too guilty for that PLUS, it wouldn't teach him anything.

DanniGirl · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject:

Well, not to be rude but leaving him in the yard is teaching him it's ok to howl while you're away. (I'm sorry I know that's not what you want to hear... Confused

)
In order to punish him he has to be reprimanded EVERY SINGLE time or it won't work. Since you're not there all the time that's obviously out of the picture.
You said you've tried kongs and treats...
Did you ever train him to be alone? Like leave him on his own for 5 minutes, give him a treat and increase the time limit?

youhavenoidea · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject:

I would crate him. He's more likely to just go to sleep for the duration of your absence, than to howl at all the external stimuli outside. It's good for him to be used to being crated anyway, in case he ever needs to spend the night at the vet's, or needs to be kennelled while you're away for example.

LeaAnn · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject:

NenaGunther · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:31 pm Post subject:

I'm just wondering how much exercise is he getting before you leave the house? If he is tired and crated, more often than not, they are going to rest while your away.

Tired Weim = Happy Weim, at least that's true in my house. Smile

PamK · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:35 am Post subject:

Probably someone else chiming in with something you don't want to hear but when mine was that little he was crated during the day while I was at work and at night. I was away for 9 hours for work.

I was more worried about what he could get into while out of the crate, than him being in the crate for so long. He mostly sleeps during the day anyway. We get up early and walk a couple miles in the morning before I go to work, and I walk him at least 2 more miles at night too.

When he turned a year old I let him start sleeping out at night. By then I was sure he was house trained.

LeaAnn · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 1:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the tips. I think you guys are probably right. I will need to change the routine a bit in the morning. When we got him I got up an hour earlier to get him toileted and fed. Now, I'm going to use that time to give him a walk instead and he can eat while I'm in the shower. And, I'll keep him in the crate with the t.v/radio on until he's truly comfortable with being out on his own.
Now I've just got to get over my fear of walking at 5am, in the pitch black...lol
So is it just a myth that you shouldn't run them before a year old? or is this just meaning, hard out running for miles and miles?

PamK · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject:

I run and specifically got a weim so he could run with me. I've heard to wait until 18 months. Even though I run really slowly I've decided to wait that long.

Some people on this form would disagree but I just wouldn't want to find out too late that they were wrong. Whats a couple more months to wait over a lifetime of issues because I wouldn't wait?

I keep the radio on all day and night now in the room Derek's crate is in.

luana80it · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:24 am Post subject:

get him a brother or a sister... Wink

hoochmamas · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:43 am Post subject:

hooch is 4 months old, and we do brisk walks everyday, from 1-2 miles, sometimes we'll run at the end, but no more than a 1/4 mile.. i've read that you really should wait to run them.
if you reverse your crating, and leave him indoors crated when you leave, he may settle sooner.
try covering the crate with a blanket, make it nice and cozy inside with "safe" things.. hooch is really fond of fleece blankets, and will not eat them or pee on them, (so far!)..so i am lucky.. in the beginning i would "wear" the blankets under my clothes so they had my scent on them..
kongs are good.. radio or TV on for company.. there are tons of threads on crate training on here.. it may take a week or 2, or longer Shocked

but he will get it.. good luck!

LeaAnn · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:12 pm Post subject:

Trene · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:

LeaAnn · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 1:57 am Post subject:

awww...
we're trying very hard to keep him off the bed and sofas, but it doesn't help when our 3 year old keeps inviting him up on the bed so she can snuggle with him while she watches t.v.

The last two days have been great. No complaints from the council yet this week, woohoo!