HOWLING DOG 2

keira1 · GAL Secretary

HOWLING DOG 2

max · Enlightened One

Gosh what a predicament. It must be so difficult to judge if your neighbours are exaggerating or just being picky,and you always have to tread carefully here. Hope that with you moving the dogs away to another area works and if they still insist there is a problem ask if they could keep a diary ( you keep one too of all your comings and goings, do not tell them you are doing this too) then compare notes to see if they tally. Also you could try leaving a recording machine on as you leave the house to see if indeed there is a lot of howling, remember to state date and time when you start recording and vary the amount of time you are out off the house to see if that makes any difference. I know it sounds very cloak and dagger stuff but if it comes to it you need proof that it is not like or as bad as your neighbour says.Hope this helps.

Nora

tootsmazza · Enlightened One

I'm so sorry you are having similar problems. Its so difficult to know what the truth is when you are not there. If you can hire recording equipment that might be the easiest way to establish the facts.
The guy upstairs from me has complained Mason howls for "three hours every single day".
I know this is not true because my neighbours on either side, one of whom is separated by a thin wall, tell me it is not.
Many on the forum know there are other issues with the tenant above me but Mason is an easy target because he knows I work. On Sunday afternoon I was in the front garden with Mason and he was looking out his window. I heard him loudly telling his companion that he has to listen to "that dog" howl for hours every single day...astonishing since Mason had spent most of last week five miles away at day care.
I should say day care really seems to be working for Mason, on Friday after three days away at the centre I left him home alone. My nice neighbours reported he barked for 10 mins then settled for the rest of the day.
Problem is it is not cheap, but I don't worry about him being in the house distressed.
Marie

Jennifer · Master

This probably sounds really obvious but just little things like - when i first got Willow, i'd arrive home to hear him barking, but Carole Robinson advised i shut the blinds at the front of the house as he maybe distracted by folk walking past. Also i keep the livingroom window shut so there are not too many noises coming in from outside that may distract him. I live in a quiet cul-de-sac so lucky its very quiet anyway. My neighbours are also very good too which is lucky. When i had Lulu as a foster, i pre warned them they may hear her bark when i was out at work as she was new, and they said she did a bit to start with but after a week she had settled.
As other folk have said, leaving the radio on helps, even if its just to block out other noises from outside that may start ur dog off barking. Also when i leave the house, my dogs get a handful of biscuits each so it takes away from the fact im leaving the house. Now a days i come home to find all my dogs fast asleep on my bed

FAJ · Enlightened One

I'll second the handful of biscuits idea! We have a set routine that is always, always the same when we leave the dogs. They go out for a final widdle then they jump into their beds, they get a few biscuits thrown at them, then we're out the door. No fuss, no cuddles, no messing around.

Sounds like your neighbours are looking for an excuse to complain. Not nice.

JENNY · Big Cheese

I also leave Vernon with a treat when I leave. Usually a dentastick or a stuffed kong. I had a bit of difficulty when I first got Vernon as he was not used to being alone despite having Ziggy for company.
He now knows when I leave he'll get a treat and he goes to his bed to eat it as I leave the house. I also shut the blinds and windows as he has seen squirrels in the park before and went mad. Its always the same routine and I think that is the key.

Jennifer · Master

FAJ wrote:
We have a set routine that is always, always the same when we leave the dogs. They go out for a final widdle then they jump into their beds, they get a few biscuits thrown at them, then we're out the door. No fuss, no cuddles, no messing around.

That exactly the way it goes in my house

Steve · Master

"Now a days i come home to find all my dogs fast asleep on my bed

"

You're lucky Jennifer - when we come back ours are usually barking like mad as they know what our diesel engine sounds like. By the time we are in the front door Harry is boinging up and down at the dog gate and Pearly stands round the corner barking non stop. Once the gate opens Harry runs out, sniffs our bags, batters his tails off everything and then chases Pearly back to her bed - they usually have a little tussle at the same time. Eventually they calm down - most likely once we've let them outside and they've run to the bottom of the garden to try and find cats.

-- Edited by Steve at 15:54, 2007-04-04

Valerie · Guru

I agree with Jenny's method, and it works for Biscuit. He always gets a Kong, and is so used to it, he is impatient for me to get out!! He whines when I put the Kong on the worktop ready. I also put biscuits on the worktop, so he knows he is allowed to "steal" those when I'm out, and doesn't steal other stuff. He never steals or jumps on the worktops when I'm in, so it is just our routine. I think the routine helps him to know the separation is temporary, and signals I'll be back etc. Also agree about windows, cos I think Biscuit can smell other dogs coming down the street, if open, and has nearly launched himself thru the window, when the spaniel up the street comes down

Some folk have had success with the DAP?

Jax · Master

It's awful when you don't know the exact truth...we've got the same problem, neighbours on one side say they occasionally hear Dan howl (ie not even once a week) but the guy on our other side complains that it is constant, strangely even during times when we're home or out with the dogs! We leave Sally a Kong and it works, she can't wait to get rid of me at lunchtimes as she knows she gets it. Dan isn't interested in Kongs though. We considered some sort of recording equipment to find out exactly what goes on when we're out but but Dan has settled (as far as we know!) since being put on medication so we haven't actually gone down that route yet. However it would be very interesting to set up cameras in different parts of the house just to see what they get up to...

One thing is clear with Dan though, if his routine is upset he gets very whiney and grouchy. I haven't tried treats before we leave, need to give it a go.

Donna · Rookie

Hi there, I'm new to this site and have just aquired my second dog Rosa, a Saluki/greyhound cross (8 weeks).
We also have a 7 months old collie and, also having neighbours we were worried about howling and barking while we were out.
What we did was set up a webcam and record his behaviour while he was alone so we knew exactly how long the initial whining would last and if it got worse.
It worked a treat and we found it was easier to establish what was bothering him ie boredom, etc and find a solution.
You can also set up webcams so you can check them online at your place of work which could be very helpful if you log on and discover your dogs are howling the house down - you could ring your walker and ask her to go round.
Hope this helps.
Donna