Introducing Puppies

[BallyJ]

Hi all,

Looking for some advise, we lost our lab last month and are looking at puppies now.

However we have a Jack Russel who, since losing our other dog, has taken to howling when left alone.

She comes to work with me, but is left maybe 2 hours a week, she howls the entire time! How can i prevent this from being passed on to the puppy?

I'm hoping she settles once she has company and goes back to being her chilled out self, Any advice?

Just to add- she is crated and sleeps in the kitchen overnight in there with the door open completely fine! We do close the door when we go out in case she chews!

 

[Cortez]

If she's howling because she is lonely, then getting a puppy will solve the problem, surely?

 

[BallyJ]

That's what we're hoping! but wondering if there is anything we could do to help with the transition.

 

[11bluewolf]

I would probably work on her anxiety first, "leave her" (just walk away from your door so she thinks you have left) for increasingly short periods and come back and reward when she is quiet.

 

[twiggy2]

Separation anxiety often continues despite the addition of another dog, you need to address the separation anxiety and work on it till it stops as there is no way to prevent the puppy picking up on the other dogs anxiety, then you could have 2 dogs howling when left.

 

[JennBags]

Separation anxiety often continues despite the addition of another dog, you need to address the separation anxiety and work on it till it stops as there is no way to prevent the puppy picking up on the other dogs anxiety, then you could have 2 dogs howling when left.

This ^^ the puppy is more likely to pick up on the howling than prevent it I'd think.

 

[Chiffy]

Just as an experiment could you try not closing the crate door when you go out. Shut her where you do at night. I understand you don’t shut the crate door then.
I took on a young Rescue in October. I was told by the foster carer who just had her for three weeks that she didn’t like to be contained but slept fine shut in a room.
I left her free but shut shut in the dog room with my other two the first night but she peed on their beds. The next night I shut her in a very large crate in the same room. I persisted for a couple of weeks, always feeding her in there etc, but she was very unsettled and howled in the early hours. Eventually with her settled and housetrained at all other times, I left the crate door open at night and have never had any more bother.
Just a thought.

 

[Cortez]

This ^^ the puppy is more likely to pick up on the howling than prevent it I'd think.

Worked for mine, but I suppose it would depend on the individual dog.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Worked for mine, but I suppose it would depend on the individual dog.

It worked for mine, too. I had 2 litter sister Labs aged about 18 months, one had to be pts because of cancer. The one left behind howled every night, (fortunately not all night) then I introduced a new pup. The older dog howled the first night, even though she had spent the day happily with the pup, my heart sank. That was the last time she howled in the rest of her 15 years.

 

[BallyJ]

thanks all! Chiffy, i'm out for about 25mins tonight so will try it, and remove any chew-able items! and see if this helps

 

[BallyJ]

It worked for mine, too. I had 2 litter sister Labs aged about 18 months, one had to be pts because of cancer. The one left behind howled every night, (fortunately not all night) then I introduced a new pup. The older dog howled the first night, even though she had spent the day happily with the pup, my heart sank. That was the last time she howled in the rest of her 15 years.

That is hopeful! We really don't leave them very often, but we have neighbors close by so i worry.