Started to howl, Help?

[gumpatrump]

My great dane pup has just turned 10 months and has started howling when left alone. When I first got her at 13 weeks I trained her to be left alone by leaving her for short periods and slowly increasing the time we were away. Before christmas we could leave her for 3 to 4 hours and she would be fine.

For the last 2 months she has started to howl and she is getting worse. I feel like I can't leave her anymore and am becoming miserable feeling trapped with her all the time. My social life has disappeared and the neighbours are now complaining about her.

I have tried everything I can think of ( giving her treats, not giving her any attention as I leave or come back, confining her to a small space, leaving the tv or radio on etc ) but nothing seems to be working. I had to go out last saturday night and resorted to paying someone to puppy sit her whilst I was out, she was fine but I can't afford to do that every time.

Do any of you guys have any ideas that I could try. Getting another dog is not really an option. Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you.

 

[Tangaroo]

Sorry i cant help but i look forward to reading the replies as i have just rehomed a 8 month sprocker. She has always had her own way and has only been left a couple of times always with other dogs!
I have had her 10 days and can now go upstairs, leaving her behind baby gate downstairs for up to an hour.
I have now started going out the front door. I managed 10 minutes yesterday but today she was quiet when i left but having walked up the road, i could hear her yowling and barking. Obviously i waited till it was quiet before going back in and ignored her once i was in but hopefully other people have got advice for you that i can make use of too

 

[sloulou]

I think you need to start again with the leaving her bit.

Also - what are you saying/ doing when she starts howling? Are you somehow reinforcing it by reacting?

I think this is useful advice here

 

[sarahhelen1977]

I am glad we don't have any neighbours! - my weimaraner can make a dreadful noise if I go out and leave her - especially if I take one of the other dogs with me, and my springer puppy has got a good howl on her when she is shut in her cage when she doesn't want to be in there!! The weim I ignore, cause she does it when she is with my mum - she is just the usual 'obsessive over one person weimaraner' I also ignore the puppy, because she has to (and does) settle when she is in the crate as she is too young and unreliable to be left out when she is not being supervised.
I am very lucky to be in a situation where the noise my dogs make doesn't affect anyone else, and they also settle down very quickly.

 

[CAYLA]

The best advice I can give, is to introduce a routine whereby the dog is seperated from you when u are in as well as out, introduce a baby gate and a designated area/room, for the dog to feel relaxed with it's own company whilst you are in aswell as out, leave the radio on, a kong filled with goodies and you could also try a plug in dap diffuser.

Begin by taking your dog for a long tiring walk, this way, they are not so full of energy, then can quickly turn to anxiety/restlessness, place them in the area, with a kong, radio on and get on with some house hold chores, walk in and out of the room, and pay the dog no attention, even if they jump up or cry, when you release, make no fuss, and let them straight out in the garden, even if they have only been in designated area for a short period of time, as this will be your routine when leaving and returning home.

Use the designated area frequently, as much as the dog spending more time in the designated area at first, then gradually decreasing, and one on one time should be spent on play times or exercise, ths is the most effective way of helping a dog feel relaxed, and having their own area to retreat, that s assosiated in a positive way, i.e treats, or release for toilet or exercise.
Once the dog becomes comfotable start leaving for short periods, the radio should flood out some noise of you leaving, and they will be a little confused as to whether u are in or out, as a result of your earlier training whilst indoors with them.

When u arrive, release for toilet, no fuss, then back in with a treat, this way, they do not assosiate, u arriving home with a huge fuss, and lots of time soent with you, u can increase all of this at a later stage one routine is established.

Place lots of emphasis on exercise, esp before leaving the dog for longer periods and always leave long lasting treats.
Use the area for bed time too.