Every person who has never had anything to do with dogs knows very well that sometimes these beautiful animals cause a lot of trouble, howling and disturbing the peace of others. Well, the owners have to puzzle over the question of why the dog howls when it is left alone. What to do in such a situation so as not to harm the pet, but at the same time not to cause trouble to neighbors?
Why is the dog howling?
To begin with, it should be noted that the howling of a dog is almost always associated with some kind of discomfort. A happy, contented and healthy dog will never howl loudly, terrifying the whole family, as well as its neighbors. It is often very difficult to understand a pet’s motivation. But in fact, this is the key to revealing the secret. If you can understand why the dog howls when it is left alone at home, it will be much easier to deal with the problem.
We list some of the most common causes, and also consider ways to solve the problem in specific cases.
Change of place
Quite often, owners note that the dog howls when it remains completely alone after moving. That is, at the previous, habitual place of residence, she suffered loneliness more or less calmly, but after a change of housing she begins to get nervous, often panic, excites the neighbors with a heartbreaking howl.
There is nothing surprising here. Moving is a huge stress for most people. What can one say about animals in such a situation? A dog (especially an elderly one) gets used to one house, usual smells, atmosphere, sounds. And suddenly everything changes. Of course, sharply changed conditions alarm her. And loneliness is also added to this. Dogs very much get used to the environment, to familiar people, owners. Their absence is perceived as a real disaster. Two negative factors, combined, lead to the fact that the dog simply does not find any other way but to express unlimited sadness in a mournful howl that excites everyone around.
Another close situation is a change in the owner’s life schedule. For example, if he always worked during the day, and then for some reason he began to leave home all night. Of course, this also breaks the habitual lifestyle of the pet. As a result, the animal is nervous. So in this case it is not surprising that the dog howls when it is left alone in the apartment.
And what to do? The answer is simple: you need not leave it alone. The easiest way to do this when it comes to an animal living in a family. Just try so that in the next few days after moving the dog is not left alone. If you live alone, it makes sense to ask relatives or acquaintances whom the dog knows and trusts well to move to you to stay with her.
The presence of a loved one calms the dog, it is much easier to tolerate a sharp change of scenery. After some time, the pet will get used to the new way of life and will calmly endure loneliness without delivering howling to others.
Fear of loneliness
Sometimes people take animals from the street or from shelters, and after some time they ask themselves why the dog howls when it is left alone in the apartment. Everything is simple here. The dog is afraid of loneliness. It is not surprising: if it had already been abandoned once, after which the unfortunate animal found itself in extremely unusual, uncomfortable conditions, then it is understandable that the fear of the repetition of an unpleasant experience settles in it. This is especially true for decorative dogs: pugs, poodles, Pekingese and the like. Knowing very well how much their lives depend on the owners, the animals are very afraid to be left alone.
In some cases, such fear disappears in a few weeks. In others, alas, remains for life. On the one hand, such dogs express even more joy than most brothers when their beloved owners return home after absence. On the other hand, you need to conduct special training to calm them down, to help you get used to daily separations. There is a simple but quite effective exercise for this.
When you have free time, dress like you usually dress, leaving for work or study. Then exit the apartment. It can be a walk to the store or just to the entrance door. The main thing - do not stand on the landing: the dog will smell, will understand that you are nearby. Be away for only 5-10 minutes, and then come back. Perform this operation several times, gradually increasing the time of absence. Yes, the exercise requires quite a lot of time. But the dog will quickly understand: each time after separation, a meeting awaits her. This is a pretty effective exercise. It is suitable for those dog breeders who are interested in how to wean a dog howling when she is left alone. The animal will understand that he will no longer be abandoned, his beloved master always returns.
It is very important not to follow the dog’s lead. Some owners, barely hearing how the pet begins to howl, do not stand up and rush back. Of course, the dog makes the corresponding conclusion: if you howl loudly enough, the owner will definitely return. One or two such cases are enough for this rule to become fixed in the consciousness of the animal. Subsequently, when the owner will leave for a really long time, the dog will howl hoarsely, seriously wondering why the experience that has taken place in the past is not repeated. Well, the neighbors will clearly not be delighted with such concerts. And the dog’s nervous system will be seriously worn out.
Excess energy
Another common reason why a dog howls when left alone at home is unspent energy. Unfortunately, some owners, when starting such pets, completely ignore the characteristics of the breeds. But some have a huge supply of energy, they need constant physical activity.
Alas, a walk with a dog often consists in hastily trampling along the usual patch near the house. Yes, and it usually lasts from the power of 10-15 minutes. But some dogs, especially pit bulls, staffords, shepherd dogs, need to spend a lot of energy. For a short and boring walk, they simply do not have time to do this. As a result, returning home and being alone, they simply do not know what to do. You can’t gnaw furniture, tear the owner’s things too. It remains only to growl with sadness, "delighting" the neighbors with an unexpected concert.
The best way to deal with such a problem is to prevent it. If you do not have the opportunity to give the dog sufficient loads, to walk with it for hours, then it is better to have a calm, phlegmatic breed. A good choice will be an English bulldog, pug, mastino. Despite their different sizes, they are all thinker dogs rather than activists. For them, there is no better occupation than lying in a comfortable chair or on a rug, "thinking about the meaning of being", and not rushing around like scalded ones.
If you have already started an active breed and now don’t know what to do (the dog howls when it’s completely alone), then at least try to diversify your walks and make them as active as possible. For example, you can turn every walk into a run. 10-15 minutes of running will allow the dog to spend maximum energy, and for most modern citizens, such loads will be quite useful. If you don’t have the opportunity to run, get your favorite stick or ball and use the Aport! Command more often. The dog will be happy to run, bring the abandoned thing, and you do not have to run with it. Of course, this can only be done in suitable places, preferably in parks, and not in the yard near a busy road.
The moon is haunting
But this is one of the most difficult cases. Quite often the question arises: "What to do: when the dog is left alone, howls?" The neighbors have a hard time, and you won’t be envious. The laws of nature are not subject to man. Unfortunately, in such situations it remains only to reconcile with the state of things or to think about installing additional sound insulation.
The effect of the full moon on living things is not fully understood. However, it has long been noticed that it was at this time that mentally ill people exacerbate, the number of suicides and accidents jumps sharply. But dogs are much more sensitive than humans. Many of the things that the owners simply do not notice have a serious effect on four-legged pets.
However, many people can also notice certain changes during the full moon - mood worsens, sleep disappears, depression or apathy begins. Well, animals react even more strongly. They are scared, and to calm down, they pour out emotions in a way convenient for them. Alas, nothing can be done about it. More precisely, the only way is to take special funds - we will talk about them a little later.
We create comfortable conditions
In other cases, the answer to the question of why the dog howls when alone is quite simple: it feels some discomfort. The reasons for it can be very different. Therefore, the owner should seriously approach the issue of creating the most comfortable conditions for the pet. It has been noticed for a long time: if the dog is healthy, well-fed, confident in itself and its owner, then it certainly will not howl.
What needs to be done for this?
First of all, to provide the pet with enough food and water. That is, the dog should be full, in its bowl there should always be enough clean, fresh water. Still, hunger and thirst are extremely important negative factors that break the dog's comfort.
The next step is to create the illusion of the owner’s closeness. After all, your wardrobe probably has old clothes that you will no longer be wearing. A t-shirt will be a good choice, or a sweater even better. They are saturated with the smell that the dog knows and loves more than anything else - the smell of the owner. You probably will not be wearing old, worn, stretched clothes. So give it to your pet. Put in the place where he usually sleeps. It can be a basket, chair, rug or any other. Dogs, left alone, love to curl up on the owner’s clothes, inhale its smell. This has a calming effect, so you don’t have to puzzle over the question: “What to do: does the dog howl when it is left alone?”
When you are at home, does your TV constantly work, does music or radio play? In this case, the constant silence at the time when you leave on business will depressingly affect the pet. Remember this - turn on the radio or TV. Make the sound not too loud, just to create a familiar background. A dog in such conditions feels more comfortable. So, it certainly will not howl in order to destroy the unusual silence.
The dog must not be bored
Quite often they ask why the dog howls when it is left alone in the house, owners who do not provide the pet with suitable leisure.
Animals love space, outdoor games, communication with brothers. What do they get when the owners leave on business? At best, an apartment of two or three rooms. If the pet is well trained, he will not tear off the slippers of the owners, ruffle books and soft toys, gnaw at the remote control and furniture. But he begins to howl - simply out of boredom, in order to somehow diversify the dull life.
Of course, it’s extremely rare not to leave the dog alone - in the best cases in large families, when someone is left at home. The rest of the time, try to provide the pet with the appropriate leisure. Today in specialized stores a huge number of interesting toys are sold. It is best to choose those with which the dog will be interested to play alone. For example, rubber toys with tweeters, balls. Running after the ball, which all the time strives to run away, the dog has a lot of fun, she will have no time to be bored. True, another problem may arise here - a large dog, running around the apartment, can create almost as much noise as an average sized elephant. It is unlikely that such an alternative will please the neighbor. What to do? A dog howls when it is left alone at home if it is bored. So what else to do?
Special toys are very popular nowadays. Usually these are dried veins that occupy the dog for a long time. On the one hand, nibbling them is very exciting. On the other hand, you can sharpen your teeth, which is very important for young dogs. Finally, this is a rather tasty treat, which no pet can resist.
Should I use an Anti-bark collar?
Some owners, desperate to solve the problem of howling, use special anti-bark collars. This is a pretty cruel, but extremely effective tool. The dog should just wear a collar when the owners are not at home. When it behaves approximately, the collar does not work, allowing you to play, sleep, eat and drink. If the pet begins to make loud noises - barking or howling, - the collar delivers a small electric discharge.
The dog is more likely to experience not even pain, but rather tangible discomfort. Indeed, the key to successful training and adjusting the habits of pets is precisely the ability to create uncomfortable conditions when the dog does not behave as the owner would like.
Feeling a tingling sensation from electric shock right after barking or during a howl, the dog quickly connects these two phenomena - after all, four-legged friends are notable for their ingenious ingenuity. At the same time, they quickly notice: if you do not bark, do not howl, then there will be no unpleasant tingling. From here they draw a corresponding conclusion and practically cease to make unnecessary sounds without an emergency.
Unfortunately, this technique has a very unpleasant side effect. A dog, especially if it does not have a strong, strong-willed character, may begin to feel fear of its own howl and bark. Even when there will be no electric collar on it, but the usual one or even it will be absent, the dog will not bark. Not at the moment when he meets his beloved owner, or in serious danger, for example, if an outsider entered the apartment. That is, the pet will almost completely lose the opportunity to warn the owners, to serve as a watchman. Are you ready to take a chance using a collar to adjust your pet’s behavior?
We use sedatives
There is another last resort in case the dog howls when it is left alone. What to do? Sedatives can solve the problem. They are sold in many veterinary pharmacies. You can buy them without a prescription, and they are relatively inexpensive. Usually it is enough to give the dog the appropriate dose so that it calms down for a few hours, calms down. True, at the same time, she will behave extremely passively, much calmer than usual. But the desired result was achieved - the dog does not make noise, does not run, does not bark, does not howl.
However, sedatives should be very careful. Firstly, you must carefully monitor what dose you give your pet. Be sure to read the instructions, find out how much you can give your dog - usually the calculation is by weight. It is much better to give the dog a lower dose - this will only lead to her calming down less than she could. But an overdose is much more dangerous - the dog may just fall asleep and not wake up.
Secondly, resort to the use of sedatives should be as rare as possible. After all, these are quite potent drugs. With regular use, they cause serious harm to the dog's body, especially the liver. To reduce the negative impact, it is advisable to give medicine on a full stomach - right after your pet has eaten tightly.
Conclusion
On this article comes to an end. Now you know about the main reasons why a dog howls when left alone at home. And also have an idea about the different ways to deal with this negative phenomenon. So nothing can overshadow your friendship.