Howling... Everynight!

[GaryPod]

Hi all, i've got a lovely cocker called milo he's the first dog i've ever had an is now two years old.  About a year after we got him as a puppy he started howling in the night big time.  We were told to leave him and ignore it and it would go away.  It didn't.

A few months ago we bought a spray anti-bark collar and worked an absolute treat no more howling... fantastic    Thing is that the effect of the collar now seems to have worn off   , its still fully functional BUT he's started howling again in the early hours of the morning.  

Has anyone got any advice on how we can stop him howling, we don't want the neighbours to complain and we could both do with a full nights sleep!  He has been to the vets recently and has a clean bill of health, he has a walk everyday and has been sleeping in a crate since the first night we had him...

Any ideas greatfully receieved!

[PennyB]

I wonder if he has separation anxiety. Odd I  know but Ruby sort of knew when I was out that was it but for a while when I would go and work upstairs she would wee on the floor downstairs. Once I worked out the link between the two I managed to solve the problem (I was making too much fuss of her every time I went upstairs and came down).

Whereabouts does he sleep at night (i.e. where is his crate).

Personally I would try NILIF for a while (Nothing in Life is Free), which involves only fussing him when you want to and not overfussing him. I let mine settle down at night before I go to bed so there's no overfussing or overexcitement so they are eased into sleeping on their own.

A DAP diffuser might help, as might leaving a radio on quietly if he's in another room, or moving his crate.

[MaxG]

Is he only howling at night? Could be that he wants to be close to you - can you move his crate into your bedroom at all or is that a definite 'no-no' for you?

We had this problem with Max right from when we got him (then 9 weeks - now 19 weeks) & it was solved immediately by bringing his crate into our bedroom - he'd go all through the night, not a peep.

We've now graduated to him sleeping in a bed on the floor of our room & have put the crate away for now - so far, so good - we all get a decent night's sleep! He doesn't potter about in the night, doesn't chew anything & never has any accidents - result!! Would this be something you could try?

 

[shonajoy]

I recommend trying the DAP diffuser too. Ours would howl all night if we tried to put them in another room, so we gave in. They sleep in the bedroom with us, but on the floor in their own beds.

[sarah25]

maybe before you got to bed you could take him for a longgggggg walk or pop him on a long lead so he can have a run 2!

[GaryPod]

wow thanks for the replies!  

I'd prefer not letting him sleep in the bedroom for now, his crate is currently in the kitchen, we've tried it a couple of times and he always ends up wanting to go downstairs to his bed about half way through the night.

I'll have a look into the DAP diffuser things + a maybe a quiet radio.  I'm now thinking maybe we make too much of a fuss of him during the day / before bedtime as he is the center of attention in the house so will try the the 'nothing in life is free'... i work at home so he's hardly ever alone so i bet its separation anxiety related.

Thanks for the advice, I'll let you know how we get on...  

[GaryPod]

well ew left the TV on for him last night (we haven't got a radio) and didn't hear a sound!  It couldn't be that simple could it?!