Hi everyone, first of all, a very Merry Christmas to all of you! We're looking forward to our first Christmas with our young cocker Charlie, Im sure he'll have a fun time!
Im a bit worried that Charlie has become a bit dependant on my husband and I. We have tried to do everything right, feeding him when leaving, not letting him up on the sofa etc but lately he's just showing some signs that he doesnt like us leaving. I thought he was doing well whilst we were at work as we've had no complaints of barking or crying from our neighbours and when we return home, he's normally asleep in his bed or just lying quietly. Today however there was a little bit of howling going on, not hysterically but I didnt like hearing it (Its heartbreaking!) and my husband has just left the house and he's manically looking for him and crying. I have to use a Kong to try and distract him. It doesnt go on for a long time but I am conscious that I have to calm him down and distract him.
Is there something else we could be doing to make him happier or more reassured when we leave? He will be going down to two meals next week as he'll be six months old and Im thinking that leaving him will be even harder as he wont have food as a distraction as that second meal will be gone.
He's gone very restless in the nights too and gets us up several times showing that he wants to go out but surelty at six months old he should be able to go a bit longer than a few hours. He went through a phase of not letting us know and weeing upstairs so we had to be extra vigilent. Now he just wants to go out all the time and we're worried that if we think he's just messing around, he'll wee inside again.
The other thing that we've noticed that a lot of people say their dogs do is that he's starting to get jealous. He's not nasty at all, but if my husband and I hug or snuggle up on the sofa, he gets out of his bed and puts his paws on us and starts crying and sometimes lets out a whiney bark. If we're standing up he's pawing at us and yelping. Is there a way to control this?
I dont think we spoil him or overindulge him but we must be doing something wrong.
Thank you for any help you can offer x x
