Howling/separation anxiety

[allthehounds]

Hi everyone,

We've had the whippety boys Eric & Jim for a few months now and they're as good as gold in all ways except one. They don't like being left home alone. I was gradually building up the time I left them home alone starting with 5 minutes then 10 etc. I leave them in the living room along with greyhound Lily and leave the tv on just like I've always done with all the other dogs. When Lily came to us at the end of 2012 she would whine and cry when we went out even though she had Ernie for company. I only know this because I decided for the first time to set up the camera on the computer and video what they got up to whilst I was out. Ernie was flat out fast asleep but Lily would sit near the door crying softly. After a couple of weeks with no change I decided to buy a plug in Dap diffuser and I think it did work a bit but it wasn't 100% but her crying was less. So now we've got the whippet boys and I've been videoing again. I don't go out every day and the longest I've left them so far has been two and a half hours but almost as soon as I leave Eric will start howling which in turn leads to Lily howling and then Jim will start barking. Luckily we're detached with no close neighbours but I could do with putting a stop to it in case we go anywhere else with them and have to leave them home alone. I couldn't believe the noise the three of them were making when I watched the video back, it sounded like a kennels! As quickly as it starts it seems to stop but not for long and it just takes one of them to start and the other two join in. This goes on for the entire time I'm out. There's been no damage (so far) and no accidents in the house just pacing up and down which is mainly Eric. Lily and Jim go and sit on the settees but it doesn't stop them joining in when Eric starts off. I was thinking of trying Rescue remedy but does anyone know if there's a special pet one and also how much do you give? I'll also go back to the Dap diffuser and see if that makes any difference. If anyone has got any advice I'd love to hear it because although there's no damage and a bit of whining or crying I don't mind, this full scale howling with heads thrown back won't prove popular if we go and stay at my mum's and go out for a meal!

Thanks in advance.

Sian. x

[vickyb]

Have you read Lisas thread about SA pinned here?
greyhoundgap.proboards.com/thread/29758/okay-late-seperation-anxiety

I make a point of going out every day even if I don't need to and it might only be a few minutes so that they stay used to being left. A couple of ours would probably develop it if I didn't keep on top of it. I only need to leave them for 2-3 hrs max so obviously that's all they're used to. Sometimes we drive off then creep back to have a listen and occasionally  there is the 'choir' hard at work howling so as Lisa suggests I knock on the window and say quiet which shuts them up. They are always silent when I get home - until they hear me then all hell breaks loose but I always walk in and sit down and completely ignore them until they've wandered off and settled.

[allthehounds]

Apr 23, 2015 16:47:44 GMT -5 vickyb said:

Have you read Lisas thread about SA pinned here?
greyhoundgap.proboards.com/thread/29758/okay-late-seperation-anxiety

I make a point of going out every day even if I don't need to and it might only be a few minutes so that they stay used to being left. A couple of ours would probably develop it if I didn't keep on top of it. I only need to leave them for 2-3 hrs max so obviously that's all they're used to. Sometimes we drive off then creep back to have a listen and occasionally  there is the 'choir' hard at work howling so as Lisa suggests I knock on the window and say quiet which shuts them up. They are always silent when I get home - until they hear me then all hell breaks loose but I always walk in and sit down and completely ignore them until they've wandered off and settled.

Thanks Vicky, Yes I've read Lisa's advice and always try to put it into practice. I think you're right and I need to go out every day even if I don't actually need to just so they get used to it. I was doing that in the beginning and left them for up to 40 minutes and when I replayed the video there was a bit of walking about and a little bit of crying but not much and mainly they sat and waited, in fact one them went to sleep for a short while! I then stopped going out every day because everything seemed to be fine but now I've increased the time they're on their own the barking seems to have started which they weren't really doing in the beginning. I'll go back to the start and see what happens then. Today I prepared to go out but then sat down and had my breakfast instead of leaving and went out half an hour later. No damage when I got back and I haven't had chance to watch the video yet but I did ignore them when I came in instead of having them jump at me etc. One step at a time I guess and hopefully they'll get there. Thanks for the reply.

Sian x

[Flaperoo]

Never had SA as problem Sian - so no advice but good luck.

My Oafy howls when we're with him - it sounds a bit like a whiney song. I find it funny but drives OH up the wall, particularly when Mercy joins him .

Maryx

[allthehounds]

Apr 24, 2015 11:18:33 GMT -5 Flaperoo said:

Never had SA as problem Sian - so no advice but good luck.

My Oafy howls when we're with him - it sounds a bit like a whiney song. I find it funny but drives OH up the wall, particularly when Mercy joins him .

Maryx

Thanks Mary. It is funny when one starts to howl with their head thrown right back but they don't do it often when we're there. I'm not that bothered about it when we're out to be honest because we've no close neighbours but I do want to try and stop it if I can otherwise we might not be too popular with my mum's neighbours we go to visit!

Sian x