Hi, I have a 2 year old wheaten terrier who has been howling when left on his own (with our other dog) since he was 4 months old.  I have run out of things to try to stop it and wondered if anyone has any tips?  He started howling at 4 months old when we moved house - he did not howl before.  It was only when he was left alone in the house and he howled for about an hour.  When he was 10 months and it was still going on we decided to get a wheaten bitch to keep him company to see if that would help.  Although they get on great and have great fun together, it hasn't made a difference to the howling.  When he was a year old, we changed him from eukanuba puppy food to eukanuba adult.  After a couple of months our next door neighbour complained that he was howling for the whole time he was left now and it was far worse.  We couldn't think why as there had been no change in his routine, until I thought about his food change.  I phoned a behaviourist who said it was probably too high in protein as wheatons are sensitive dogs and told us to change his food to one with no additives, low in protein etc so we tried nature diet.  Within 4 days his howling had cut back down to an hour.  The behaviourist asked us to video him and came out to see him, walk him with us and observe the video.  After that, she said she didn't think it was separation anxiety because he didn't follow me round, would happily stay in a different room to me at home, slept in the kitchen happily at night where he is kept when we are out, went off on his walks happily without seeming too concerns about where we were, eats while we are out, does not urinate or destroy things while we are out - all signs of separation anxiety that he did not do - according to the behaviourist.  She said she thought he just didn't like being left and is a people dog.  She suggested over the course of a few months to continue with the nature diet but try rescue remedy which we did (to no avail) and vitamin B6 (to no avail).  We then, on her suggestion, tried a DAP diffuser.  After a while with this and the nature diet, his howling had cut down to a minutes frantic barking and howling 5 mins after I had left, then about 3 more howls within the first hour, nothing else.  This was great but it seems to stop at that and not stop completely.  We began to notice that both our dogs, on nature diet had lost a lot of weight, even though they were getting the recommended daily allowance and the male lost 5 kg, both started to look too thin.  We have recently put them on burns dog food, another holistic, no additives type food, still with the DAP diffuser and are waiting to see if he gets worse or even better hopefully (but doubtful!).  They have started putting on weight already though.  I work full time.  They go for a walk before I go to work at 8am.  They have a dog walker from 12 till 2 each day and then they go for a walk at 5 when I get in.  They stay in the kitchen with the radio on, filled kongs and toys, which is where they sleep happily at night.  We are moving house again in 4 months time, but then I will not be working as we have a baby due and I don't intend to go back to work, so they will not be left alone as much.  However, I would really like to get the howling sorted out before we move.  Any tips or ideas?  I would be interested in anyones opinion on whether or not they think it is separation anxiety.  I should say that if they are left with any other adult, in our house or someone elses, he does not howl.  He is also fine in the car when he is left.  Help please someone!!!!

Although your dog seems to cope with being seperated, it only appears to be under circumstances when HE knows where you are and that you are still around and he can return to you should he want to.  From your post, he only becomes stressed when he is prevented from reaching you and doesn't know where you are.

Have you tried crate training?  Many dogs get security from having the much smaller area of a crate to move about it - especially if consideration is put into the placing of the crate so it's not visible from the outside and is ideally close to the centre of the house - covering it often helps as well.

I notice you leave the radio on - do you normally have the radio on in the house, or is it put on specially when you go out?  Are the other things you mention things which only happen when you leave the dogs alone (kongs etc.)  Are the kongs stuffed with anything to increase their attractiveness?

I've just thought about the crate.  Would you have 2 separate crates - one for each dog?  Would you crate the younger dog Tilly, who is fine when left?  Would you crate Fergus (the howler!) at night too?  He could be crated in the morning for the 4 hours, go out with the dog walker and then be left free in the kitchen in the afternoon, as the next door neighbour says he doesn't howl when he's been out with the dog walker at lunchtime and comes back.  Then he wouldn't have so long in the crate.  At night, we put their 2 beds in the kitchen (they are in the lounge when we are at home).  Tilly prefers to sleep under the kitchen table and sometimes in her bed.  Fergus prefers in the kitchen to go into his 'cubby hole' which is the cupboard under the stairs.  We have taken the door off it and he has a quilt and blankets in there, so he doesn't go in his bed in the kitchen, he prefers the cubby hole.  However, when they go in the lounge, whether we are in there or not, they go in their beds.  Could the cubby hole be an option if we sort off put mesh on the door frame?  I think it may be too small though, as it is only about a metre by half a metre - big enough for him to stand up in and turn round and lie down in though.  Thanks for your ideas so far!

I think he's already telling you he likes the security of the small space - many dogs do infact one of my own is currently sprawled in the cubbyhole under my desk....  I'd say the space under the stairs would be ideal and as Fergus has already chosen it, half the training is already done ;)

As to wether I'd crate both of them, it really depends on how they react - some dogs hate the other dog being loose in the house, but others are appreciative of the peace and quite and 'down' time - it's really a 'suck it and see' situation.

Yes, you are right about him liking the small space as if he goes upstairs, he likes to go under the bed in whatever bedroom he is in.  This sounds like a good idea.  Would you recommend him being put in there at night or leave the door open so he can choose to go in?  Do you think it sounds big enough and for how long should they be in a crate for maximum?  Thanks for the help so far!

If the space he's chose is, as you say it is, big enough for him to stand upright (with his head in a 'normal' position), turn around, and lie down outstretched, then it's big enough - obviously this will vary from breed to breed and may need adjustment as a dog matures.  He should be fine.

If he's OK at night, then I wouldn't shut the door on him, but make sure he's used to having the door shut before you leave him for the first time.

I wouldn't crate an adult dog for more than 4 hours at  a time.

vannesa,, all i can say is it must have taken you quite a lot of time to write that !!

You mentioned you have moved house.  Did you possibly move into a more country setting or stayed in town?  You have a dog w/sporting history.  Cattle around or small game like foxes, badgers in the area.  The nose knows, and the nose may be more powerful than you think!  The sporting dogs like to howl when they're on some scent.  Charlie

LOL

Claybuster, terriers don't usually howl when they're on a scent!!  In fact very few sporting dogs actually howl when they scent things ;)

Vanessa,

Hae you tried giving him something to sleep on/cuddle to that really smells of you?  eg. an old t-shirt worn for a few nights and left unwashed, it might help him to last until the dog walker comes ;)

The sibe husky across the street always howls if he sees one of my dogs walk by. He is trying to iniate play!

No I haven't tried that.  That is an easy one to try out, I'll give it a go.  Thanks!

You're welcome :D

It's something I did when the pups went to their new homes and always worked, hope it helps :)