Quote:
Originally Posted by veggienut  I never say "goodbye", but "see you later". I also leave a treat, give a head pat or something and sometimes he's okay. The boy is 5 years old but apparently never has gotten over it. Now and then it doesn't bother him. Maybe if I wouldn't trick him to be on the porch/sun room or gate him in there when he goes outside to let him know I want him there so he can see what's going on outside and get fresh air from the windows I leave open on nice days (tho it is vented with heat now). I do that because he will sleep thru the whole day, and he needs a bit of excitement over what is going on outside, I think. |
He's old enough to accept staying alone without minding. Treat him just like a pup in retraining him to accept this. Some dogs cannot handle being partially exposed to outside energy & activities going on without them while they are confined and it only makes matters worse to see/hear outside easily. Obviously, if he's howling at age 5, he just needs some puppy training to desensitize him to staying alone like other dogs do. If you will work with him to slowly and patiently desensitize him, he can slowly come to accept his reality of needing to relax and accept life as it is in his world once you leave. Be very patient and work him slowly into quietly accepting your leaving and staying gone. Also some positive-reward obedience training will help him gain some self-control and control his impulses of all kinds, including pitiful howling. He'll learn to remain quiet and wait until you come home for his time for energy release, fun and freedom. He can do it.
Thanks, SWHouston!