Michelle -

I've heard that the reason dogs howl when their owner is gone is the
same reason mothers cry when their children are lost. You are part of
the dog's pack, and when she doesn't know where you are (since it's her
responsibility to take care of you), she gets upset. Or if she just
THINKS you're about to leave.

To resolve this, leave her in the house, go outside for about 1 minute,
and come back in. Ignore her both before you leave and after you get
back. Slowly increase the time you're out of the house, so she can
learn that you always come back. This may take several weeks of
consistent, persistent training - say 5 or 6 repetitions a day.

Also, you may want to practice the NILIF program - help teach your dog
who's in charge of taking care of whom.

Terry S
--
"In real love you want the other person's good. In romantic love, you
want the other person." - Margaret Anderson





hancai1997 wrote:
> I adopted a 1 year old female mountain cur about two months ago. She is a
wonderful, sweet dog, but hates being left alone. When we leave the house, she
will cry and howl for a minimum of one hour (that is the longest that I have
been able to tape her for - I'm sure she cries for longer). If she is in her
crate, she tries to get out (I have to keep it reinforced) and she kicks the
bottom out. If I leave any towels around the outside of the crate, she will
pull them inside and shred them. If she is not crated (and I haven't left her
alone in the house uncrated purposefully for more than 15 minutes) she will run
from room to room, howling and crying. She got out of her crate two times while
we had it in our bedroom with the door to the room closed, and dug through the
carpet all the way to the wood at the edge of the door, but did not touch or do
anything else.
>
> She doesn't like to be left inside while we are all outside, but she will
tolerate it. She also hates being left in the car, and will run around the
inside of the car, jumping from seat to seat, howling and crying and trying to
get out. If I have the window open just a little bit, she will try to get out,
even if I am only 10 feet away.
>
> However, she does not follow me (or anyone else) from room to room. She is
completely content to be tied up outside for hours during the day while we are
inside. She is perfectly happy to be lying in a separate room while the rest of
the family is in another room (although she usually does prefer to be in the
same room).
>
> So, is this separation anxiety, or something else? I get the impression that
she thinks that she is missing out on whatever fun she thinks we must be having
when we leave her home.
>
> Does anyone have any tips on what we should do about her distress when we are
away? We live in an area where her cries will not bother anyone, but I hate the
fact that she is so upset when we are gone. Plus, I'd love to not have to leave
her in the crate all day.
>
> Any help that you could give me would be appreciated!
>
> Thanks!
> Michele