I have a dog. A foxy Russell terrier crossed with maybe bull terrier or
staffy. Anyway, he is a household pet. On the couch with me. He has
always been my dog. for a while there post divorce etc life was just me and
my dogs. He sits on my lap or next to me when I'm sitting watching TV etc.

The problem? Well, I have been in hospital two or three times over the last
couple of years and I was wondering if this is part of the problem. In that
while I have had to have time off work, like 2 years or so to get pain under
control etc I wonder if my dog thinks I'm not coming home again as I have
been at work for the last two weeks now. He is howling. A really mournful
howl. Now I thought at first it might have something to do with a dog over
the back of our yard that maybe is on heat. It's like his heart is broken.
He seems to settle down when I am home. When I'm out, he howls. My partner
and two kids and the other dog are home with him but it's beginning to ****
them off. He will stop sometimes. For an hour or so during the day but
then starts howling again.

As I say, he settles down when I'm home. He ahs always been a needy kinda
guy and has to be with. But its getting silly.

Nick wrote:

The problem? Well, I have been in hospital two or three times over the last
couple of years, and I was wondering if this is part of the problem. In that
while I have had to have time off work, like 2 years or so to get pain under
control etc. I wonder if my dog thinks I'm not coming home again as I have
been at work for the last two weeks now. He is howling. A really mournful
howl. Now I thought at first it might have something to do with a dog over
the back of our yard that maybe is on heat. It's like his heart is broken.
He seems to settle down when I am home. When I'm out, he howls. My partner
and two kids and the other dog are home with him, but it's beginning to ****
them off. He will stop sometimes. For an hour or so during the day but
then starts howling again.

As I say, he settles down when I'm home. He has always been a needy kinda
guy and has to be with. But it's getting silly.


It could be the neighbor's dog in heat. It could be loneliness for you.
I also wonder if he hears far off church bells or ambulence sirens,
and he's singing along. Either way, I believe the solution will be
found in getting your partner and kids to spend time with him walking
him, training him, and getting him to do tricks. An obedience class is
in order with your partner or kids holding the leash so your dog can
learn the security and fun that comes from their being in charge. What
your dog learns hardly matters. They could start with heel, sit, stay,
come, down. They could move to chasing a ball and bringing it back,
jumping over boxes. The whole point is that your dog learns to obey at
their command and learns that he has fun with them when you're away.
Once he's in the habit of obeying them, they teach him the QUIET command.


--Lia

Nick wrote:

The problem? Well, I have been in hospital two or three times over the last
couple of years, and I was wondering if this is part of the problem. In that
while I have had to have time off work, like 2 years or so to get pain under
control etc. I wonder if my dog thinks I'm not coming home again as I have
been at work for the last two weeks now. He is howling. A really mournful
howl. Now I thought at first it might have something to do with a dog over
the back of our yard that maybe is on heat. It's like his heart is broken.
He seems to settle down when I am home. When I'm out, he howls. My partner
and two kids and the other dog are home with him, but it's beginning to ****
them off. He will stop sometimes. For an hour or so during the day but
then starts howling again.

As I say, he settles down when I'm home. He has always been a needy kinda
guy and has to be with. But it's getting silly.


It could be the neighbor's dog in heat. It could be loneliness for you.
I also wonder if he hears far off church bells or ambulence sirens,
and he's singing along. Either way, I believe the solution will be
found in getting your partner and kids to spend time with him walking
him, training him, and getting him to do tricks. An obedience class is
in order with your partner or kids holding the leash so your dog can
learn the security and fun that comes from their being in charge. What
your dog learns hardly matters. They could start with heel, sit, stay,
come, down. They could move to chasing a ball and bringing it back,
jumping over boxes. The whole point is that your dog learns to obey at
their command and learns that he has fun with them when you're away.
Once he's in the habit of obeying them, they teach him the QUIET command.


--Lia

Nick wrote:

The problem? Well, I have been in hospital two or three times over the last
couple of years, and I was wondering if this is part of the problem. In that
while I have had to have time off work, like 2 years or so to get pain under
control etc. I wonder if my dog thinks I'm not coming home again as I have
been at work for the last two weeks now. He is howling. A really mournful
howl. Now I thought at first it might have something to do with a dog over
the back of our yard that maybe is on heat. It's like his heart is broken.
He seems to settle down when I am home. When I'm out, he howls. My partner
and two kids and the other dog are home with him, but it's beginning to ****
them off. He will stop sometimes. For an hour or so during the day but
then starts howling again.

As I say, he settles down when I'm home. He has always been a needy kinda
guy and has to be with. But it's getting silly.


It could be the neighbor's dog in heat. It could be loneliness for you.
I also wonder if he hears far off church bells or ambulence sirens,
and he's singing along. Either way, I believe the solution will be
found in getting your partner and kids to spend time with him walking
him, training him, and getting him to do tricks. An obedience class is
in order with your partner or kids holding the leash so your dog can
learn the security and fun that comes from their being in charge. What
your dog learns hardly matters. They could start with heel, sit, stay,
come, down. They could move to chasing a ball and bringing it back,
jumping over boxes. The whole point is that your dog learns to obey at
their command and learns that he has fun with them when you're away.
Once he's in the habit of obeying them, they teach him the QUIET command.


--Lia

Nick wrote:

The problem? Well, I have been in hospital two or three times over the last
couple of years, and I was wondering if this is part of the problem. In that
while I have had to have time off work, like 2 years or so to get pain under
control etc. I wonder if my dog thinks I'm not coming home again as I have
been at work for the last two weeks now. He is howling. A really mournful
howl. Now I thought at first it might have something to do with a dog over
the back of our yard that maybe is on heat. It's like his heart is broken.
He seems to settle down when I am home. When I'm out, he howls. My partner
and two kids and the other dog are home with him, but it's beginning to ****
them off. He will stop sometimes. For an hour or so during the day but
then starts howling again.

As I say, he settles down when I'm home. He has always been a needy kinda
guy and has to be with. But it's getting silly.


It could be the neighbor's dog in heat. It could be loneliness for you.
I also wonder if he hears far off church bells or ambulence sirens,
and he's singing along. Either way, I believe the solution will be
found in getting your partner and kids to spend time with him walking
him, training him, and getting him to do tricks. An obedience class is
in order with your partner or kids holding the leash so your dog can
learn the security and fun that comes from their being in charge. What
your dog learns hardly matters. They could start with heel, sit, stay,
come, down. They could move to chasing a ball and bringing it back,
jumping over boxes. The whole point is that your dog learns to obey at
their command and learns that he has fun with them when you're away.
Once he's in the habit of obeying them, they teach him the QUIET command.


--Lia