do dogs need canine companions?

[Elvis Lee Mommy]

Help. I really need your input on this issue.

Since dogs are by nature, pack animals, are they "happier" or better off if they have another dog in the family?

Elvis Lee is almost 9 months old. He is a great little guy & is very well socialized with humans & other dogs. He was easy to house train & is very smart.

The problem is that he absolutely Hates to be alone. He's not glued to our sides all day, he will play on his own, nap in a different room etc. As long as he knows someone is in the house, he's fine. If we need to go out for more than 2 hrs, luckily, we have 2 sets of parents living in the neighborhood so the grandpuppy parents will puppy sit.

When we go out for 2 hrs or less, we make sure he has eaten, had water, gone out to do his business, and we put in in a wire kennel with a blanket, pup bed & a few toys. He goes in the wire kennel many times during the day to just hang out, nap, play etc. Sometimes during the day, we close the door on the kennel to get him used to the door being closed.

Whenever we leave him alone, our neighbors tell us he howls the whole time we are gone. Today, we went out for 1 hr 25 min. We left the tv on, did not make a big deal about leaving. We set up a tiny tape recorder to see if he ever calms himself down. I thought he cried when we leave for a few minutes & when we come home for a few minutes. Boy, was I Wrong !! Elvis not only cried the whole time we were gone, he howled. Like a wolf. Some of the noises he made on the 1hr25min tape we've never heard him make before. It made me completely sick to my stomach to hear my baby boy so incrediably panicked, upset & miserable.

The man we got Elvis from has become a very good friend of ours. About a month ago, he told us that Elvis needs a little companion & offered to give us another Maltipoo as a gift. I graciously declined, telling him we are Elvis's companions. He has had dogs for many years & he said all dogs need another canine companion in the home to keep them company, especially when the humans are away.

By having another dog as a companion when the humans are gone, would this take care of the separation anxiety? or would he still get upset when we leave. Do you think it's just a "he's all alone" issue or is it that "the pack leader is gone"? I suspect its when he's all alone, because when he is left with the relatives, he's fine the whole time we are gone. He does not cling to them, he plays on his own etc.

What is your opinion? Do any of you have just one dog & no other pets & leave your dog alone without the dog stressing out? If you have more that one dog, did getting a second dog change the personality of your first dog? Elvis is such a little sweetheart, he's the love of my life & I don't want to do anything either way that will cause him distress or change his personality.

Thanks for listening & thanks in advance for your input.

[jennawing]

Getting another dog is not going to fix the problem. He might very well enjoy a pal, but if I were you I would work on this problem before putting more on your plate.

A maltipoo I assume is some sort of mix- a poodle and maltese? This might be something to consider-

from info on Maltese temperament- Do not over-pamper or overprotect these little dogs, for some become unstable

also- Highly intelligent

from information on poodle- (toy)- remarkably intelligent

What you have there is a dog that needs mental stimulation. Lots of exercise is key. I would suggest a very long walk before you ever leave him.

Also- not surprising that he is upset by the 'babysitting'. Being dropped in on other people in other environments is not a stable routine. He needs to learn to deal with being alone no matter how long a time- as long as it is not for days.

From a site on puppy-training:

"To prevent an annoying whining habit, teach your dog to accept short periods of confinement before leaving him alone for long periods of time. Spend time with your dog in the area where he is left and show him that this is a fun place to be. If he starts whining or howling when you leave, don't rush back to let him out or reassure him. If you do, he will soon learn that he can control you with his whining blackmail. However, if barking, whining or howling continues then he probably is not yet comfortable in his confinement area. Spend a little more time with him there. Then when you leave, it he continues barking, whining or howling, give him a loud and stern 'NO!' After he has been quiet for a few moments, return and praise him lavishly. Practice leaving and returning several times so he becomes accustomed to your departures and realizes that you are not abandoning him forever. He will see that you will return and there's nothing to worry about. Practice leaving him for longer and longer periods of time.

If your dog is whining or howling when you are at home, either for attention or just out of habit, the first step in stopping this is to provide your dog with daily routines of play, exercise and training. Often these special times of undivided attention will stop the dog from whining the rest of the day. Secondly, pay attention to your dog only when he is quiet. Ignore him whenever he begins demanding your attention by whining. Each time you give in to your dog's whining demands, you are training him to continue whining."

Very good advice- especially about the leaving for short periods of time- this will teach him that you are coming back. I don't agree with the vocal admonishment, though- vocal correction teaches them to respond vocally. Snapping fingers works just as well- or clapping hands if they are out of close hearing range. But mainly he needs mental stimulation- maybe more room than a crate when you are away- with some favorite toys, etc. Perhaps closing off one corner of a room with his open crate inside so he can choose to go in and out like he chooses when you are home.

[Elvis Lee Mommy]

Quote: Originally Posted by jennawing What you have there is a dog that needs mental stimulation. Lots of exercise is key. I would suggest a very long walk before you ever leave him. Also- not surprising that he is upset by the 'babysitting'. Being dropped in on other people in other environments is not a stable routine. He needs to learn to deal with being alone

Thanks for the advise.

His mother is a toy poodle, his father is a maltese, thus a Maltipoo.

Yes, Elvis is very smart & we play with him and walk him every day. We even have puzzle dog toys to stimulate his mind.

He's upset being alone, not by the babysitting. He knows both sets of grandpuppy parents well & he loves being in their houses. He was exposed to them & their houses since we got him at 8.5 weeks old. He is a little doll baby for them. It's when he is all alone that he stresses out.

I like the idea of a long walks & more play to tire him out before we leave him alone. The first time we left him alone, it was for 45 minutes so maybe that was too long an increment to start with. We're going to try to desensitize him by leaving him alone for much shorter periods of time.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? Does anyone know a lot about canine psychology? Does a dog always need some sort of pack member around (human, canine, feline etc)?

[HappyDancer]

I have 3 dogs and when I leave my big boy still goes nuts, we have to pull the blinds up because he will break them trying to watch for us and cries the whole time...so having multiple dogs won't fix the problem lol I wish I knew how to help him

[Mygala]

Many people have well adjusted, single dogs. Puppies are pretty much a blank slate, you need to be able to teach him that he doesn't need you. It will involve some decisions you may not want to make. He's not going to like the first stages of the process, and you have to be committed to modifying his behavior. ...otherwise, he'll be the real trainer and things will pretty much stay the same.

Bob

[Mallory]

I only have one dog (2 year old GSD) and she is crate trained. While there are some days when she whines a bit when we leave, the usual is that we don't hear a peep out of her. Even when we return. There's been the rushed nights we get home (unload groceries, get Delta changed and in bed, etc...) and we finally sit down and look at each other and ask, "Where's the dog?" and it finally dawns on us that she is still sitting quietly in the crate waiting to be let out.

When I lived with my parents, they had two Rottweilers. While there were times that they did very well in their crates when we were gone, the times that they panicked and escaped usually outweighed the times they were good. They also had this awful habit of inducing vomitting up their breakfasts (both of them, like clockwork) whenever I'd put them in their crates before I went to school. (If you ask me, it was their try at manipulation. That or else just making me miss my bus, and thus school, so then I could take them for a walk or something, haha.)

So as you see, having one dog or two, in my experience, isn't going to give you a for sure answer. While I agree that getting another dog isn't the solution, it may help with tiring Elvis Lee out beforehand. That is, if he would accept a canine companion and be willing to play.

[thetoypoodle]

Hi there,

I would have think that a dog companion would help, but after reading some of the experiences is clear it woudn't.

My Loli does make her part when we leave, usually not whining nor making noice, but choowing things she's not allow to touch, like the sofa pillows, or socks she takes from the laundry basket.

As you see, I don't have the solution, but wanted to share anyway...

I'm not sure how much room elvis has in his crate, but I'd make sure he has room for playing and get distracted, maybe a laundry room or another room in the house he won't find anything dangerous or you don't want he to chew.

I've read a lot in internet about separation anxiety, lot's of tips that help, maybe you should google it for a bit.

Hope he learns to handle the separations...

Best luck

[Formula86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Elvis Lee Mommy He's upset being alone, not by the babysitting. He knows both sets of grandpuppy parents well & he loves being in their houses. He was exposed to them & their houses since we got him at 8.5 weeks old. He is a little doll baby for them. It's when he is all alone that he stresses out.

I could be wrong, but I think the poster meant that because Elvis Lee is babysat sometimes, he is used to it. So it makes it even harder for him to be alone.

Is that right??

Great advice so far, guys!

[Elvis Lee Mommy]

Hey Everyone,
Thanks so much for following up with me on Elvis's separation anxiety. Dawn & I decided Elvis Lee will be an only child. We would love to have more, but we can't afford the vet visits etc for a second dog.

I joined a health club Aug 1 & have been going 5 to 6 days a week. Rather than have the Grandpuppy parents babysit, I've been leaving Elvis home alone in his kennel. His kennel (wire crate) is 2' x 2' x 2'. He's an 8 lb dog & he has lots of room to stretch & nap & play with some toys. The first week or so, he whinned when I left & was frantic when I came home. Gradually, he has gotten better. I've run errands before/after the healthclub so the longest I've left him so far is 3 hours.

I never make a big deal when I leave or return. The last week or so, he is quiet when I leave, quiet when I come home. When I let him out of the kennel, he is no longer frantic. He wags his tail, jumps a little, gives me a few kisses then asks to go out for a potty break. He's soooo much calmer & I think he is actually happy being alone now. He also hangs out in his kennel (with the door open) anytime he needs a peace & quiet.

You guys are fabulous & I really appreciate all of your opinions and support.

[corgimom]

Ein is perfectly fine being left alone. He would very much prefer to go out with us, but if we leave him alone, he sleeps.

Tucker, on the other hand, does not tolerate being alone very well. He's fine if he is with Ein, but if you leave him by himself, he cries. But he's a very needy dog in general. We adopted him from animal control, so I don't know anything about his life before us, but it certainly seems like he was deprived of attention and wants to make up for it now. We think he may have been abused, and is so nervous in the car that we wonder if he was abandoned somewhere. That said, I can understand why he doesn't like being left alone. We already had Ein when we got Tucker, so he is almost never alone, so I've never really had to think much about how to keep him from being upset.

One thing that I have thought of for Tucker, that might work for you guys is playing nature music. Anytime we're watching Animal Planet and there are other animals making noises, Tucker is watching the tv. He especially pays attention to birds and other dogs, so I thought that the next time we go on vacation, we'd loan one of our nature cds to my future father in law (he babysat Tucker the last time we went out of town) so that Tucker could have the company of birds and other animals. I'm not sure if that would work for Elvis or not.

Ein and Tucker really do seem to enjoy each other's company most of the time, so I do think that many dogs enjoy each other's company. But I agree that it probably won't fix the whining problem.

[kathydip]

I think you leaving him at home for the shorter trips is a great idea. And it does sound like it's working. I would only have the grandparents sit for you if you are leaving for more hours than Elvis can "hold" it. You can also have the grandparents come and pick him up. That may help keep him guessing about how long he will be crated. Both of my doxies are crate trained. It was the best thing I ever did. Sure in the beginning Frankie (the oldest) complained a lot. Belle mostly complained at night. But now they are fantastic.
Just stick with it. I am sure he will get the hang of it. Sometimes raising kids is hard and we have to do things we don't like for their good.
Hang in there -and if all else fails start watching Cesar!

[Formula86]

I'm glad to hear that things are better. Elvis Lee sounds like such a good pup!

[sara8]

glad to hear he is doing better. if you have any more problems you might try covering his crate with a blanket. we have a plastic crate for reggie and we cover it and we don't hear a peep out of him. it reminds them of a den and is cozier for them (i've read that is due to the wolf mentality)

[Elvis Lee Mommy]

Quote: Originally Posted by sara8 glad to hear he is doing better. if you have any more problems you might try covering his crate with a blanket. we have a plastic crate for reggie and we cover it and we don't hear a peep out of him. it reminds them of a den and is cozier for them (i've read that is due to the wolf mentality)

Excellent Suggestion....Thanks.