I hate that it has come to this - Ceylon has always been GREAT when left home alone. I took so much care from the beginning to make sure that he wouldn't have separation anxiety, and I think I succeeded in general - after all, he did great for almost 2 years. And I generally take him everywhere with me that I can. But lately, like within the last month or so, he has apparently started howling. Usually when, after being left home alone all day (normal for him, generally), and then my daughter comes home from school, spends some time with him, and then has to leave again for soccer practice before I get home.
I've gotten 3 complaints from my downstairs neighbor in the last month (we only had one complaint in the year before then). The bottom line is, I will do everything I can for him, but there are some days when he just has to be home alone - and he absolutely cannot be howling, or I will be risking eviction. I KNOW that it's hard for a dog to be home alone - and I hate leaving him home alone - but I've done everything I can to make sure he was OK with it! Special treats when I leave, kongs filled with peanut butter, leaving music on, etc. etc. And he's generally been OK with it. And I'm STILL doing those things -I'm still doing the best that I can for him. But he CANNOT be howling - my downstairs neighbor works the night shift.
By the way, he can and does come to work with me a few times a week. I just can't be bringing him every day. And he does go to doggie day care some other times. Simply put, I do everything I can for him, but there are just some times when he just has to be OK with being home alone. The frustrating thing is, he has always generally been OK with that. Until lately...
Sigh. I'm thinking, Citronella spray bark collar for the short term, and for the long term, I just need to start saving up for a second hav. Seriously! I HATE having Cey unhappy and I know that the spray collar is just going to make him stop howling, not stop making him unhappy. And I've been sort of thinking about a second one for a while now... but of course I can't get one right away, it's not like I have that sort of money just lying around haha. Anyway - am I a horrible hav parent for doing the spray collar thing??? I just don't know what else to do for the short term. Obviously a shock bark collar is out of the question. And I know that I have to find a better solution long-term. Not sure what else to do short-term... help!!!
I've gotten 3 complaints from my downstairs neighbor in the last month (we only had one complaint in the year before then). The bottom line is, I will do everything I can for him, but there are some days when he just has to be home alone - and he absolutely cannot be howling, or I will be risking eviction. I KNOW that it's hard for a dog to be home alone - and I hate leaving him home alone - but I've done everything I can to make sure he was OK with it! Special treats when I leave, kongs filled with peanut butter, leaving music on, etc. etc. And he's generally been OK with it. And I'm STILL doing those things -I'm still doing the best that I can for him. But he CANNOT be howling - my downstairs neighbor works the night shift.
By the way, he can and does come to work with me a few times a week. I just can't be bringing him every day. And he does go to doggie day care some other times. Simply put, I do everything I can for him, but there are just some times when he just has to be OK with being home alone. The frustrating thing is, he has always generally been OK with that. Until lately...
Sigh. I'm thinking, Citronella spray bark collar for the short term, and for the long term, I just need to start saving up for a second hav. Seriously! I HATE having Cey unhappy and I know that the spray collar is just going to make him stop howling, not stop making him unhappy. And I've been sort of thinking about a second one for a while now... but of course I can't get one right away, it's not like I have that sort of money just lying around haha. Anyway - am I a horrible hav parent for doing the spray collar thing??? I just don't know what else to do for the short term. Obviously a shock bark collar is out of the question. And I know that I have to find a better solution long-term. Not sure what else to do short-term... help!!!