Gundog Training Forum

Glad he's settling in. As for the noise they make, I can still remember the 1st few nights I slept on the reclining chair with mine. More concerned he was gonna disturb the neighbours. The best chew/bone I've found is the antlers. He loves them and they last ages. But he does make a lot of noise banging it round his cabin at night!

Afternoon all,
Update

Well we seem to be making progress. He is now largely quite from when he is put away following his last free run in the garden at 10pm. Thanks to Alice,I fitted an Adaptil collar and believe this has helped . We do have the occasional howling, like at 3.20 am this morning! This lasts for 10 minutes and he settles again.

The biggest issue at present is what appears to be separation anxiety! When he is returned to his kennel we have between 10 & 50 minutes of pacing jumping howling and barking!!!! before he will settle. It's not nice to watch, any suggestions greatly appreciated.
He does like a routine, as do all dogs and after having him just two weeks he is just about clean in his kennel which is a real bonus.
I have not resulted to the hose yet, he would always see me coming , but During one particular long howling session I did charge into his kennel and read he the riot act! Once he got over the shock of being growled at he just started again!


Other than that he's a great little dog that wants to please, but we do need to sort the noise out.
Pete

Sent from my iPad

Let him be a house dog!

it'll come. it sounds like he's made real progress, and don't forget the adaptil collar will take a couple of weeks to get into his system. keep at it.

He only misses his sister when he is the kennel? The dog is fine until put in the kennel? or cracks up when left generally? Alone is alone the way I see it and kennelled is kennelled. Kongs and marrow bones can work wonders as can a protracted program of associating the kennel with good things happening.
How is the dog when your putting it in the kennel and as important how are you?

Whilst I am new to gundogs, I have had dogs before and this sounds like separation anxiety. I bet he would behave the same whether left in the kennel, kitchen or anywhere else away from you?

Personally I wouldn't shout at him or spray a hose because then not only will he be anxious about being left, he may also be anxious of your return. Then you go around in circles and it could get worse.

If the noise is going to cause problems with the neighbours then first I would crate train him inside the house at night with the door ajar to your room so that he can see you, then gradually move him further and further away each night until he is downstairs with the doors shut. You can then move him out to the kennel when he is comfortable with it.

In the day I would put him in the kennel with a raw meaty bone or frozen Kong (nice things like Kent says above). Once he has eaten it I would let him out immediately. Next day do the same but leave him a little longer before letting him out. Don't leave it long enough for him to become distressed. Go on like this and he will soon get used to it.

This is the 'soft' approach and takes time. I appreciate that others may not have the patience and I guess it will depend on how much time you have and how understanding your neighbours are!

Alice wrote:it'll come. it sounds like he's made real progress, and don't forget the adaptil collar will take a couple of weeks to get into his system. keep at it.

Thanks Alice, I had assumed the collar worked from the off.

kent wrote:He only misses his sister when he is the kennel? The dog is fine until put in the kennel? or cracks up when left generally? Alone is alone the way I see it and kennelled is kennelled. Kongs and marrow bones can work wonders as can a protracted program of associating the kennel with good things happening.
How is the dog when your putting it in the kennel and as important how are you?

Kent - yes he's fine providing I'm around, if I sit in the kennel with him, he's asleep within minutes! If the door is open he will walk in and out of the kennel, so in no way affraid of it. When putting him in, I'm calm, happy but assertive, he will either jump straight up on his cabin or lay in his cabin expecting a fuss. He does not try and beat me to the door when I leave.

CTID1897 wrote:Whilst I am new to gundogs, I have had dogs before and this sounds like separation anxiety. I bet he would behave the same whether left in the kennel, kitchen or anywhere else away from you?

Personally I wouldn't shout at him or spray a hose because then not only will he be anxious about being left, he may also be anxious of your return. Then you go around in circles and it could get worse.

If the noise is going to cause problems with the neighbours then first I would crate train him inside the house at night with the door ajar to your room so that he can see you, then gradually move him further and further away each night until he is downstairs with the doors shut. You can then move him out to the kennel when he is comfortable with it.

In the day I would put him in the kennel with a raw meaty bone or frozen Kong (nice things like Kent says above). Once he has eaten it I would let him out immediately. Next day do the same but leave him a little longer before letting him out. Don't leave it long enough for him to become distressed. Go on like this and he will soon get used to it.

This is the 'soft' approach and takes time. I appreciate that others may not have the patience and I guess it will depend on how much time you have and how understanding your neighbours are!

CTID - understand where your coming from, the issue is I have house dog that due to its upbringing before I got it would struggle to accept another dog in the house .
Appreciate all your comments, I will get a marrow bone tomorrow to replace the hide bone he has just now.
Cheers

Pete

So I don't think its missing his sister or any apprehensions about the Kennel itself , so its separation anxiety right? Treat the disease not the symptoms. There must be five days reading about treating separation anxiety listed on google but all surrounds two things "reassuring the dog you always return" via increasing time periods and "distraction with nice things" Like stuffed Kongs and marrow bones