Howling at night and a nervous puppy
Discussion
Hi guys
I am fostering 2 puppies who are 9 weeks old, Nero and Titan
They are sleeping in crates, Titan is perfectly fine all night and they both sleep and play in them during the day with the door open.
Nero does appear to have separation issues/anxiety, as he howls during the day too if left alone for any longer than a hour
The problem I have is Nero, insists on howling all night. Its starts with a grumble and a moan, then ascends to a high pitched howl. I will shout and tell him to stop which he will for about 10 minutes then start up again, I can ignore the grumbling etc but not the howling as I have neighbours. The howling starts about an hour of us going to bed.
I put them to bed at about 11:3pm and they are let out at about 5am for a pee, then I put them back to sleep til about 7am.
What should I do?
I am worried about Nero a little as he is nervous compared to Titan, he is easily spooked and if a tell Titan off, Nero will run and hide too. I know they say dogs don't sulk but Nero does, I have been trying to slowly introduce a lead to them, Titan will run around with it (dragging the lead) Titan wont move and becomes a fish on a line when the lead is picked up or even a tiny amount of pull is applied.
I am worried Nero is a nervous dog ( I have given him no reason to be from what i can tell) my fiancees sister looked after him for 2 weeks before us.
Also, I have a suspicion Nero does not have great eye sight.
Gratuities pic:
Nero on the left, Titan on the right
I am fostering 2 puppies who are 9 weeks old, Nero and Titan
They are sleeping in crates, Titan is perfectly fine all night and they both sleep and play in them during the day with the door open.
Nero does appear to have separation issues/anxiety, as he howls during the day too if left alone for any longer than a hour
The problem I have is Nero, insists on howling all night. Its starts with a grumble and a moan, then ascends to a high pitched howl. I will shout and tell him to stop which he will for about 10 minutes then start up again, I can ignore the grumbling etc but not the howling as I have neighbours. The howling starts about an hour of us going to bed.
I put them to bed at about 11:3pm and they are let out at about 5am for a pee, then I put them back to sleep til about 7am.
What should I do?
I am worried about Nero a little as he is nervous compared to Titan, he is easily spooked and if a tell Titan off, Nero will run and hide too. I know they say dogs don't sulk but Nero does, I have been trying to slowly introduce a lead to them, Titan will run around with it (dragging the lead) Titan wont move and becomes a fish on a line when the lead is picked up or even a tiny amount of pull is applied.
I am worried Nero is a nervous dog ( I have given him no reason to be from what i can tell) my fiancees sister looked after him for 2 weeks before us.
Also, I have a suspicion Nero does not have great eye sight.
Gratuities pic:
Nero on the left, Titan on the right
Firstly, I have those socks 
Secondly, I am far from an expert, but we found that Herbie would sleep fine if we slept dowstairs with him and this was required for the first three nights. After that, he was a s good as gold. Herbie is an adult dog, so I know its slightly different, but it might be worth giving that a try.
Its certainly something you have to sort, as you don't want to test your neighbors patience. One of my biggest fears is my neighbors complaining about dog noises
Secondly, I am far from an expert, but we found that Herbie would sleep fine if we slept dowstairs with him and this was required for the first three nights. After that, he was a s good as gold. Herbie is an adult dog, so I know its slightly different, but it might be worth giving that a try.
Its certainly something you have to sort, as you don't want to test your neighbors patience. One of my biggest fears is my neighbors complaining about dog noises
bakerstreet said:
Firstly, I have those socks
Secondly, I am far from an expert, but we found that Herbie would sleep fine if we slept dowstairs with him and this was required for the first three nights. After that, he was a s good as gold. Herbie is an adult dog, so I know its slightly different, but it might be worth giving that a try.
Its certainly something you have to sort, as you don't want to test your neighbors patience. One of my biggest fears is my neighbors complaining about dog noises
Ahhh that explains why I cant find them now! Secondly, I am far from an expert, but we found that Herbie would sleep fine if we slept dowstairs with him and this was required for the first three nights. After that, he was a s good as gold. Herbie is an adult dog, so I know its slightly different, but it might be worth giving that a try.
Its certainly something you have to sort, as you don't want to test your neighbors patience. One of my biggest fears is my neighbors complaining about dog noises
Good suggestion, I was thinking os sleeping in the room with them for a few nights, not sure my better half would agree..
I will report back!
wolfy1988 said:
Ahhh that explains why I cant find them now!
Good suggestion, I was thinking os sleeping in the room with them for a few nights, not sure my better half would agree..
I will report back!
The other strategy is to let them sleep in your bedroom, but for me that would be a last resort as puppys will then learn that is the norm and suddenly you have a puppy in your bed every night!Good suggestion, I was thinking os sleeping in the room with them for a few nights, not sure my better half would agree..
I will report back!
bakerstreet said:
The other strategy is to let them sleep in your bedroom, but for me that would be a last resort as puppys will then learn that is the norm and suddenly you have a puppy in your bed every night!
Yeah, wouldn't do that, tis the only room in the house they are not allowed in, they have learnt to not walk through the door wayDo they sleep in the same crate? Have you tried this?
You can get a comforter like this maybe? http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnugglePuppie-Pet-Comforte...
Try leaving the a Radio on a talk station on low so he can hear voices?
Plug in diffusers in the room such as Feliway & Pet Remedy are also helpful
Why are they being fostered? How long have you had them? You say your fiancés sister had them for 2 weeks before, how many times have they been moved? Where's their Mum?
Those answers are all part & parcel of solving this poor little pups misery & separation anxiety.
You need to be able to leave him, teach him it's ok. Small amounts of time at a time
Get him to the Vet & get his eyes checked too
Good luck
You can get a comforter like this maybe? http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnugglePuppie-Pet-Comforte...
Try leaving the a Radio on a talk station on low so he can hear voices?
Plug in diffusers in the room such as Feliway & Pet Remedy are also helpful
Why are they being fostered? How long have you had them? You say your fiancés sister had them for 2 weeks before, how many times have they been moved? Where's their Mum?
Those answers are all part & parcel of solving this poor little pups misery & separation anxiety.
You need to be able to leave him, teach him it's ok. Small amounts of time at a time
Get him to the Vet & get his eyes checked too
Good luck
ali_kat said:
Do they sleep in the same crate? Have you tried this?
You can get a comforter like this maybe? http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnugglePuppie-Pet-Comforte...
Try leaving the a Radio on a talk station on low so he can hear voices?
Plug in diffusers in the room such as Feliway & Pet Remedy are also helpful
Why are they being fostered? How long have you had them? You say your fiancés sister had them for 2 weeks before, how many times have they been moved? Where's their Mum?
Those answers are all part & parcel of solving this poor little pups misery & separation anxiety.
You need to be able to leave him, teach him it's ok. Small amounts of time at a time
Get him to the Vet & get his eyes checked too
Good luck
Ahhh...the radio! We use Radio 4 at night. I'm not sure it makes much difference now, but we still do it out of habbit. You can get a comforter like this maybe? http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnugglePuppie-Pet-Comforte...
Try leaving the a Radio on a talk station on low so he can hear voices?
Plug in diffusers in the room such as Feliway & Pet Remedy are also helpful
Why are they being fostered? How long have you had them? You say your fiancés sister had them for 2 weeks before, how many times have they been moved? Where's their Mum?
Those answers are all part & parcel of solving this poor little pups misery & separation anxiety.
You need to be able to leave him, teach him it's ok. Small amounts of time at a time
Get him to the Vet & get his eyes checked too
Good luck
ali_kat said:
Do they sleep in the same crate? Have you tried this?
You can get a comforter like this maybe? http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnugglePuppie-Pet-Comforte...
Try leaving the a Radio on a talk station on low so he can hear voices?
Plug in diffusers in the room such as Feliway & Pet Remedy are also helpful
Why are they being fostered? How long have you had them? You say your fiancés sister had them for 2 weeks before, how many times have they been moved? Where's their Mum?
Those answers are all part & parcel of solving this poor little pups misery & separation anxiety.
You need to be able to leave him, teach him it's ok. Small amounts of time at a time
Get him to the Vet & get his eyes checked too
Good luck
They don't sleep in the same crate as they might be split up in a couple of weeks. They are in separate crates right next to each other, they don't try and get at each other, Titan sleeps right through it all in fact (how I don't know)You can get a comforter like this maybe? http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnugglePuppie-Pet-Comforte...
Try leaving the a Radio on a talk station on low so he can hear voices?
Plug in diffusers in the room such as Feliway & Pet Remedy are also helpful
Why are they being fostered? How long have you had them? You say your fiancés sister had them for 2 weeks before, how many times have they been moved? Where's their Mum?
Those answers are all part & parcel of solving this poor little pups misery & separation anxiety.
You need to be able to leave him, teach him it's ok. Small amounts of time at a time
Get him to the Vet & get his eyes checked too
Good luck
They were handed in to the local rescue centre at around 6 weeks old (very young I know), Fiancees sister had them for just under 2 weeks then they came to me, so this is the 4th place they have lived :O We have no idea of the mum or the other pups.
"misery" I really hope its not miserable for him as we are trying, I have tried giving him space and i have been trying to be very close and reassuring with affection, play and treats but right now it feels like we are taking 1 step forward and two steps back with him.
He is a tad hand shy and quite skittish, he is quite the scaredy dog in fact, knocked over a watering can outside for instance, Titan just sniffed it, Nero legged it whimpering...
We start building bridges and he loves sleeping on the sofa and doing his Baby Seal impression (pic to follow)... maybe he needs to be babied more? Titan on the other hand loves sleeping in your lap and pays more attention to his surroundings with more confidence.
I have been saying it since i first met Nero and Titan that Nero is.... slow, slow compared to Titan and I thought this was due to poor eyesight, as he never responded to things til it was right in from tot him and didn't look at things from a distance, not sure if this makes any sense! My fiancee says he's 'Dim'
I have to keep reminding myself he is only just over 9 weeks old
EG: as I am typing this, both pups have joined me in the office, Titan wagged his tail, i patted him on the head and now in to my right on the floor. Nero came in i stroked him but did that things that cats do, where they kinda slink their bodies under your hand and then went under the unit behind me.
Apologies on the ramblings, just seems that I'm not doing a very good job with them
Edited by wolfy1988 on Monday 21st July 15:26
You see, we were planning on keeping Nero for good but I really don't want a nervous and skittish dog, Is it terrible of me to say that? I know with Exercise, training and effection most things can be ironed out but what if ai cant? and spend the next 6 months with a scared dog and we are getting stressed and worried over it
9 weeks old, removed from Mum at 6 weeks = 4 homes in 4 weeks?
Misery is the word, yes, you are doing your best but he's scared & nervous; he's seen too much change in his life & no stability other than his brother & soon he won't have him. Removed from his Mum too early too, possibly the runt.
I'm not being cruel, I'm seeing it from my poor little nervous (albeit cat) Pepi's side. He'd had 2 homes by the time I got to him, although he was returned to the a breeder, he hadn't been socialised or played with; I took him to rescue him from there, nice tho the were, they were breeders & not interested in him. Pepi is full of love & play, but very nervous, even 5 years on. He cowers like a dog does when I move suddenly to my knowledge never ill treated, but... We are used to it & call him a pussy. It's why he is the prefect companion for Beauty (who is blind) he's not bothered for going outside you see & she can't.
Poor Nero has had so much change, right at the start of his life when he needs stability & change. Sleep with him, reassure him, love him, keep him - he may still be skittish, but that's not a bad thing
You ramble because you care - that's also a good thing
Get him checked over for his eyes & development just incase, it could just be that he's the runt & Titan the 'first' who knows?!
Misery is the word, yes, you are doing your best but he's scared & nervous; he's seen too much change in his life & no stability other than his brother & soon he won't have him. Removed from his Mum too early too, possibly the runt.
I'm not being cruel, I'm seeing it from my poor little nervous (albeit cat) Pepi's side. He'd had 2 homes by the time I got to him, although he was returned to the a breeder, he hadn't been socialised or played with; I took him to rescue him from there, nice tho the were, they were breeders & not interested in him. Pepi is full of love & play, but very nervous, even 5 years on. He cowers like a dog does when I move suddenly
to my knowledge never ill treated, but... We are used to it & call him a pussy. It's why he is the prefect companion for Beauty (who is blind) he's not bothered for going outside you see & she can't.Poor Nero has had so much change, right at the start of his life when he needs stability & change. Sleep with him, reassure him, love him, keep him - he may still be skittish, but that's not a bad thing
You ramble because you care - that's also a good thing
Get him checked over for his eyes & development just incase, it could just be that he's the runt & Titan the 'first' who knows?!
Edited by ali_kat on Monday 21st July 16:14
Just a thought but have you thought that perhaps his apparent sensory shortcomings are something to do with his skittishness??
I think a detailed Vet examination may be useful and then you would know whether there was a physical reason for most of the issues you are having.
Perhaps the description of him being "dim" is harsh but it may not be far from the truth - dogs are liable to defects at birth as well as humans.
Good luck.
David
I think a detailed Vet examination may be useful and then you would know whether there was a physical reason for most of the issues you are having.
Perhaps the description of him being "dim" is harsh but it may not be far from the truth - dogs are liable to defects at birth as well as humans.
Good luck.
David
Thanks for all the advise people
I will work harder with the pups and will spend a few nights with them in the same room.
One more to add, a few days ago I noticed that Nero's whiskers are very short and sharp, they appear to have been cut? Titans are long and what you would expect but Nero's are less than a cm in length, could this have something to to do with it and why would someone cut the whiskers??
I will work harder with the pups and will spend a few nights with them in the same room.
One more to add, a few days ago I noticed that Nero's whiskers are very short and sharp, they appear to have been cut? Titans are long and what you would expect but Nero's are less than a cm in length, could this have something to to do with it and why would someone cut the whiskers??
Ouch, poor puppy!
Yes, they are not meant to be like that & yes, they will be contributing to his behaviour, like cats dogs "feel" with their whiskers, cutting them hurts & he won't be as sure of his surroundings as he should be
Even more reason for me to think the poor little mite was abused somewhere before he was 6 weeks old
http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/cutting-dogs-whisker...
They will grow back
Yes, they are not meant to be like that & yes, they will be contributing to his behaviour, like cats dogs "feel" with their whiskers, cutting them hurts & he won't be as sure of his surroundings as he should be
Even more reason for me to think the poor little mite was abused somewhere before he was 6 weeks old
http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/cutting-dogs-whisker...
They will grow back
ali_kat said:
How's Nero been this week?
Much better thanks for asking, they are both sleeping through the night.I have however, decided not to adopt one of them. Both of them are gorgeous dogs but I have realised thats its a Cat I really want.
Hopefully i have done well by them, they are more trained and seem happier
I collect the latest member of the Wolfy household next week, "Jefferson" the cat.
ali_kat said:
Im disappointed by your reaction in this thread and my other one, I gave it ago, it didn't work, if you must know they are not getting on together and their fights have been getting increasingly aggressive, Titan seems to be screaming and whimpering for most of the day, if i keep them apart, i leave one on its own etc. So much so that one is scared of the other till its bed time then they are mates again.
Because of this (which i have attempted to iron out btw) it has not given me the opportunity to know them as individuals, on hindsight i should have fostered the one with the aim of adopting him.
Believe me I am disappointed, I fell in love with Nero the moment i laid eyes on him, but quite frankly the last 2 weeks haven't worked out well at all, they were fighting for the past week and its getting bad. I do not want an aggressive dog
Edited by wolfy1988 on Friday 25th July 22:32
wolfy1988 said:
Something wrong with your eyes?
Im disappointed by your reaction in this thread and my other one, I gave it ago, it didn't work, if you must know they are not getting on together and their fights have been getting increasingly aggressive, Titan seems to be screaming and whimpering for most of the day, if i keep them apart, i leave one on its own etc. So much so that one is scared of the other till its bed time then they are mates again.
Because of this (which i have attempted to iron out btw) it has not given me the opportunity to know them as individuals, on hindsight i should have fostered the one with the aim of adopting him.
Believe me I am disappointed, I fell in love with Nero the moment i laid eyes on him, but quite frankly the last 2 weeks haven't worked out well at all, they were fighting for the past week and its getting bad. I do not want an aggressive dog
Well, that's us both disappointed then! Im disappointed by your reaction in this thread and my other one, I gave it ago, it didn't work, if you must know they are not getting on together and their fights have been getting increasingly aggressive, Titan seems to be screaming and whimpering for most of the day, if i keep them apart, i leave one on its own etc. So much so that one is scared of the other till its bed time then they are mates again.
Because of this (which i have attempted to iron out btw) it has not given me the opportunity to know them as individuals, on hindsight i should have fostered the one with the aim of adopting him.
Believe me I am disappointed, I fell in love with Nero the moment i laid eyes on him, but quite frankly the last 2 weeks haven't worked out well at all, they were fighting for the past week and its getting bad. I do not want an aggressive dog
Edited by wolfy1988 on Friday 25th July 22:32
Thank you for giving more details, I appreciate that it's difficult - My worry is for the Pup, I can see him not being able to be re-homed due to the number of moves & therefore his inability to learn to trust, if that makes sense?
Now it's Titian that is screaming?
Dogs play fight btw - it's normal & looks aggressive & vicious, it rarely is. True dog fights end in blood
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