How to Stop a Dog from Howling When Left Alone: Comprehensive Guide 2022

If you don’t spend time with your dog, they might start howling when left alone. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know the best way to stop a dog from any type of howling when left alone. There are many reasons why dogs howl when left alone.

They might start barking or howling to demand your attention, they could be lonely due to separation anxiety, and sometimes they’re just bored. If you have a question in your mind about how to stop a dog from howling when left alone. So, the simple solution is that if you keep your dog busy, they will not have time to cry.

Keeping in mind all of your needs here you get the step-by-step guide that will help your dog stop crying when left alone.

Table of Contents

Why Does Dog Cry When Left Alone?

If your dog howls when you are not at home, there are several reasons. There are many causes of separation anxiety in dogs, but these things can be the main reason:

Due to Medical Issue

He has a medical condition that makes him feel lonely or upset. Your dog should also get help from medicines if needed to solve the medical problems.

Dog is Bored

Your dog is bored because nobody comes up to play games with them. By training them well by playing different kinds of games every day, they love being left alone without any tension regarding boredom.

Due to Strangers

It could be his predatory instinct that tries to attract strangers’ attention as he thinks that if he howls loud enough, they will come and take him away from the situation.

Anxious and Scared Feeling

Your dog might be anxious or scared about something, so he starts crying to get your attention Because you are his owner and he is the only hope for everything. So, whenever he faces any kind of danger, whether real or imaginary, this is what happens with him.

Not Well Trained

One of the other reasons your dog howls when you are not at home is that he was poorly trained. If this happens so take him out to walk, play with other adult dogs, or do something else but don’t leave him alone in his crate for a long time. If you leave them alone for a long time so it will worsen his behavior and cause even more problems.

So, these are some of the reasons why your dog howls when you are not at home.

How to Stop a Dog from Howling When Left Alone? 5 Steps

If you want to stop a dog from howling when left alone, you must follow the house training tips properly.

Step #1: Your Dog Should Not Be Alone for More than Four Hours

If you are leaving your house at least twice a day, then it is OK, but if you continuously stay away from home for one or two days, so you get your dog with separation anxiety issues. So, make sure that he gets the proper attention and spends quality time with him every day, so he does not howl when left alone.

Step #2 : Take Him Out on Walks Frequently

Taking him out on walks frequently will help reduce his boredom because dogs get bored very quickly. So, don’t let him into any room where there is anything unusual or interesting until both of you come back home.

Step #3 : Try to Make Your Departure Unnoticeable

If you make your departure noticeable, you may face howling or barking issues because he knows it’s time for you to leave him alone. So, try not to say goodbye or anything related to this word, go away!

Step #4: Stop Saying Goodbye When You Leave Home for Work Every Morning

Doing this creates a negative association between the act of leaving and being left behind which is very bad if we talk about dogs’ psychology. So, avoid saying goodbye every morning when you are going out of the house. Instead, ignore his unwanted behavior entirely after you have said hello first to break any kind of association between the act of leaving and being left behind.

Step #5: Try to Make Your Return Unnoticeable Too

Whether you are coming home from work or somewhere else, try not to make your return noticeable because it can negatively affect him.

When you follow all the steps mentioned above, it will be effortless for you to stop a dog from persistent howling when left alone.

What Are the Causes of Separation Anxiety in Dogs?

There could be several factors that cause separation anxiety, like one is a medical condition, another factor can be boredom, and there’s also something else. But if your dog howls when left alone, these things might worsen his behavior further because he thinks you will not return to him any time soon.

When your dog is suffering from separation so it is also a sign of anxiety, then you should take him out for walks or play with other dogs until he gets tired.

Conclusion

Separation anxiety is one of the most common issues that can be easily cured by following simple steps. Also, you must spend time with your dog or take him out for walks frequently, so he doesn’t sit at home all day long and never starts to whine when left alone.

In the end, we hope that now you are well aware of how to stop a dog from howling when left alone and know the causes of separation anxiety in dogs.

FAQs

Is There Any Treatment for Separation Anxiety?

There’s no particular medicine or common treatments that can cure this issue, but yes, you should follow the steps mentioned in this guide to help your dog get rid of his problem. Also, give him lots of love and attention because he needs you badly at the moment.

Why Does My Dog Howl When I Enter the House?

This is a normal and quiet behaviour of dogs because they think you went out and didn’t return for a long time, so they start howling to tell you that where were you? But this destructive behaviour can be minimized if he spends more time with you or other people.

My Dog Howls When I’m At Work, What Should I Do?

If your dog howls and barks when you’re at work, then there’s a chance that he might be suffering from separation anxiety. You should take him out for walks frequently, play with him or give him more attention than only he will stop howling when left alone.