# lonely



## buzgo2222 (Sep 7, 2010)

My male doesnt do well by himself. Would it be a good idea to find him another dog for company?


----------



## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Wow. That's a big question that you can only answer yourself. Plenty of dogs do well as an only child, but there are some who do better with a companion. Are you working all day? Does the dog have any interaction &/or exercise during the day? If not, do you have someone who would be willing to give your dog some attention & exercise? If you/someone else is at home all day, some of the day, or in & out, I would 1st make sure your guy is getting enough exercise. Sometimes lack of energy outlet gets channeled in less productive ways ie: anxiety, extra looney behavior, chewing, barking etc. If you are gone all day, & have no one who can help you, then a companion is worthy of serious consideration; however, as you know, you would then have double responsibility for exercise, food, vet bills etc. In other words, companions are great, but they are NOT a substitute for exercise and lots of attention. If you decide to get another dog, I would put a lot of consideration into the type/temperment of the companion. That way you can minimize unintended consequences of not having a good match. A younger shelter dog might me a good choice? You did not say enough about your situation for me to fully understand/be helpful, but I wanted to reply and wish you well. I have usually had more than one dog at a time, and that is my current situation. Our 4 y/o dachshund has been great for our V pup, Pumpkin! The problem we have now is Pumpkin is so much bigger, rough, & playful, that we now have to keep them separate when walking/running off leash! Pumpkin pummels our low-rider, & Moxie always seems to have a bleeding ear from puppy teeth nips! Moxie was an only dog for 1.5 yrs before Pumpkin. Best of luck


----------



## buzgo2222 (Sep 7, 2010)

thank you for all the great info. and i do exercise him regularly. i dont need to work so i am with him alot. but when i want to leave him at home he constantly howls so consequently he spends alot of time in my truck an he seems happier there then home by himself.


----------



## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Guess they don't call them the Velcro dog for nothing, huh  ? If your dog is getting the appropriate amount of exercise, but he inhibits your ability to leave/the places you go, then maybe another dog is a good consideration? Our Moxie hates to be crated, will shred the beds, bite on the cage, and bark like a crazy thing; therefore, I gate her in the kitchen & leave the TV or radio on low. She does MUCH better that way. It may just be the feeling of being locked up? Maybe experimenting with how you leave him may help? Maybe you can gate him somewhere if you are confident he will not chew the room up? Also, practicing leaving him in the crate/spot where you leave him when you are gone can be helpful. You do this for just a few minutes a day, while you are there, and treat him when he is quiet. In other words building positive associations with a place/event you guy associates with negative. It also allows him to see that you will return. This can take time. Anyway, I hope someone else who has had this experience can help you more. A thread search may yield good results as well. Best wishes


----------



## madaboutvizslas (Nov 12, 2008)

The more time you spend with them the greater the separation anxiety becomes. I went away with the V for 3 days hunting, then came back on Sunday night and went to work on Monday. Got home Monday night and found my jandals had been chewed up. She hasn't done that for 18 months. I put it down to the shock of being left alone and the sudden onset of boredom. Rest of the week was back to the same old go to work routine and everything settled down. You get to know their personality after a while and can see the twinkle of mischieviousness in their eye ;D


----------



## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

Do you know he's howling the whole time you're away from home? Moose will howl and cry if he is inside, and knows we're playing outside , or if he sees me get the stroller and the kids- but not the leash. the howling stops though, as soon as we're out of view, and he goes and breaks some rule, by laying on every piece of furniture he can [...he's always found out by that beautiful short hair left behind and warm spots ] 

We have a princess cat , who Moose ADORES but sometimes the feeling isn't so mutual. When we go out, I always leave music on for them both, and a couple of lights throughout the house and I'm sure they visit with each other momentarily here and there, but Moose is typically a lone ranger and sleeps while we're out. As others have said- you are the only one who can answer that, whether you should get companion or not- you must weigh the pros and cons. Another dog is another big responsibility for you as the owner, and if it's just simply to entertain the other one...it's probably not the best idea. 

Best bet, is to get your V used to spending time alone. Little bits at a time, go to the store, go get gas in the car, etc. I promise you he's not howling at the door the whole time you're gone- and if you know any neighbours who can let you know if they hear him, or set up a camera so you can hear/ watch his behaviour when you're out of the house? good luck


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Get a Logitech webcam. For $20 you can get one and set it up for motion activates recording. That is how I monitored Kobi during the day for the first month or so. It let me know what he was up to, if I needed to come home on my normal schedule or if I could have a few extra minutes, and even when I was being a bad parent (he peed in his cage)


----------



## peppermintpatty (Mar 22, 2011)

How old is he?

We waited until Sasha was a year old and then we added to our family. We got a rescue, Sami (V mix) and they are inseparable! It was the best thing ever!

Yes, they are still Velcro dogs, but now have someone to play with. ;D

*AND...*someone to get in trouble with. LOL


----------



## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

buzgo2222 said:


> thank you for all the great info. and i do exercise him regularly. i dont need to work so i am with him alot. but when i want to leave him at home he constantly howls so consequently he spends alot of time in my truck an he seems happier there then home by himself.


Are you kidding ??? Would you want to be home by yourself or out with friends whooping it up? Of course he wants to be with you. You could always send him to a work camp.


----------

