How To Stop An Irish Or English Setter Howling

So many people are actually surprised to find that they have a problem with their Irish or English Setter howling. Howling is something you might think a dog would do once in a blue but there are some dogs out there that just seem to love to hear their own voice so they howl all of the time – or at least that is the way it would seem. However, there could be bigger problems happening besides having a dog that is full of himself.

There is a chance that your dog could actually be in pain and is howling to communicate that to you and to anyone else who will listen. Consider it a cry for help. Would you want to ignore your dogs cry for help? Of course not and that is why it is important to make sure that you are setting an appointment for your dog to be seen by his local vet as soon as possible. This is the only way to double check to make sure that your dog has a complete clean bill of dog health. It doesn’t cost much to be seen by the vet and the reassurance that everything is fine is more than worth it. And, if there is something wrong, being able to quickly care for your dog is worth it as well.

If it turns out that your Setter is completely fine, health wise, then you will simply go from there. You will want to now determine whether or not there is a pattern when it comes to the whining that your dog puts you through. Does he only whine when you are away? Does he ever whine while you are still in the house? If your dog is not injured or ill, then he is simply trying to get your attention. It is like a small child chasing you around the house, calling your name fifty thousand times. The thing is though, the dog can quickly learn that there is a more appropriate way to get your attention.

Ignore your dog when he starts to whine. In fact, when your dog starts to whine, you will simply want to leave the room. Only return and give him attention when he learns to calm down a little. You want to make sure that he understands that whining will not get him what he wants. Now, if your Setter is whining when you are not home, it may be because he is stressed and suffering from separation anxiety. While there is no absolute cure for this, you can take steps to make the separation a little easier on your dog.

Try providing your dog with a new toy or treat whenever you have to leave. You will also want to make sure that you are sneaking out the door whenever he isn’t looking. Wait until he is preoccupied with what you gave him. He will be too busy to notice that you are leaving and he will not have time to get all worked up over it. Later, when he can’t find you, he will probably assume that you are somewhere in the house that he can’t get to.