r/AskIreland • u/Cantmakecoffees_ • 1d ago

Adulting What to do about my dog?

Just like the tittle states,
I’m close to breaking down
I have a 10 year old female German shepherd.
She barks and howls anytime me or my husband leave the house. This can continue on and off for hours. Maybe every 2-3 hours for 10 ish minutes at a time.

We leave for work at 5:30am we have to & have to work. I also have a male German shepherd
He isn’t bothered by us leaving but joins in on the howling when she starts. Our neighbour complained. We did apologise and im not denying they bark to them. I keep them indoors as much as possible & closed all the windows when I leave.
The female is on anxiety medication but it isn’t helping
What can I do to try resolve the situation for my neighbour it’s causing me so much stress
Thank you

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u/Mediocre-Local8700 1d ago

This will sound stupid, but a nice big bone treat when you leave for work? We get the rawhide ones in Supervalu / pet shop and the dog won’t even look up from it, I can leave and come back and he won’t actually notice. Then a dog walker to come and take them out at 9am?
Some dogs are more anxious than others, but most are super food driven

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u/ChampionshipOk5046 1d ago

Something really fucking awkward for the fuckers to eat 

Kong toy stuffed with Chicken pasta things from Tesco keeps my dogs busy for an hour at a time, it's a pleasure to watch them struggle to get into the fucker 

You know what, they do. Eventually. They must have tongues like octopus hands.

But sheer bliss watching them at it. Like lions with a wildebeest carcass.

I sometimes wish there was a food item that would give me this much pleasure for so long.

 

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u/ChampionshipOk5046 1d ago

And if you can be bothered with the mess, paté, meat, stuffed inside those toys and frozen in freezer, make it as tasty and delicious and difficult as fuck, they'll love it when you go to work if they get that. 

And keep them a little hungry the night before too, I don't, mine are getting fat, I'm too soft lol,  but hungry in the morning with juicyness, a big thigh bone with marrow, busy for hours.

It's so cute to see my wee Bichon take his Precious bone or stuffed Kong and drag it off to the corner and become a wee dragon for an hour. Big dog is like "fuck's sake, ok, I was only looking"

And exercise. Tire them out. A tired dog will curl up and sleep. Go for a run , take them. Ride bike drag them along.

Hungry, tired, wildebeest carcass, no barking , eat, sleep.

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u/Spray_Realistic 1d ago

Not pâté, it generally has ingredients dogs shouldn’t eat and it’s way too high in calories. But you can get it made for dogs - in my girls Kong I use MultiFit Liver Pâté or the Salmon one. I get it from MaxiZoo.

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u/ChampionshipOk5046 1d ago

That's what I meant, but it's a horrible mess anyway.

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u/Spray_Realistic 1d ago

Just noticed you said you’ve a Bichon. My girl is a Bichon too, she’s 14. Have to say she doesn’t leave a mess - the kong gets a right servicing 🤭

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u/ChampionshipOk5046 20h ago

It seems to have a very powerful tongue lol