My Clever Husband

Kira has had quite a few issues we've been trying to resolve. We have worked out the most major ones, and as a result some of the smaller ones worked themselves out. For example, her freneticism is gone, replaced by a very responsive and relaxed dog ....WHEN we are home and physically with her. She absolutely loves to be with us. And we love to have her with us. She is very social with other dogs, and does not rile them up. She plays very nicely. She walks on leash beautifully. And she comes immediately when called.

She does, however, still wolf-howl when separated from us. She is still in her crate...and not because I want her there. I'd love for her to be OUT of the crate. But she puts herself into it, which tells me she is comfortable there. Also, one of the other issues is that she still has problems pooping appropriately. That means: outside. We have had several accidents since we got her (thank goodness for tile floors). But we are being very diligent and reading the signals very well. I think we will have that issue resolved within the week.

As for the howling, it is something we need to clear up. Although we think it is really rather a sweet and pretty sound, guests might not agree with us. Neighbors might not agree with us. And I think it's a symptom that she is "off-balance" to use Caesar's term.

OK, so here is what the clever hub did. We have a set of portable monitor/intercoms that we used when EO was a teenager. We don't really use them any more. When you want to talk to someone, there is a button you push that makes a beep, or a prolonged tone if you hold it down. The volume control can make that beep really loud. So two nights ago, H put one of the monitors on top of Kira's crate and the other one next to our bed. When we put Kira in her crate (or she put herself in her crate), and we turned out all the lights and went to bed, she started her singing. As soon as she started, H pressed the beep button. He did this every time she howled. She is not stupid. She figured out very quickly that the beep happened when she howled. Within ten minutes, she was quiet, and we had a wonderfully restful sleep Thursday night. Last night, we did the same thing. I think it took less time for her to settle down.

Here's the interesting thing. We are not so sure that it is necessarily sound avoidance training. Sure, she knows that the sound goes away when she stops howling. But we actually think there is a certain amount of comfort to her. This is a strange thing, but we think she sings herself into a sleep mode, and the beeping speeds up the process.

Why do wolves howl? I did a little research, and there's a whole wolf psychology to the howl, which I won't get into here. The pack howls together. They also howl when they get separated, and they wait for a responsive howl. Maybe the beeping is the equivalent of another wolf responding to her. And maybe, just maybe, that is all she needs. Of course, we have only done this two nights. That's not enough to make any of these broad conclusions. Yet, I suspect that our success will continue and she will eventually stop wolf-howling every night. She just needs reassurance that we are her pack and will always be her pack. She needs to know that we always come home to her.

That wolf howl thing is positively primal...to every living creature, including domestic housecats. For example, when I was doing my research, I listened to a few examples on the internet. Poor Daily went nuts! He kept looking out the window, breathing rapidly, and then toward the stairs with huge eyes, finally leaping off the desk to check downstairs. Even ten minutes after I had played the wolf howl, Daily was slinking around the house, looking for the singer. Remember, this is Daily, the cat who never met a dog he didn't like. Wolves must be a different matter. Of course, he WAS practically feral once once upon a time (a story for another time). He would know the dangers. Anyway, it's been a little while since I did that wolf research, and Daily's little kitty psyche is still messed up. Amusing as he is, I feel bad about rocking his foundation. He always felt safe in this house. I hope he feels better soon. Poor little thing. Not! He's the toughest little cat I have ever met. He just happens to know the difference between dog and wolf. And even though many humans think Kira looks like a Wolf, Daily knows the difference. He's fine.

OK, so I'm off to see the Met's simulcast of La Boheme ... fun!