reacting to sounds - advice please

[Cash_Dolly]

Hi all

looking for some more friendly advice and knew this was the place to come

So my 6 year old whippet had developed a bit of a habit.  When I leave for work him and my other dog are left (crated) until the dog walker comes in.  Cash has always been happier being crated as he was quite an insecure little guy when I first got him (not now) so he still happily goes into the crate and goes to sleep.  However when the dog walker went on holiday for a week my Dad was walking the dogs and playing with them in the garden each day for me.  Ever since then Mr Cash has been extremely reactive to any noise he hears outside.  he makes the same high pitched "singing" as he tends to do when I arrive home from work.  he used to only do this when he heard my car (my Dad lives next door and he could tell the difference between me coming home and my Dad) however now it is literally any time he hears my Dad outside.  So if my Dad comes in in the middle of the day, goes out to weed the garden etc. 

I am 99% it is a habit/attention seeking (because he is a little attention seeker anyway) as opposed to separation anxiety for the following reasons -

Exercise

We do a 5 mile walk every Morning.  This includes chasing the ball in the field, varied walking routes, playing games etc

Dog walker comes in at midday and the dogs are with her approx. 1.5 hours

I get in from work and we either go for a run or do another 1/2 hour walk

When I leave for work they get their breakfast in a kong or similar to keep them occupied and when the dog walker leaves them they get a treat/chew/new toy.

The crate

cash has always been more secure in a crate (and can get himself into trouble outwith) unless I am going a short outing then I will leave them loose.  He is perfectly happy to go into the crate when I am getting ready to leave.  There are absolutely zero signs of distress from any of them that I am leaving.  they happily trot in (sometimes I go to clean my teeth in the Morning come out and Cash is already in the crate curled up) and they don't bat an eyelid when I walk out.  There is no sound and even if I have forgotten something and have to go back into the house for it I get no reaction.

What I do just now

I have been trying to work on this by putting them in the crate when I am at home and pottering around doing normal things so that there is noise and ignoring any noise he makes.  When I have been coming home from work or at periods when I am putting him in the crate while I am in  I will not aknowledge him until he is silent.  Once he is quiet I praise him and give him a nice treat in the crate.  I am doing this every day when I get home. However ths does not seem to be making any difference as yet.

If I am home and he hears my Dad outside then he doesn't make a sound.  Will raise his ears then go back to sleep!

the dogs do sleep in the bed beside me but they are not reliant on that.  When they stay with the dog sitter they sleep in a crate at her house no problem and sometimes even at home I go to bed alone and they take themselves off to their crate or one of the other dog beds.  He is an independent and very ballshy little dog so I am certain it is nothing do with separation anxiety.

Any tips for training him out of it would be much appreciated

 

[gypsysmum2]

Could it be that he is "calling" your dad? Not a distress noise, just a sort of "hey, here I am, come and see me"?

 

[Cash_Dolly]

Yes this is exactly what I think it is. He does it when j get home and when the dog walker goes in. It's more excitement/give me attention I just don't know how to address it