Help me help my lonely dog, please!

[AllGoodDogs]

My Yorkie is now an only child, after we lost our Labrador last week.

Yorkie came to us about 3 years ago after DH's grandad died and no one else in the family could take him in, grandad would not have wanted him to go to Rspca etc so we kept him. The dogs knew each other allready, and actually little dog settled in brilliantly despite all of a sudden losing his owner and moving in with another dog, a cat, kids and a busy family home. From the start he slept downstairs with big dog, even though he slept up on grandads bed previously. He also immediately stopped peeing in the house, and learnt to use our catflap to the back garden. He's very low maintenance!!

So now we've lost the big dog, little dog is obviously lonely. He wakes up early in the morning and barks until someone comes down. He scratches at the stair gate too, this morning I noticed dried blood on it, presumably from his paws though I can't see any obvious injuries.

I'd rather not let him sleep upstairs - the cat food is up on the landing so the dog can't eat it, and we keep all bedroom doors shut after the cat brought in a live mouse that I spent 3 days trying to trap after it was released into DS1s bedroom. I don't want him to start peeing in the house again because he can't get out of my room, or because it's a long hike down the stairs out to the garden and he's lazy!

Please don't suggest another dog for company, it's not something I'm ready to consider at the moment.

What can we do to discourage the barking and scratching? He's also alone for a few hours a day when I'm at work, so I'm worried about what he'll get up to now he doesn't have big dog for company.

Thanks if you made it to the end! Suggestions welcome!!

[Wolfiefan]

Can’t he sleep in your room?

[AllGoodDogs]

@Wolfie I explained in my post why I'd rather not introduce that.

[Bookworm4]

Personally I'd let the wee soul upstairs and move cat food, he will be grieving the loss of his pal, he deserves some comfort at a time like this.

[Decormad38]

Sorry how about a furry toy so he can lick it? It worked with my rabbit when he lost his mate!

[WatcherOfTheNight]

He must be pretty unhappy to leave blood from scratching poor old boy
He's grieving too op ,he's used to company ,when your dgd died he had your other dog ,now he's alone .

Could you move the cat food ?
I can't see anything other than physical comfort helping tbh

[Wolfiefan]

I can’t see anything other than cat food. A microchip activated bowl?
Bedroom door needs to be shut? Not overnight. A cat shouldn’t be out overnight anyway.

[ForTheTimeBeing]

I'd let him sleep upstairs. The following might help:
Move the cat food somewhere up high where the dog can't reach.
Train the dog use puppy pads if he really needs to go to the toilet at night.
Feed him fairly early in the evening and remove his water bowl a couple of hours or so before bedtime.
Let him out just before you go to bed.

For when the dog is alone during the day, provide chewy toys he likes or a small kong filled with cream cheese or pâté etc.
Leaving the radio on might help, too, and exercising him before you leave the house to tire him out.

[BrownOwlknowsbest]

Is he getting cold at night and then waking as a result? I second a soft toy to snuggle up to. Maybe add a hot water bottle under the bed or some other source of heat.

[AllGoodDogs]

Thank you, some great ideas there. Cat isn't ever shut out of the house BTW, only bedroom doors are shut.

I thought about big dogs coat - It smells of him so might bring little dog comfort if I pop it in his bed?

Radio has always been on during the day and he walks to school and back each morning with me so that's covered.

[Booboostwo]

Poor wee doggie!

Adaptil might help him.

[Wolfiefan]

The cat should be shut in at night so there’s no chance it could bring mice etc in.