We've m got a lovely 6 year old sprocker spaniel.
He's my best friend, I'm out from 7am-7pm every day working so he's used to that (minus sat & sun).
I was admitted to hospital 10 days ago with appendicitis, the first night he was okay, from the second night he started howling randomly in the night and pacing (he has his own bed in our room).
Woke DH up because he's NEVER ever howled before, he lets out a very occasional bark if he notices our security light out the front turn on.
DH thought maybe he had to go toilet, which is unusual, he's let out sometime between 11pm and midnight for his last wee.
He went downstairs but wouldn't go outside (he does this when he doesn't need the loo).
He went back upstairs with DH and carried on pacing and whimpering, DH called vets in case he's poorly they said to keep an eye on him and bring him in within 24 hours if he starts again.
Then DH called me for first time in the house, normally he calls me via hands free when he's on his way home as he does paperwork when he gets in. As soon as the dog heard my voice (DH had put me on loudspeaker whilst packing some clean laundry ready to bring up to me) he started howling and pacing and crying again. I talked to him through the phone and DH said he'd never seen him like it before, said it's like he was pining.
Anyway, he's been fine in himself in the day, going for walk in mornings with DH as usual and DH goes home at 1pm to spend an hour with him, let him out for a wee etc and he's been playing with his rope, eating all his food and drinking plenty so not ill.
It's just around bedtime he would start pacing and crying and howling then in the bedroom. DH moved his bed onto landing and left the door open and still no difference, he laid on my side of the bed but on the floor whimpering and this has gone on since I've been in hospital.
In the end, DH resorted to letting him sleep on the bed which seemed to settle him (my work pjs were tucked under the covers), DH said he slept with his nose in them. No further howling just the odd pacing and whimpering.
I came home tonight and it's like I have a different dog, he's crying outside the bathroom door right now whilst I have a bath, when I took my car keys off the hook to get something out of the car earlier he started howling and when I got back in and gave him a cuddle his heart was beating really fast.
Does this sound unusual? I've got to return to work next week, I spoke to neighbour and she said she can't hear him howling thank goodness and offered to go in my house for 15 minutes between my husband going back to work and me getting in which was lovely of her.
If this is separation anxiety, I'm nervous as to how I stop this? I don't want him to be anxious and I'm sad that he's sad 😞