So I have a little poodle mix named Jaxon, he's about 14 years old and weighs about 8 pounds. I've had him since he was about 2 and a half. He's always been a very laid back dog, likes to be around people but very chill. He's always barked for a few seconds when somebody enters the house, and get's excited when I come back home after leaving him alone for a few hours.
The last few months however, things have been getting worse. When I, or my roommate, comes home (even if he's only been alone for an hour or less) he barks at his maximum volume for several minutes and won't calm down unless I pick him up and hold him for a while. When I leave, he often starts barking immediately and (according to my neighbor) will bark for hours straight. He's getting old, and he's starting to lose his eyesight and he's almost completely deaf. I'm thinking this has something to do with it.
I love my dog, but he's driving my neighbors and roommate crazy. Is there anything I can do to help him calm down? I've thought about getting a cat or another dog to keep him company when I'm gone, but I'm afraid this will just make things worse. I've also considered getting a crate for him while I'm gone (he used to be crate trained, but I abandoned it a few years back).
