A dog owner named Joannie has shared the deeply emotional moment she witnessed her cavapoo puppy Midnight's heartbreaking reaction upon realising he had been left home alone. The incident, captured on a pet camera, has resonated with many pet owners who understand the challenges of puppy training and separation anxiety.
The Heartbreaking Moment Captured on Camera
Joannie and her husband welcomed Midnight, a cavapoo—a cross between a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a poodle—into their home in December 2025. Since then, they have been documenting their journey as a family of three on Instagram under the username 'helloomidnight'. In a recent video post, Joannie revealed how checking their pet cam left them emotionally overwhelmed.
"We weren’t ready for this… Midnight really broke us," Joannie wrote in the caption accompanying the video, which shows Midnight sitting in his crate. The footage captures the precise moment the puppy realises his owners have departed, leading him to let out a loud, sorrowful howl.
Why Cavapoos Struggle with Being Alone
In her post, Joannie explained that cavapoos are renowned for their strong attachment to humans, often described as "Velcro dogs" due to their intense need for companionship and physical closeness. According to pet experts like Tuggs, this breed is one of the most human-oriented, which makes leaving them alone particularly difficult.
This deep bond means cavapoos can exhibit destructive behaviours or excessive barking when experiencing loneliness. "Dog owners will understand.. sometimes the hardest part isn’t the mess, the training, or the early mornings… it’s walking out the door while they look at you like you’re their whole world," Joannie added, encapsulating the emotional toll of separation.
The Science Behind Dog Howling
Dogs howl for various reasons, as outlined by PetMD. This behaviour is rooted in ancestral instincts to communicate over long distances, express emotions such as loneliness or excitement, respond to high-pitched sounds like sirens, or mark territory. Howling serves as a natural, long-distance signal that can indicate anxiety, pain, or a desire for attention.
However, howling is not always negative; dogs may also howl to express positive emotions like excitement. Conversely, it can signal frustration, boredom, stress, or loneliness. Certain breeds are genetically predisposed to howl more frequently due to selective breeding for specific traits.
- Beagles: Use howling to alert others during hunting and play.
- Huskies and Malamutes: Howl to communicate with other dogs, a trait bred into them for work purposes.
The Importance of Puppy Training
Training a new puppy is often more challenging than anticipated, yet it remains crucial for their development. Key exercises include teaching them to relieve themselves outdoors, walk on a lead, and cope with being alone—a situation many puppies have never encountered before. Joannie's experience with Midnight underscores the significance of this aspect of training, especially for breeds prone to separation anxiety.
By sharing her story, Joannie hopes to raise awareness about the emotional needs of dogs like cavapoos and the importance of gradual, compassionate training methods to help them adjust to periods of solitude.
