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 Seperation Anxiety with Pups
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| Author | Topic: Seperation Anxiety with Pups |
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jmwillia Member  Posts: 11 |
posted 10-29-2003 08:05 AM
 
We have had our pup for about two weeks now and I must say that this site has really helped me explore some of my questions. Being a new pet owner and a brand new dog owner (I've mostly grown up with Cats), I never realized how much work puppies are! I love her and am so excited she is apart of our family. However, I feel badly when we leave her, because it really seems like it is affecting her. We decided to get her now, b/c I am slow at work and can provide more attention at this time. We got her on a Saturday and I took off Monday and Tuesday and went back to work on a Wednesday. We started with the crate. She hated it! Everytime we came home she would cry and cry and even soil her own space in the crate, which I've read is uncommon. I come home at lunch and spend about 30-40 minutes with her. I usually always get down on the floor and play with her. When we get home at night, she acts as if she is traumatized and she follows me everywhere crying and crying. I play with her and give her attention and as soon as I get up to go cook or something, she crys again! We do try and spend a lot of time with her. She even sleeps with us. Recently, we got a baby gate and put her in the kitchen. She seemed to like it more. But, based on her behavior the past couple days makes me think twice. She tears up her bed and spreads it all over the kitchen. And, yesterday, she became super dog and hopped the fence! I don't know how she got out. I guess she climbed it. We put it up this morning a little higher with hopes it will keep her in. I don't want her to get hurt! Are we doing this right? I feel so bad leaving her home. I've read that it might be seperation anxiety? She doesn't seem comfortable yet. I want her to feel comfortable and have quiet and peace while we're gone and then be able to be at ease when we are at home instead of constantly checking to see where we are worrying that we are going to leave again. Will this subside? Is she still getting comfortable? We have our first vet appointment on Saturday, so that will be good to talk about all our concerns then. But, until then thanks in advance for your advice. It is MUCH appreciated!!! IP: Logged |
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 10-29-2003 10:10 AM
I don't have any experience with separation anxiety, I think RottyMommy on here does though. However I can tell you a few little things that have worked for me. All my dogs are crate trained, and with everyone of them it sucked in the beginning and I felt like a meanie. My husband was an even worse wuss about the process! I have a few rules with my dogs about the crate. I have never let them out of the crate while they were whining, scratching at the door, barking etc. They have to sit and "hush", before that door opens. Witt is my youngest @ 11 months and all of them will immediately sit and hush when I approach the crate. When I first arrive home, they do the greeting excitement which usually includes some happy whining but if I say "hush" they sit and wait for me to open it. With Witt, he was sleeping in the crate at night the first couple days I had him, but he got allergies and his breathing was so raspy and he was so stuffed up and miserable I felt nervous about putting him in there so I let him sleep with me thinking he would wake me if he got sicker. He snuggled in and slept the whole night, never had an accident or got down off the bed so we just kept letting him sleep with us. BUT I did make sure he spent a little time everyday in the crate and I would leave. Call it practice...it has worked well. Make sure her crate is big enough for her to stand and turn around in, but not bigger than that. If there is enough space for her to potty in one part of the crate and lay down in another...she will. Animals generally don't like to go potty where they sleep. My dogs as puppies could easily climb the X-pens and escape so I never used them unless I was there to supervise. Crate training is important, you will use it when traveling, in emergencies, if she ever gets sick or needs to be kept to a minimum of activity for medical reasons...it's just important. I don't ever leave my dogs in a crate longer than 6 hours and less for younger dogs. Thats just my rule, others may have differences. If you can play with her or walk her in the morning before you leave for work that will help take the edge off the puppy energy she has. Leave her with something of yours that has your scent on it in the crate(something you don't mind getting ripped up), give her something she can chew on like a KONG, you can even stuff it and it will keep her busy. Stick to your guns on the crate, DO NOT let her out if she is crying and carring on. DO start teaching her a vocabulary. Make a conscious effort to use the same word for a command or object or action every time. Examples: "hush", "enough", "leave it", "wait", "go potty". The larger her vocabulary, the easier it will be to communicate with her what you want and what you don't want. Make sure when she is doing something you DON"T want her to do, that you show her what you DO want her to do. For instance...if she is chewing on the leg of a chair...."Nala, Leave it!" and then put something in her mouth or infront of her that she CAN chew on. If she begins chewing on it..BIG BIG praise. "GOOD GIRL NALA" Timing is everything... seeing the chair leg an hour after she has destroyed it and yelling at her for it will teach her nothing, she will only know that you are unhappy with her, but not why. When you come home and she is out of the crate and she follows you around crying...try distracting her. Spend a few minutes teaching her "sit". Alot of people don't allow their dogs in the kitchen so not everyone will agree with me on this one but...I use this time to work with my dogs. When I am cooking a meal, usually dinner, I feed my dogs off the cutting board, whatever I am working with, usually veggies. They are not allowed to beg and they don't. They have learned most of their tricks in my kitchen. We work on "down/stays" "head down", "on my left" or "on my right" etc. Use what will work for you, but remember this, EVERY interaction with your dog is training, whether it's her training you(crying for attention) or you training her. It has rarely worked for me to set aside 30 minutes a day to work with my dog...working with my dog all the time, no matter how little, one or two minutes, has been wonderful. You will get a consistently well mannered dog. One other thing, I think you said your dog was a catahoula/Aussie/pit mix??? If thats so, you best get used to having a "velcro" dog. Mine are attached to my thigh most of the time and if not they certainly know what I am doing and where I am. I love it that way. I hope some of this helps a bit. Smiles, Maisey IP: Logged |
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 10-29-2003 10:20 AM
I wanted to add....when you come home from work, if it's possible, take her ouside right away and throw a ball for her, something that means she will be running, let her run off all that anxiousness and excitement. Here is a link to the site for KONG, it's a chew toy that you can stuff, they even give you recipes. http://www.kongcompany.com/features.html IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 10-29-2003 11:04 AM
Hehe, Maisey. I think this poster is the one with the new dachshund. The other Nala is a different poster. Are you picking on my sweet, well-behaved baby?! (hysterical laughter)
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jmwillia Member Posts: 11 |
posted 10-29-2003 11:49 AM
Thank you Maisey!! This helps very much! She's a 11 week old dauchsund, red, short hair and soooo cute! I came home at lunch today and she escaped again from the kitchen and I found her happy as a larch on my blanket chewing a candle!! Will a candle hurt her? I'm not sure if she ate any of it. Anyway, I put her back in her crate when I left with a warm blanket and a few chew toys. I will definiely try the toy you suggested. It looks like a great idea! I think we are going to stick to the crate! I'll try the 'hush' word too with her when I get home and see how that does. Because she does cry and cry when I get home and I let her out. However, sometimes it's not until I let her out and she throws a fit  Hehehe! What fun! IP: Logged |
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 10-29-2003 12:50 PM
OK OK so I was confused! LOL, in this case I have no idea how a weenie dog is getting out of the X-pen, would be interesting to see (video tape her!). The velcro dog trait may not be as true, she may grow out of it as she gets more confidence. All the rest applies though. Just cause she is cute, and I can just picture her too...don't let her cry her way to what she wants. Don't let her train you. Is she whining like she is beside herself with excitement? or more like worried and anxious? It's probably just puppy stuff, 11 weeks is so young. Being that young I will say that you should keep any little training bits short, simple and possitive. Set her up to succeed, this will build her confidence. Do this by asking for simple things you know she can do and then rewarding her big time. I really think this is just being a baby stuff and she will be just fine, and you too. How small do they make KONGS? LOL. As for the candle, I think she will be fine, but if you see the wick coming out the other end...stay clear of a flame! IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 10-29-2003 12:52 PM
Remember also that dogs pick up on your mood. If she is following you around crying and you are making a fuss and trying to comfort her, she will think "Oh my gosh, there really IS something wrong!" and will cry some more. Try just patting her and telling her "Hush!" and then just go about your business pretending she isn't crying. I talk to my animals almost continually, which some may find insane (and perhaps I am) but I do it anyway. Although, do make sure you are also giving her some attention and playing with her when appropriate! When I get home I try to not dally on my way to the bedroom and the crate or Nala will start yipping and then I can't let her out until she stops. Usually she will wait quietly for a little while after she hears us come in, because she expects to be let out shortly. Puppies are very much like children - any way they can get attention, they do!
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 10-29-2003 12:54 PM
OH yeah...Jimaya, I would never pick on your lil' Nala, she is too darned adorable, I see in her the same look my dogs had as pups and still do. It's a quality I absolutely love...however, I may on occasion pick on you, since I have no fear of you being able to smack me. Plus I am bored as all get out..I am off work with my back out and on pain killers muscle relaxers. LOOK OUT, I'm not only bored but loopy! [This message has been edited by Maisey (edited 10-29-2003).] IP: Logged |
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jmwillia Member Posts: 11 |
posted 10-29-2003 01:20 PM
Thanks to you both! I'm on my way out now. Hopefully the little flying weiner dog is still in her crate! We still have no idea how she got out, but my boyfriend and I laugh and laugh thinking it would be so funny to watch her get out...b/c she is sooo tiny! Have a good night...IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 10-30-2003 08:35 AM
Heh Maisey, if my back went out Nala would eat me alive. My neck started to go last week and my husband was leaving town the same day. I was in tears and at the chiropractor soooo fast and luckily headed it off before it became crippling. There's no way I could handle our sweet little puppy with my neck like that. I hope you feel better soon!
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