how to deal with seperation anxiety

[Gracie]

can i cue her a wait at all, as if i open door she bombs through before me, unless i ask her to wait

[kizkiznobite]

noooo - cos if that was firm as in firm as in brose - if i came back 4 hours later she would still be waiting 

and she shouldnt be bombing through the door before you 

[MeggieP]

Hi,

I had to register because I need some serious advice on how to stop my new puppy howling eveytime we leave the room.

Meg is a 12 week old Chocolate Lab and brilliant in everyway apart form the fact that we've had her a month and are unable to leave a room without her howling our house down. We've made sure she's tired before attempting to leave the room, given her a kong and an item of my clothing but everything seems to fail!! She is never on her own during the day - but occasionaly we want to go out for an hour or two but find it impossible! We've had her for 5 weeks!!

I read your post and I need to check that when we leave for two and then for four - do we re-enter the house even if she is barking?

[kizkiznobite]

hi and welcome 

need more info please

what are you feeding her
how much time do you leave her for have you left her for
what have you said what do you say when this happens
how many in litter and what sex mix
7 weeks is very soon to get a choc lab - why did you get her so early

and you need to build this up - ie 5 mins then 10 mins etc etc

[MeggieP]

We picked her up at 8 weeks which was when the breeder advised she is nearly 13 now. There were 6 pups in her litter 3 boys/ 3 girls. There was a problem with another bitch there that had also had a litter of 9 she took it upon herself to start feeding Meg's litter even though they had been weened.

The most we have left her was for two hours in her crate which she seems to love and doesn't associate with being left alone. since that time we haven't left her really. My Partner works outside and the idea is for her to be outside with him when she is a bit bigger!! At the moment when we are at work she goes to his parents house.

She is on complete dry food - we tried her on pedigree then bakers which upset her tummy so she is now on Pets at home dry food which she seems to enjoy and hasn't had any upset with.

She is such a loving dog and her training is going really well - I just want to crack this so she's happy with and without us. We have both had dogs all our lives but never experienced this!

Thank you in advance!!

[kizkiznobite]

mmm - silly breeder letting the other female near in that situation...

ok - well food is my funny - and that food is crap - it will make her hyper - loads on here re feeding - see feeding bev's on a rant thread 

have you conditioned the crate?

i suggest you do the seperation anxiety exercise but to really help i need to know what you have done said what you do say when this happens 

[Kerry_and_Beau]

choccy labs are so nice   well you have come to the best place for advice.

hmm pets at home food...yum yum, have you read the feeding threads in the stickies? lots there about complete foods...lots in papers about it too at mo cos there are huge probs in USA with dogs dying from some complete foods.  

anyway good luck, and welcome from me and beau

[MeggieP]

mmm - silly breeder letting the other female near in that situation...

ok - well food is my funny - and that food is crap - it will make her hyper - loads on here re feeding - see feeding bev's on a rant thread 

have you conditioned the crate?

i suggest you do the seperation anxiety exercise but to really help i need to know what you have done said what you do say when this happens 

I will read the thread on food because she does get very boysterous!!

The crate was conditioned when she is in and being good she gets a treat - at about 11pm I say in your bed and she goes straight in. If she goes in and doesn't want to be in there she will bark but I don't let her out untill she settles down as I don't want to reward attention seeking behaviour. 

when we go out we try and ignore her for about 5 mins before we plan to leave - we then give her, her favorite chew and guide her into the crate with a selection of toys and soft bedding. we then leave the room. when we return we let her out and take her straight outside to do her buisiness. after 5 mins when she settles down we make a fuss and give her a treat.

Where am I going wrong?

[Kerry_and_Beau]

at a guess id say just timing, you need to start small and build up 

[MeggieP]

Can I clarify - Tonight when I go home - should me and my partner leave for two minutes and then come in and prentend that nothing is going on and then leave for 4 come back - then for 6 come back. Even if she is barking should we ignore her as obviously she stops barking as soon as we come in the room.

I don't want ot confuse the situation and for her to think that we come back because she is crying!!

[kizkiznobite]

your body language will tell her what you have come back for - but i still could do with knowing what you have done so far in terms of speaking to her or looking at her 

[MeggieP]

well... when we get ready to go we dont speak to her because I read that would ad to anxiety so we ignore her for 5 mins before but make sure she has everything she needs. when we come home we wait for her to settle down and take her out to the garden and play with her as normal. I always look at her when we go to check she's ok in her crate and obviously have to look at her when we come back in to let her out and take her outside.

I want to get to the stage where we don't need the crate anymore so we can leave her in the kitchen.

Reading some blogs I feel we have made some big mistakes. I enroled her at puppy school and we first got her she disn't sleep at night and cried all the time. Our trainer told us to take the crate into our room and move her out slowly but with this and the not being able to leave the house I think we're in a bit of a pickle!! Having the crate upstaires has meant that her house training is brilliant as if she wimpers we take her out dont speak to her and then put her back for remainder of the night.

[kizkiznobite]

the crate conditioning - have you locked it since day one?

[MeggieP]

Yes - when she is in there the door is locked - if its not night time then we sometimes open the door so she can come out and find us.

Apart form at night she very rarely uses it unless we go out - total of three times since we have had her!!

[kizkiznobite]

and there is your answer hun

the crate has to be conditioned correctly - it has to be a safe haven - a nest - a den - somewhere that is good to go - not for exclusion or viewed as punishment - i dont use them never have never will but i deal with many dogs that have issues from incorrect conditioning

she needs to be left and feel it a good space where good stuff happen - feed her in there , put her bed and water in there, put her toys in there - dont shut the door until she goes in on her own dont lock the door until she comfy with it - you are now going to have to remodify the crate so it is this good place to be and not to be left in

sorry - but this will be the problem

think of it in her terms - she leaves mum and siblings and aunty and cousins and she comes into a house where there are no others like her or that speak the same language - she likes her humans but they lock her away and she has nothing she is familiar with - with me?