# Separation anxiety



## Maplezoom (Nov 26, 2012)

My puppy Maple is 15 weeks old and suffers from extreme separation anxiety. We have got to the stage where she will tolerate being in a separate room, however she yelps and barks as soon as we leave the house. She has only been left for 1 hour at a time. We have tried leaving the TV on, Kongs, tshirts with my smell. I have tried ignoring her before I go out and only going to her on my return when she is calm. Yesterday she was in a crate in the car and barked and yelped for the full 1 and 1/2 hours while I was driving. She doesn't mind the car if she is on someones lap, but this isn't safe. I am so stressed about the whole thing and worried for her health too, because it can't be good for her to get into that state. Please someone offer me some advise.


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Our boy wouldn't do crate in the car either. Hated it!!

So we got a car guard to put in and he rides in the back of our hatch back. No more cries. You could give this a try if you have the right kind of car. It does mean now that we only have the back set to put things in if we travel so once we have kinds we will need to either put them in back with Mac or get a bigger car!


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## Emmett (Nov 22, 2012)

Couple things you can try with Maple is too take her for a good run before you put her in a crate so she's is tired. Also stand in front of the crate when you put her in it until she lays down and sighs. But you need to be relaxed and calm when you do this or she won't relax and go into a calm state. Work on it when time is not a issue. Patience is the key. You also want to make sure she goes into the crate on her own accord. I hope this helps


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## suzQ19c (Nov 20, 2012)

My pup Mason is the same age and we go through the same thing. I've been allowing him in the bathroom with me while I'm taking a shower.....even when I'M RIGHT THERE but on the other side of the curtain....he crys crys crys. When we are riding in the car....same thing, he will cry a lot if he is not in someones lap.....but even then, he will cry a little bit if the lap he's sitting in isn't mine. My bf tells me that when I leave for work, Mason crys and whines....then searches the house for me for a bit....he finally gives up and lays on my p.js from the night before....(poor baby....if he only knew that mama has to go to work to keep buying all this good stuff for him )
I know you were looking for some advise and I'm sorry I don't yet have any for you but just know YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!  goodluck....if I find that something works for me I'll let you know....and please do the same


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

Maplezoom - welcome to the forum!

Ignoring the pup will work, but it will take time, if you are lucky, a few days.

When we got Skyy, Max was about 4 months old, never had any separation anxiety, however Skyy was very bad...
Every time someone left the house she would start screaming, like it was the last minute of her life. Max soon decided to join, all of a sudden we were dealing with 2 crying dogs.

Ignoring them worked for us - when I was working with Skyy and Max, I spent several hours one day leaving the house and coming back.

If you use a crate, you should probably start with crate training. Try to feed Maple inside her crate - she needs to know it's her safe place, never use it to punish the pup.

If you want to deal with separation anxiety first - I would not use a crate (double stress for your pup), confine Maple to a small room instead.

Do not make a big deal when you leave, ignore the pup for 10 minutes prior (no eye contact, petting or talking) return in a couple of minutes, do not pay attention to Maple for 5-10 minutes and only then praise her (if she is quiet). Gradually increase the time you will be out.

She needs to understand - _you_ make a decision when to leave and when to come back.

I think it took about 2 weeks for our dogs to finally stop barking and crying, from that point we did not have a problem


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

Hi

I thought Baxter was suffering from separation anxiety until I spoke to our trainer. Baxter howls and barks when we leave him during the day in his crate. He ignores all toys, treats kings etc instead all he does is bite as his bedding and pupils the blanket through that we cover the crate with. We have gone through 2 lots of bedding. Come home to stuffing everywhere In his crate. However at night he goes in with no fuss, sometimes even without ask us tellin him and goes straight to sleep and sleeps right through.

I asked our trainer who has dealt with quite a few separation anxiety cases and has assured me its not that. I have tried staying in the house when we crate him to see how long he barks for and it's anything between 5 mins and 20 mins then he goes to sleep. This is therefore not separation anxiety and just him protesting about us going out initially. I asked why he doesn't do this at night and she said its because night time is more of a routine and he is tired, had all his walks etc and its dark and quiet so no stimulation. Separation anxiety causes many more problems, behaviour, eliminating, not eating, it's not just barking when you leave them.

Try staying in the house one day out of sight and time how long the barking continues. You may find it stops sooner than you think. 

With regard to the car crate, again Baxter barked, howled, tried to bite his way out. Then I tried Adaptil spray and its like magic. This along with using food as a ploy he now gets in and lays down and goes to sleep. I sprayed the crate 15 mins before we leave. Then when it's time to go in I used a hot dog and tempt him in and gave him it when he was calm. Then he barked a little driving then when I went to get him out I let him smell the hot dog and said quiet (Baxter already knows what that means which helps) once he was quiet I let him out for the hot dog. I made sure I never let him out while he was still barking or crying otherwise he thinks that barking gets him his own way and also the hot dog is then a reward for crying. I gbe huge amounts of praise when he came out quiet. 

This works every time now and since using the spray has made a huge difference. He actually tries to jump in now and when I lift him into car he goes in on his own and lies down wagging his tail excited about the hot dog. It's worth a try as he is an angel in te car now!

Our trainer has just said a lot of dogs bark and howl about being left in the day especially puppies and to continue and he will learn. Since we have been out walking I hear lots of dogs barking from houses so that makes me feel better. Fortunately our neighbours don't hear him and like I said he does stop after 10 mins or so anyway. He now has a plastic bed with just sheets and blankets. I'm not buying him soft cushioned bedding until he has grown out of the chewing stage! 

Hope this helps!


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## David (Jul 17, 2012)

One thing I did was that whenever I left the room, or the house I would say nothing to Mika, no eye contact nothing. This helps the dog realize that your leaving is none of their concern, you left because you can. The same goes for when you enter the house, or room, never give immediate attention, put your things down, drink some water, listen to voice mails etc. then turn your attention to your puppy. After a while they will have learned to stay quiet when left alone. 

This was very important for Mika to learn because I work from home, and I have clients coming in and out on daily basis. So I couldn't have her making noise every time someone left or came in or when I walk around the house for whatever reason.


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## Maplezoom (Nov 26, 2012)

Thank you so much for your post it has given me hope! Until today Maple cried for the full hour she was left, she didn't destroy anything only barks and eliminates(which she doesn't do when I am there). However today was breakthrough day coming home from her favourite park this morning she only cried for 5 minutes out of the 10 minute journey in the car, no barking. I left her in a safe room and went to pick the kids up from school, not a noise was made for the full 20 minutes and no eliminating. My neighbour is constantly complaining about the noise so this has made the training so much more difficult and stressful. She is such a wonderful puppy i just hope we can get to the stage I can leave her for an hour or two during the day. Thanks again





BaxtersMum said:


> Hi
> 
> I thought Baxter was suffering from separation anxiety until I spoke to our trainer. Baxter howls and barks when we leave him during the day in his crate. He ignores all toys, treats kings etc instead all he does is bite as his bedding and pupils the blanket through that we cover the crate with. We have gone through 2 lots of bedding. Come home to stuffing everywhere In his crate. However at night he goes in with no fuss, sometimes even without ask us tellin him and goes straight to sleep and sleeps right through.
> 
> ...


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

That's great news. She will get there eventually. I'm still hoping the day will come when Baxter doesn't bark at all but I'm reassured now I know it's only for a little while.

I just wish the play biting and mad sharky moments will stop soon. Baxter is 15 weeks too ;-)


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## Sarah C (Jun 4, 2020)

Maplezoom said:


> Thank you so much for your post it has given me hope! Until today Maple cried for the full hour she was left, she didn't destroy anything only barks and eliminates(which she doesn't do when I am there). However today was breakthrough day coming home from her favourite park this morning she only cried for 5 minutes out of the 10 minute journey in the car, no barking. I left her in a safe room and went to pick the kids up from school, not a noise was made for the full 20 minutes and no eliminating. My neighbour is constantly complaining about the noise so this has made the training so much more difficult and stressful. She is such a wonderful puppy i just hope we can get to the stage I can leave her for an hour or two during the day. Thanks again


Hi, I know it's been quite a few years, but we are having the same troubles with our little puppy! Just wondering how you got on? What method worked best? Thanks!


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