# Pup in Own Room? How to deal with separation anxiety?



## mollys mum (Feb 3, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

Molly is 8 weeks old and came to us 3 days ago. So far she has slept in our bedroom in her own bed which is within a playpen. She's settled really quickly and it allows me to take her outside to toilet if I hear her wake in the night. Whilst I love having her in our room, my husband fears that it may affect other noctural activities (if you get my drift) and longer term we would like to get her to sleep in her own room. Also, I'm back at work in the mornings next week and my neighbour is going to come in to see to her so I need her to be safe and happy on her own for a couple of hours.

I can now get on with things around the house if she's having a sleep and she's ok if she wakes up and can hear me, but she gets very upset if I leave her when she's wide awake.

At the moment she is very happy and settled and I feel that she is extremely well behaved, I don't want to rush the separation if it's going to set our relationship back. At the same time, I realise that if I leave it too long it's going to be more difficult.

How long should I wait before I start to leave her for short periods and what sort of timescale before I leave her on her own at night?

Any help would be appreciated.

Oh, also, is it ok to give an 8 week old puppy some peanut butter in a kong? My vet said he didn't know.

Thanks. x


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

She's a cutie pie! We've always given peanut butter and had no problems. If you are worried about it, give her a 1/2 teaspoon when you know you will be with her all day to make sure there are no reactions.

I'm not a dog expert but in my opinion, if you get her used to sleeping in the room, she'll always be there. It would be very hard for them to understand why they aren't allowed in anymore. They crave human companionship and attention and to take it away might be difficult on you and the dog. 

You should decide one way or the other now and stick with it. (though it would be easy to change your mind & bring her IN to the room in the future, just not the other way around).


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## Lindsey1420 (Jan 28, 2012)

Hey there Mollys mum. I totally understand what you are saying. We tried to leave Jack in his own room and it didnt work. Just as we got Jack my husband went to working nights for 12hrs and 6 days a week. Which left me to teach the dog and care for him by myself! It was hard. He would cry and bark all night. I had to work and still care for the house and family functions all by myself while taking care of Jack! I decided to room his kennel into the bedroom, so maybe I could get some sleep. Jack eventually was sleeping through the night, but now its his room too! So, putting his kennel in the room Big Mistake!! When me and my husband try to have "allow time" it is a train wreck!!! We would put up a gate but he would just whine and cry (how romantic) and now Jack just climbs it!! Now we either put him in the kennel or outside, which he still whines and cries, but I think we have gotten pretty good about tuning it out! LOL! If you can get your V to have its own room congrats!! I wish I would have just stuck it out with Jack in his own room, because now he just sleeps in bed with us! 

About the peanut butter, we gave it to jack when we first got him. We didnt use human peanut butter but the kong kind. Think it comes in bacon too.

Good Luck. Let me know what you decide.


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## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Congrats on your new puppy! 

We started Pippa in the guest room with one of us sleeping next to her the first week we had her. Then, we moved her to a crate in the family room. Pippa did NOT take to her crate easily, but with A LOT of patience and consistency, she is now doing great (8 months old). I have to say that in hindsight I am really glad we crate her in the family room, although sometimes I feel a bit guilty. We get asked by almost all the other Vizsla owners we meet..."Is she sleeping with you yet?" :-[

I would start with leaving her for short periods of time with a "special treat" that she only gets when you are going to leave her (this will help her, hopefully, not associate you being gone as a totally horrible thing). We started with KONG in the crate filled with peanut better whenever we left Pippa (and we started with crating her for only 15 minutes at a time - it helped that I'm a teacher and I was home for the summer and could do this...I understand not everyone has this luxury). By the time I had to go back to school in September, I had trained Pippa to be alone for two 2 and a half hour shifts without a problem. There's a ton of good advice on this forum - but mostly what worked was just being really consistent with a routine and sticking to it even when I wanted to pull my hair out and give up (which was often!!)

By the way, Molly is very cute and I love the name!


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Molly is gorgeous. Welcome!!!

As others have suggested, try a little peanut butter first while you are home to see how she reacts to it. If no reaction, then go for it.

As for the sleeping arrangements, I am the worst to ask advice on this, as I not only allow my dogs to sleep inside, but in the bedroom, on the bed or if they want to, in the bed!!!  I wouldn't have it any other way. 

As for the sex thing, just pretend your kinky and you like people watching!!!!


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## mollys mum (Feb 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone. 

I'm leaving her behind a baby gate in her room for a few minutes at a time and I'm going back when she stops howling (not proper howling yet but she's got a good pair of lungs).

I may work up to leaving her overnight in her own room on Friday night, when neither of us have to be up for work the next day!

The odd thing is as soon as she gets in the car she immediately goes to sleep. This morning I left her in there whilst I sorted out my horse at the stables - she just sleeps! She knew that I had gone but each time I checked on her she looked at me sleepily and then went back off again. 

I wonder why she feels so safe in the car but not in the more familiar surroundings of the house? 

p.s. I've tried the peanut butter this morning and there are no untoward reactions so far


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## Ruin (Nov 9, 2011)

Does Molly have a black nose? Or is that just the pic? She's too cute! I was so torn between a boy or girl but am happy with my little man.

Anyway... The Mrs. and I have TWO puppies in the bedroom. Her pocket Beagle is in Malcolm's travel crate on her side of the bed (normal crate was too big for the pup - divided ok, but too tall and wide) and Malcolm is in his crate on my side - they double as night stands!

As young newly-weds (we're both 24 and have been married just over 6 weeks) I can say that having the pups effects almost nothing that takes place in the bedroom... other than sleep. If they have to potty at night, they let us know. But Malcolm does an awesome job holding it during sleep hours (from about 11 to 8 no problems - haven't had an accident in the crate in weeks). As far as your... drift... well, there's no love lost in the house of Ruin. 


Regarding separation anxiety: We're battling it a little bit with Kaylee. She cries like the boogeyman has come in and is skinning her alive - but Beagles are more vocal. With Malcolm, not a peep. He's as quiet as can be. Me made a point from day one of living our lives as normally as possible. We wanted them to adjust to us, not the other way around. We pushed through the heart breaking cries, and it paid off. We can leave the house, go out at night, and can be gone as long as 8 hours without mishap. We've never tried longer - but had to for a recent funeral. Really, they're our babies and they come with us everywhere we can possibly take them.



BLUF: She's a young pup, so she can learn you. My breeder has told me more than once to be careful or else they can train us! They're smart little buggers. Malcolm has learned the "Malcolm, Bed." command and runs eagerly to his crate, sits down, wags that cute little docked tail and patiently awaits his treat. He knows he only gets that specific treat with that command, so it's cuter than ****. But, don't give in, let them know you're the one doing the training.

Good luck!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

we left Ruby down stairs from day one at night time, she whined a bit for the first 3 nights and then settled down.


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## Adelle25 (Sep 4, 2011)

She is too cute, 

When I got Copper at 9 weeks he was crated in the office and hated it! ( we never really went in there) I moved his crate to the living room which he felt comfortable in and would sleep through the night. 
The crate was huge and even I could fit in it, as he got bigger he he was cry and bark when I left him ( thankfully my neighbours are caring and let him out)
At 7 months I converted the office into his too his room and now he is free to walk about. I don't feel so bad in leaving him now. I used to worry about him in the crate. 
I have to admitt for the last month I have let him sleep in my bed! But I invited him in and would make him wait. 
Last night I put him back into his room and he was fine. 
I honestly think it depends on the dog! Copper follows me everywhere and craves attention and I used to worry about him all the time when I left him. His now 8 months and VERY head strong. 
I have always given him peanut butter I tend to stuff the kong and freeze it, he loves it. 
He also LOVES me putting some dry dog food in empty cereal boxes for him to wrip apart. 

If I was u I would move the crate somewhere she is with u a lot (living room/ kitchen) make sure she has been to the toilet and then leave her. I know it's so hard she will cry all night for a couple of nights and believe me I know u will want to go down but don't she will think she has to cry to get ur attention. Unless u really think harm if coming to ur dog just stay strong and leave her. She needs to learn how to self settle. Give her a cuddly toy (only at bed time) to snuggle up to. 

Good luck


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## mollys mum (Feb 3, 2012)

Thanks for all your advice and experiences, this forum is really useful for a first time V owner.

Firstly I have a confession - Ruin, yes she does have a black nose. Her mum was accidentally crossed with a red setter when out for a walk with the breeder's Mother in Law, which I guess makes her a Vizetta, but please don't hold that against her!

She is now sleeping in her own room in a fairly big crate that has more cushions than a bedouin tent - it's very cosy  . I leave both her door and ours slightly open and get up to let her out when she starts crying. She very dozily goes out to the toilet and then snuggles back down again.

Just need to sort out the nippng now!


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