# Outgrowing Separation Anxiety?



## rachalach (Mar 1, 2017)

Hello!

We're new here and this is my first post. Two and a half weeks ago we added our now 14 week old Wirehaired Vizsla puppy, Albus, to our household and he's been absolutely lovely for the most part. He's a joy and is learning so quickly!

We're struggling a bit with separation anxiety and I could really use some advice please as to if it's something he will outgrow with proper training or if I should be concerned and there is something I'm missing and doing incorrectly. This is our first vizsla as I've always had labs in the past who seemed to adjust much quicker that little Albus to being alone. 

Crate training is going really well: he'll voluntarily nap and play in there, crate up on command, sit and wait to be released, remain calm in the crate and stay with or without the door open while we're in the room, and sleeps through the night quietly with no trouble. He's also very good with his sit and stays if you give him a spot and marker and will patiently wait to be released without too many distractions. We're all struggling on how well he handles it when he's left alone without us in the room or out of the house. Sometimes, usually if he's alone around an hour, he's quiet and I don't hear him while I'm hiding from him upstairs. Other times, half an hour and he's quiet then starts barking and howling and banging around in his crate indefinitely. We've had about 50/50 success when leaving him for under an hour. We've only left him for about 2/3 hours a couple of times and each time we came home he was barking up a storm, even though he was quiet when we left and I know he didn't need to toilet as he can easily hold it 4/5 hours now and we've not had an accident since the first day. We never enter the room when he's barking to make sure we don't encourage the behavior but he seems pretty relentless at times. The neighbours aren't best pleased either, but chocolates have given me a bit of breathing room with his barking.

He comes to work and plays or naps quietly under my desk, but we are still making an effort to make sure he has alone time as we're with him so often (albeit we've had a bit of trouble doing it EVERY day). We worked on building up time and always exercise him before we leave him as part of his crate training and separation. I've tried the Kong/puzzle entertainment method before leaving him but that just seems to rile him up and then he starts barking right away so I find I get better results if everything is calm before I leave. I was looking into an Adaptil diffuser as well and am wondering if I should take him all the way back to basics again and building up time. 

Is this something normal that he'll outgrow and be able to handle being left a bit longer? Am I missing some trick of the trade or approaching the situation incorrectly? I really want to help him develop into a happy, confident, well-adjusted dog, which he seems to be as long as we are present. The howling/barking is awful and just wrenches my heart. I can't help worrying he is genuinely stressed and not just fussing. Sorry for the long post. I've read a lot of the other puppy separation topics and would really appreciate any advice! Thank you


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## b4ruby (Sep 3, 2016)

Hi, 

I have a few things to suggest that you may already have tried but they worked for us. Lincoln learned the command wait when he was 12 wks. We used it at the door before he followed us out, we used it before we gave him food, before getting out of the car, when we left the car to do errands and when he needed to wait at a closed door... wherever we thought he needed to control himself. It has payed off because he always knows he gets praise and has treats for his good behavior reward.

We used the same command when we left him in his crate during the day, when he was left in the car while we did errands, when he had to wait at a closed door if we were in the bathroom or outside. He learned that we always would return no matter how long we were away. 

Our breeder told us to never respond to his whining or barking unless it was an emergency. All of our breeder's puppies were taught to sit before they were to be acknowledged whether by being picked up, petted or given food. That early training was a huge gift to us. 

You may already do this but here are some other tools we've used. Lincoln was exercised before being kenneled, he had food treats inside and we told him to "wait." We didn't respond to his crying but as soon as he stopped we went in told him "good wait" and released him. We wanted him to feel he was successful in this exercise. This could be 20 minutes after we had kenneled him.We would then play with or take him on a short walk and then back in the kennel with the same routine but extending the time. I think this routine gave him confidence that we would always return. Good luck. The pups are all so different so these tools may not be useful in your training.


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## b4ruby (Sep 3, 2016)

I forgot, we also turn on the tv very low so he hears a bit of chatting


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I think your pup is doing very well for his age.
I would just keep doing what your doing.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Consistency in your training is very important. Try not to feel so awful and heart wrenched. The puppy needs to learn self soothing too. Try to stick this behaviour out.... because in the long run it will get better.
I have a now almost 4 year old who I wish we were far more consistent with. That is she is hit or miss in the crate with messing it up. She also knows my routine of what I wear to work, the bag that I take to work, and the fact that exercise and play are usually just before I leave the house for the day. Dharma is often only crated for 4 hours a day. My days off are never the same 2 and my husband works Mon-Fri same hours. My daughter may or may not be home at any given time.
You find what works for you and adapt to each other, and no two puppies are the same and no two families are the same. Keep up the good work and I promise you it will come with time and patience.


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## rachalach (Mar 1, 2017)

Thanks for the advice and replies  I really appreciate it and feel a bit better. Before getting him, we researched the breed and separation anxiety was one of the red flags so I wanted to make sure I'm on the right track. We love him dearly and he's been a great addition to the family. 

We've been using the 'wait' command for food, doors, etc. but I've not thought to use it in relation with crate training. I might try introducing it as it is definitely his calm cue and might help. We try to leave the TV on and have put a blanket over most of his crate as it makes the room seem less big and empty. 

We're definitely going to try and be more consistent with the alone time and practice every day. The rest of his weekday schedule is pretty predictable so we just need to follow through on this part of training. We also started moving his crate out of our bedroom last week and last night was our first night with it downstairs in the lounge. He slept like an angel and seems to accept that crate late at night means bedtime no matter where it is. Hopefully he'll start to realise crate means calm no matter the time and even if he decides he's over it before we're back.


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