Separation Anxiety

16 years ago

Hello all. My boyfriend and I just got a 3 year old pug from a breeder. He was a predominantly outside dog so he is not house trained at all. We've been doing pretty well with him not going in the house, but we're having some problems with separation anxiety. We just started crate training today and he gets so upset when we leave him in the crate for a couple hours alone that he cries and whines and breaks my heart. Does it get better...will he get used to it?

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Comments (4)

mazer415
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Crate training should be done little bits at a time, you can add a Kong (pug sized) with a couple of treats inside to help him adjust. YES, he will adjust - faster if you ignore his whines. Keep the crate door open while you are all in your place, so he can learn it is not a punishment. You might also walk your pup before you leave your apartment or before you put him in the crate for any length of time, a good 15 minute leash walk will help tire him out. Of course you can always take him for longer walks - he will love it. Good luck with your new furbaby
annzgw
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What mazer said. Remember that this is a 3 yr old that (I assume) has never been confined. Leave the door open and let him learn that this is his bed and a secure, safe place to be. Place his special treats in there so that he has to retreive them and even place his food and water in the crate so that he has to go in it often.
It's a slow process. Don't rush it or it'll be 'two steps back'.
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Well I don't know what to tell you other than it sounds like the crate that was used was either not sturdy enough or not assembled properly. I have an adopted dog that used to get very anxious when I would leave. To this day he often curls up by the door that I walk out of and waits there the whole time by the door until I come back but not always. Before he demonstrated he could be trusted alone in the house he had to stay in his crate. I made the crate a very rewarding place to be because he got Kongs stuffed with peanut butter, slices of bread and other goodies to work on while I was away. Fun fun fun. And it involves chewing so he'd calm down. Then by the time the Kongs are cleaned out he's wiped out and in need of a nap. The crate should be used frequently before you actually have to leave the dog alone. Feeding the dog in the crate and giving him treats for going in there teaches the dog that being in the crate is a reward and not a punishment. It should never be a punishment. Dogs do not know what cages are. They see wire or chainlink like walls of their safe little cave. But humans know what cages are and have preconceived notions about cages being cruel. If this is the case, decorate the room that the crate is in with happy doggie related decorations so that there is a feeling of happiness that overwhelms any wire cage crulety feeling the dog owner may have. This is solely for the owner. After a while he graduated to bedroom and had freedom to the entire bedroom. Then eventually the whole house. Then it just becomes up to the dog. The first night I gave my older boy rights to the whole house and an open crate, he wandered around for about 30 minutes then guess where he decided to sleep.... He went back in the crate all on his own decision. These things take time. After a while the dog will start to figure out that the human is coming back. Setting up a routine helps.
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spiritual_gardner
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I agree with most of what is already posted, I'll just add a few.

Already stated, is the fact that your dog is completely new to the crate. This can be a frightening thing (a negative) that you need to turn into a positive (training it to like the crate). Given what you are experiencing, this is going to take tons of time and patience. If you have not already, you need to consult your vet. Ask him/her if there is a very mild sedative you can give the dog. Alternately, you could consider an appeasement spray, DAP is a wonderful product, you can also purchase other things at an upper end pet shop.

You need to consider something to calm the dog because he could injure himself on the crate bars.

I do agree that you need to proceed slowly with this. Separation anxiety means that your dog is traumatized by your absence. This can take many forms that you may have not experienced yet, and probably would not want to. The crating experience needs to be completely positive.

Try making a trail inside the crate with special treats used for training purposes only. As the dog approaches the crate, gently praise him. Overnight freezing a Kong or hollow bone meant for his size with peanut butter or liquid cheese will coax your dog into the crate, give him something to look forward to, and keep him busy trying to get the stuff out. Leave on a t.v. or radio to appease him, bedding may be an issue, if he chews or soils it, you may be forced to leave the bottom of the crate bare until you get thing under control.

When you are home, work on the crate training. Praising constantly when he is good. Any type of correction at this stage of the game could make things worse. You need to do this because when you are there with the dog, he feels your comfort. When you are suddenly gone, he thinks you are not coming back. Leave him in the crate just for brief period, allow him out, then gradually extend the time he is in the crate. Use tons of praise and treats for any sign of positive behavior and gradually (at about 5-10 minute increments) extend this time and build on that. Lots of people get into trouble because they just go to fast for their dogs and confusion takes place for all involved.

You should have three basic steps in mind that will build a solid foundation for your dogs behavior, and eventually lead to his freedom when you are away, which should be your ultimate goal. These steps are:

*Teething (which in your case do not apply)
*No accidents, anywhere, for 9 months.
*No chewing on anything, especially crate bedding.

Without these three critical steps, you and your dog are going to have serious issues. Given that your dog is 3 years old, this may take some time, or, it may not. In any case, since he really knows nothing about being an indoor dog, you need to treat him like he is a 3 month old, rather than like a 3 year old. This will allow you to completely back up and give him a fresh start.

Good luck! I really must go now, please let me know if I can help you further!

SG
Meghane
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Crate training is not just throwing a dog in a crate and expecting him to like it. There is actual training involved. The reason your dog is behaving like that in the crate is that he is not ready to be left in it yet- he hasn't been crate trained.

1. To properly crate train, you start by setting the crate up and leaving the door open. I fed my dogs in the crate, so if they wanted to eat they had to get into the crate. They could come and go as they pleased. You don't leave the dog in the crate for any amount of time until he is trained for it.

2. To train them to the crate, start by putting some very yummy treats in front of and in the crate. This makes him comfortable in the crate even when he is not being fed in it. A nice comfy bed helps too, if he doesn't eat it.

3. After he routinely goes into the crate to get food and/or treats, start using training words to get him to go in it. Say "go to the crate" or whatever and give him a treat as soon as he obeys. Once he does that immediately every single time you tell him, you start closing the door behind him. Then just sit by the crate feeding him treats through the bars. If he gets upset, open the door and give him a release command (OK or whatever you decide to use). Give him a treat for obeying.

4. Once he is comfortable in the crate with you feeding him treats, stop paying attention to him and just sit by the crate. When he starts to be anxious, release him from the crate. Do not allow him to yell or whine or chew on the bars- just wait for him to start panting or slobbering or whatever he does when he first gets worked up. You don't want him to have another panic attack while in the crate.

5. Slowly move further and further away from the crate for longer and longer times, always staying below his stress level. Always reward him for obeying the going into the crate and coming out of the crate commands.

6. Once he is comfortable for a long time being ignored in the crate, go out of sight just for a few minutes. Don't ever make a big deal out of leaving him- just walk out of the room. Then wait a couple of minutes, go back into the room, and give him the release command and a treat. No gushing or excitement allowed- always remain calm.

7. Once he is comfortable with you leaving the room for a long time while in the crate, you can start leaving the house. Again, no gushing or excitement when you come home even if he behaves perfectly, and especially no excitement when you are leaving. The goal is to make the crate a normal part of the day, not a huge production that gets him all worked up.

If he needs anti-anxiety help, Missing Link may be a good start, but not all dogs respond to it. You may need your vet to prescribe anti-anxiety medications. Sedatives are not appropriate unless your dog is in danger of hurting himself- they do not reduce anxiety, just the dog's ability to express it, which is not what you want.

It takes a lot of patience to properly crate train any dog, and even more to crate train a dog with separation anxiety. Good luck.

Separation Anxiety

Comments (4)

mazer415

annzgw

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spiritual_gardner

Meghane

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