Had puppy 5 days and she is adoreable but.....

[ThespianTendencies]

I am getting a bit stressed about leaving her. I have an adult lab (who is tolerating her) and 2 cats. MY lab has shown no signs of aggression, though I woult not leave them together without supervision. I need to do school run etc. and to take big dog out for his walk and can take her with me but I don't want to make a rod for my own back in having her attached to me to such a degree. She is 9 weeks old so very young but I realy don't want to nurthure separation anxiety! Is a crate the answer?

'nurture'

Well current thinking is that separation anxiety is caused by leaving a puppy too early. So, you should be aiming to NOT leave your puppy alone at all. A crate is very useful to give your big dog some space without the puppy, it also helps with toilet training.

TheDogHasEatenIt I'd love to read some studies or other info on that theory - if you have any to hand? No worries if not, just thought I'd ask.

I was worried about this in the early days as I couldn't even leave the room! I didn't leave her at ALL initially and at 7mths she is perfectly happy to be alone for a few hours (have watched her on the monitor & she really does just sleep!) Hope that's reassuring OP

From reading as much research online that I could find there seems to be lots of factors that might play into SA (household setup, breed, big events like moving house).

OP just try and get your puppy used to be left alone for short periods everyday and build up the time you leave them.

TheDogHasEatenIt - I do need to leave the house for shopping, school run etc. It is not practical for me to be home 24/7 nor is it possible. I am at home 90% of the day but obviously I have other obligations - such as walking big dog.

I got a crate today - I have had previous bad expereinces with crating a dog so was reluctant but have got one becase i can now leave big dog and small dog together if I need to go somewhere where dogs are not permitted - like a supermarket etc.

I had a crate for the first year, the biggest one I could get. Mine would often go in it when he wanted leaving alone and was great when you needed them somewhere safe if you were doing something in the house.

I also don't buy into the 'never' leave puppies alone. At some point they need to learn to be alone and doing it from day one and increasing the time seems sensible to me.

Yes Bitey I am in your camp. I wouldn't leave a pup alone for any longer than I absolutely had to anyway - but it is necessary from time to time.

Our pup hates being alone too and I seriously wondered if I would ever be able to leave the room and her not bark constantly! Veeeeery slowly she is getting better. Like you, DH is home 90% of the time and pup now is only left a few times a week for an hour or so.
Sometimes she’s fine, sometimes she barks non-stop. We’ve researched to the hilt to try and settle her and this is what we do:

1. Exercise before she’s left BUT with a good 20-30 mins to calm down or else she’s still a bit hyper and wound up and won’t settle as easily. This takes a fair bit of planning ahead, especially if it includes a meal time but definitely makes a difference.
2. No big hellos or goodbyes. Just matter of fact, trying to inatill a sense of confidence and ‘you’ll be fine, I’ll be back soon’.
3. A puppy camera helped us figure out whether the neighbours were exaggerating about her barking non-stop (they weren’t!)
4. Talk radio on low in background- BBC world service is a favourite ;)
5. Ticking clock
6. Cosy bedding
7. A Favourite, safe chew toy (she never touches it but might one day!)
8. Make sure pup has been to the loo before you go obviously
9. A kong smeared inside with peanut butter and some of her kibble. Can also freeze it but tbh she’s not that bothered for it and didn’t touch Kongs the first few weeks but this past week it has been licked clean by the time we’re back..

We still struggle with his (as you may know from my other posts!) but are giving it our best shot so that separation anxiety doesn’t kick in. She’s definitely better than she was and I guess it takes time. Good luck!

It's interesting you mentioned a talk radio show Together24. We have a camera and my dog spent ages barking in day when waiting to get picked up for daycare. When I got home DH had accidentally switched the radio from music to a talking debate channel when clearly my dog was more of a 80's disco kind of dog

Lol! My DH once left pup ‘watching’ 101 Dalmations... of course with all the dog noises she just barked the whole time! Back to BBC World Service lol

Oh dear god! I do hope she doesn't get separation anxiety! I would think with another dog and two cats here, that there should be plenty of company, once thigs are settled and my resident quadrupends have accepted her into the fold. She seems pretty confident and if she nods off then I pop her in her dog bed which is now in the crate. I do move about the house without lugging her along with me so sometimes she is in a room for a few mins without anyone else. Mind you, she is so tiny you can barely hear her squeak!

A dog expert said to just leave, don’t say ‘Bye bye darling, be a good boy til daddy gets home’
Ever since, that’s what I’ve said every time I leave, because it’s funny.

shovellerDuck #rebel

Hi, i don't know how to link articles, but if you join the facebook group 'dog training advice and support' they have some excellent advice and a lot of linked articles relating to separation anxiety.

I'll try a clicky link...don¡t know if it'll work info27073.wixsite.com/dogtrainingadvice/single-post/2017/01/29/Separation-Anxiety---The-Hard-Facts

Looks like the link worked, that's more about fixing SA, but if you follow the FB group, all their advice is recommending not to leave the pup alone. Trouble with the advice 'not more than they can cope with' is that you don't know how they're behaving when you're gone - pacing, drooling, whining, barking, etc.

Thank you all - will check out hte FB group for sure!

Another thing to say, if your dog barks and howls it doesn't mean SA even though a lot of people would jump straight to that conclusion.

Mine was moved to a different room and barked for 2.5 hours. It turns out he didn't like his reflection in the glass when it was dark and was annoyed with the birds in the garden when it was light. Putting a screen up helped that one. Then he barked when he heard car doors because he thought we were back and couldn't understand why we didn't come in. A radio solved that one.

Have left her crated this morning for one hour as have to walk dog1. She fell asleep in her bed which is in the crate. She seemed fine. Fingers Crossed! I’m still out on the walk so hoping she’s fine. Also left a radio prog on intheTV.

This is not how you should introduce a crate. It takes 2-3 weeks to crate train. By effectively shutting her in the crate you are putting her off it.

I think you need to rethink the whole arrangement. If you are walking the older dog get a rucksack and take the puppy with you in the rucksack. As she gets older (and has had her vaccines) she will be able to do a bit of the walking (walks should be limited for large breed pups, the general rule is 5 minutes per month of age).

Get a baby gate so the puppy and older dog can be separated when you leave.

Can you take her in the car with you during the school run?

I would not leave such a young dog but if you absolutely have to, time your trips with when the puppy is very tired and gone to sleep.

I use crates with all my dogs, and I find that as long as they're introduced carefully and the dog can see it as a safe haven, it's fine. I used it only with door open at first and would feed pup in there and then when sleepy put bed and pup in there but with door open. Gradually as they got used to it I shut the door whilst they're eating or when asleep. Once they're happy with that and not distressed, then I leave them in there when I go out, but I don't do that until I can see that they're ok with being in there. I also build up the time left in there before letting them out very gradually; including at the beginning when I haven't yet left them in there when I leave. I start off with short trips out to the local shop or school run and gradually build up the time they're left alone. They also sleep in their crates at night. I've used ticking clocks and heated puppy blankets under the crate to give warmth ( so they can't chew it). Some more sensitive pups have been in the bedroom in their crates, and gradually moved to the utility as they learn to settle, although I always start them in the utility, and give it 2 weeks before changing my tact. Tbf, I've only had to do the bedroom thing once with my last toy breed. When she had a litter, we used the crate once they were mobile, just to get them used to the idea and we've never had any issues with crate use with them; they will often just go and lie in their crate during the day of their own accord. They see it as their safe place and people don't generally disturb them when they're in there ( I may, but children and guests are not allowed to).

HTH.

Well I had an hour’s wall with big dog and pup is still happily in the crate! She’s snoozy. I’ve opened the door and she’s made no effort to leave yet.

There she is. 💕