Seperation Anxiety

[StopGo]

We have a nine month old, neutered working Cocker Spaniel bitch. Love her to pieces.

We don't have to leave her very often and even then only for two hours. She has her own safe space (crate) and if we leave her a radio is left on.

We are in the middle of some home improvements. Think huge declutter, new furniture and decorating. So she has spent some time in her safe space whilst we've moved stuff but always been with us if you see what I mean.

Today our lovely neighbours told me she whines when I go out! Last night I nipped to DDs for 1 3/4 hours and she cried a lot.

We are blessed with lovely neighbours and I want it to stay that way. What if anything can we do to stop the crying?

Could you try her without the crate? Do you have a camera to watch her to see if she settles?

You could leave her with a lickit mat, kong etc to see if that helps?

We couldn't really leave ours much at that age either tbh.

I think it's very common for young dogs not to like being left - cocker spaniels in particular are known to be very clingy and to like being around their people.

I would try leaving her but put up a camera and go and sit in the car round the corner and see what her behaviour is like - eg. does it start right away, is it real distress or is it more boredom, is there something distracting or frustrating her, does she need a wee etc.

I could have never left mine for two hours at that age - even now he would struggle - some dogs just really don't like being left.

If we do leave him, he needs to have had a good long walk beforehand, and I always leave him with a long-lasting chew to keep him busy. We put doggy calming music on the TV as well and we make sure he can't see out and get distracted by people in the street or birds etc in the garden.

Unfortunately the general rule for separation anxiety is to stop leaving her and to go back and start again - only leaving her for the short amount of time she's happy to be left and build up. Good luck

Thank you for the suggestions. I have a camera I can put up and post decorating not using the crate is a real possibility. I'm more than happy to go back to the start with her.

I hear some people have had luck with those calming plug-ins which release calming signals to dog. Not tried myself