I have been trying to reduce Daisy's seperation anxiety at night by sleeping downstairs but moving myself further away each night. Luckily I have an open plan downstairs so this has been possible. Two nights ago I moved into our lounge which meant for the first time I was completely out of sight. OMG what an awful night we had! I was already emotional having had to say good-bye to our old ratties that afternoon but I then had Daisy waking me up every hour or so. In the past she has needed the toilet in the night so I was very good, without speaking I let her outside and then put her back in the crate again. I was completely exhausted yesterday morning and began to think that there would be no end to it all!
Last night she went in the crate herself
(rewarded!
) and laid down. I got into bed (mattress on the floor
), heard a slight whimper and then nothing, well nothing until she needed to go out at 2am. My alarm woke me up at 6am
and Daisy was just lay there happily!
I opened the crate door and she still laid there until I opened the back door and then off she trotted to the garden! Wow!
I think one of the things that have helped is we have at last found a treat that she likes, hotdogs (thank you Sleeping Lion
)! We cut up very small pieces and these are the first treat she hasn't spat out! I have always fed her in the crate and by day she sleeps in it with the door open but I have been rewarding her with hotdog when I put her in at night! I think this could be why she went in by herself last night!
I will not be moving myself further away tonight, I will wait maybe a couple more just to be sure that last night was not a fluke. Unless I sleep on the stairs the next place for me is either the landing or back to my bedroom!
Maybe another week and I just might be back in my own bed!
24-08-2011, 07:02 AM
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