OK, i get really really distressed leaving home sometimes because Mika's put in his pen/crate and he hates being left alone during the day (although he's not totally alone dante's at home with him) but i get distressed because he gets distressed. How do i get him to be quiet and stop crying when i leave home? He's fine at night when we all go to bed but during the day even if you put him in there for half an hour he cries so loudly.

I've tried being firm telling him to Sssh but it doesn't seem to work!

Help!

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My two babies. Separated for a while but now both reunited on Rainbow Bridge, running in a field of daises. Gone but not forgotten. Love you always and forever



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Try putting him in his crate whe you're not going out and just walk around the house for a minute before letting him back out again, you can build this up a little each day until he realises the sky won't fall in if he can't be by your side. This will also get him used to being in his crate without the association of you leaving. Don't talk to him or interact with him in anyway though.

Also try putting your coat, bag, shoes on and jangling your house keys when you aren't going out anywhere, this will help to aleviate his focus on cues that we give before we leave them alone.

Do you leave a really tasty interactive toy in his crate, like a kong stuffed with meat paste or a foraging ball like a buster cube? This will distract him.

Put an item of your clothing in there too, the smell will reassure him.

Turn on the radio as loud as your neighbours will allow (!) to deaden any door noises and recreate the volume he's acustomed to when the family is at home.

Good luck x

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Some days you're the dog: some days you're the lampost

When I feel blue, I start breathing again

Tried that - he still cries the house down! I must admit sometimes i do talk to him but just to shut up - not like to talk to him talk to him, but just like telling him to ssh.

we leave all his toys in his pen anyway. I don't know how putting a bit of old clothing in there will help because we tried that with a blanket the breeder gave to us which smelt of his mum and that still didn't help!

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My two babies. Separated for a while but now both reunited on Rainbow Bridge, running in a field of daises. Gone but not forgotten. Love you always and forever



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I know you leave his toys in but have you tried a kong?

I put a small handful of Oscars kibble in and give it to him just before i leave.

It distracts him from that seperation moment and he is fine (i have waited outside to check)

On the rare occasion i haven't done this he has got really stressed about me going. He definately understands the routine of me going out and will go and wait by his crate for his Kong.

Not sure how old mika is but you can spread yummy stuff inside the kong too so it lasts a bit longer for them (oscar is a bit young for that yet).

I read somewhere that the first hour of seperation is the worse for them so if you can occupy them for some of that time they usually settle. (that might be a load of rubbish though )

Apologies if you have tried this

If you tell him to shush then he has provoked a reaction from you and won! He will keep oin making a noise because he knows that you pay him some attention when he does! Try putting him in there for 5 seconds, say nothing, don't look at him, stand calmly and then open the door and let him come out, but don't react when he comes out. Do this over and over and then start to build up the time to 15 seconds, then 30 seconds then 2 minutes etc over a period of days if not weeks. Don't push the progress too quickly because you want him to remain calm for the full length of time he's in there. It is not a quick fix solution but it does work.

Remove his toys from the crate and give him his favourite one or a really special one when he goes into the crate (either voluntarily or as part of the training) - to build up a positive association with going in there, hopefully he'll want to go in there just so that he gets a special treat.

It sounds like he's built a strong bond with you and this is why he's not happy about you leaving, leave him your pyjama top so that the smell comforts him. It's worth a try along with everything else

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Some days you're the dog: some days you're the lampost

When I feel blue, I start breathing again

So he's crated during the day? How long for please?

You need to portray a calm exterior...not to allow your emotions to stir him and let him think there is a problem.

Nick

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Nick Jones MCFBA
Dog Behaviour Specialist and Trainer

http://www.alphadogbehaviour.co.uk

Is that the problem?, you get distressed because he does?. Think about it for a minute, could it be the other way round? Dogs react to our emotions and the dog doesn't know until after you do that you are leaving, so you have already thought about it and gone into that distressed state of mind because you know Mika is going to get distressed. I know that sounds confusing but its true. You need to think positive thoughts about leaving Mika and just go.
Your anxiety feeds Mika's.

He's in there pretty much most of the day, sort of. Mondays both my folks work full time but until he gets a little bit older and totally housetrained my dad comes home an hour in the afternoon to let him out and feed him and play with him, and the rest of the week my dad leaves home at midday and back by 5.30 so he's not left alone the full day really. I work shifts so the days i leave work late i spend with time with him too so he's not left alone for too long generally so i don't think that's the huge problem.

I think the distressed emotion from my side happens after he starts crying loads. I know what you are saying but i get upset after he does. Yes i know i should just ignore it and just leave the house but oh my god you guys you haven't heard him cry. He cries like he's in danger or something like that, which he's not because he's been put in a nice safe place.

This week in a way its been a bit easier. He's still crying a lot but i don't worry about it so much as i did last week - then again i'm not the one that's been leaving him last this week - my dad has been doing that!! So daddy leaving the house last saves me from worrying.

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Holly has a teddy to cuddle and a chew toy (a safe one) when left in her crate. Does he have anything to keep him company.
Thats a clever move get others to be the one that leaves him. He is left for quite a long time for a puppy, how old is he and what breed is he?

He's now 12 weeks old and hes a toy poodle. We do leave his toys in his pen but i don't think he is bothered about them i think he's more bothered about wanting our attention.

Today i did something sneaky but it worked. I gave him a puppy treat as i put him in the pen. That distracted him as i put my coat on and started leaving the house but then he slowly cried again just as i left. Whether or not he continued i don't know. I wonder if i should give him a treat when i leave or if that will encourage spoilt/bad behaviour.......

__________________


My two babies. Separated for a while but now both reunited on Rainbow Bridge, running in a field of daises. Gone but not forgotten. Love you always and forever



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