Advice Needed - Anxiety

[lurcher girl]

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My 6 month old bedlington/whippet lives in the house and is a real couch potato. He currently gets shut in a puppy crate when we are out of the house as he gets very anxious when left alone and would be destructive. He is getting too big for his crate and so we have build him an outside kennel for him to spend time in when we are at work, he will only be in it for about 3 hrs a day. I am very worried that he will start howling and get very anxious when shut in here. Does anybody have tips to introduce it to him to reduce his anxiety? We will try to make it as positive an experience as possible.

Many thanks

Charlotte

 

[dorris]

i give mine raw bones . they love em, it tires them out and its a natural way to clean their teeth.and

it ocupies the brain to.

lamb bones are softer than beef bones.

i always freeze mine for at least 24 hrs before giving them to the dogs.

freezing them first kills any bugs in them.

failing that have you tried pizzel sticks from any good pet shop...not pets at home..lol

these are natural chews ....its a dried bulls willy...mmm nice these are ideal for any age pup or dog

as they dont splinter .

also kong's are very good. they are a hollow rubber toy which you fill with food (wet or dry) these can go in the

dish washer too..(very handy) any way enough of me waffeling, good luck let us know how you get on.

 

[bertha]

It is not easy to put a dog out in a kennel after it has lived in the house, in fact it is cruel.

Can't you get a bigger crate? Isn't it safe to leave your dog in the kitchen? If 3 hrs is the longest time you have to leave the dog, there is really no need for a kennel. All day may be, but then leaving a dog on it's own all day is not ideal.

Think before you go sown the kennel route, would you like to be left outside after being indoors for the first part of your life?????

 

[FeeFee]

Maybe the way to go is to work on his separation anxiety problems? If he's anxious being left alone now that is likely to be a lot worse in a kennel, I'd have thought.

There's no quick fix for separation issues, it takes time and patience, but it can be done and there's lots of good advice around on it if you google, and I'm sure there are people here with experience who could help.

I have a sheet prepared by a behaviourist someone passed on to me which has some very good information and tips on managing SA which I'd be very happy to pass on if you PM me your e-mail address.

 

[hely]

i have to agree....cant you get a bigger crate and leave him indoors......if suffering from A separation that could make him worse !

i would imagine he's not gonna be to happy being left outside all of a sudden ..

 

[Hula]

If he has separation anxiety leaving him in a kennel when he's not used to it will make him worse . I agree with others you would be better to buy a bigger crate and work on his separation anxiety .

Also with the winter approaching being cold could make him howl or bark when he is used to the warmth of the house .

 

[stevedeb]

have to agree with all dorris said above

plus does the dog have a blanket that it lies on in its cage

put that in the kennel as a comforter

leaving a dog in a kennel for three hours isnt going to hurt it

think sometimes its the owner that frets more than the dog

i know i do

 

[lurcher girl]

Thank you to Dorris and Stevedeb for being supportive about this rather than just telling me i am in the wrong to leave my dog for 3 hrs a day, some of us do need to go out to work! We have been working on his seperation anxiety following advice from an animal behaviourist, working up to being left for longer spells of time and making sure that is well exercised before being left etc.

I feel that the kennel option is more practical as he loves to stretch out when asleep and it would have to be a huge cage to allow this. We live in a rented property and we can not run the risk of leaving him loose in the kitchen in case he causes damage. I also feel that being in the kennel will allow him to go to the toilet if needed and give him the option of moving around.

He will have a heat lamp to keep him warm and an indoor area with a cosy bed and blankets along with his toys. He will only be out there mid afternoon and not overnight.

Does anyone else have any supportive advice? I do not appreciate being told that i am being cruel, as i believe that this is the last thing i am. I love my dog very much and i'm only trying to do the best for him to make his time on his own as comfortable as possible.

 

[bertha]

Out door kennel. When mine were out there were in an insulated shed, split into three, each kennel had it's own door and pop hole. Inside the kennel they each had a deep wooden box with a pop hole, deep shredded paper and a dull emitter heat lamp directly over the box. They were warm as toast in there.

I didn't realise your dog was a big person! Just remembered when a friend moved house and decided all her dogs could live out. I have never seen such an unhappy lot of whippets before. They all lost condition and howled a lot. I couldn't do that to my dogs.

I hope it works out, so long as the dog is warm and comfortable, loads of bones and things, hopefully all will go well.

:cheers:

 

[hely]

i wasnt being horrible.......and yes folk do have to go out to work that wasnt what i was responding to.....i just think if your dog is suffering from A separation that you should maybe try and deal with that rather than just move him somewhere else in the house/garden...good luck and i wont bother to reply to posts anymore !!!

 

[lyds]

dont see a problem in putting dog in kennel for few hours a day .it may take a while for him to get use to it ,but theirs know harm in trying.

 

[Hula]

Thank you to Dorris and Stevedeb for being supportive about this rather than just telling me i am in the wrong to leave my dog for 3 hrs a day, some of us do need to go out to work! We have been working on his seperation anxiety following advice from an animal behaviourist, working up to being left for longer spells of time and making sure that is well exercised before being left etc.
I feel that the kennel option is more practical as he loves to stretch out when asleep and it would have to be a huge cage to allow this. We live in a rented property and we can not run the risk of leaving him loose in the kitchen in case he causes damage. I also feel that being in the kennel will allow him to go to the toilet if needed and give him the option of moving around.

He will have a heat lamp to keep him warm and an indoor area with a cosy bed and blankets along with his toys. He will only be out there mid afternoon and not overnight.

Does anyone else have any supportive advice? I do not appreciate being told that i am being cruel, as i believe that this is the last thing i am. I love my dog very much and i'm only trying to do the best for him to make his time on his own as comfortable as possible.

Nobody said you shouldn't leave your dog for 3 hours a day .

I and others tried to offer you advice if you chose not to take it that's up to you .

 

[Dar Khan]

Sorry, was it only the one dog that you have ? If so ,get another dog

 

[FeeFee]

I wasn't trying to be unsupportive or critical at all. I was trying to make a helpful suggestion that the way to go was to work on his anxiety - if you can teach him to settle alone happily then you stand much more chance of him not going frantic in his kennel, and in fact may not even need to kennel him.

You now say you are already working with a behaviourist on this, in which case they are probably better placed (as they know the dog) to advise you on settling him in a kennel than anyone here

 

[TTT]

Thank you to Dorris and Stevedeb for being supportive about this rather than just telling me i am in the wrong to leave my dog for 3 hrs a day, some of us do need to go out to work! We have been working on his seperation anxiety following advice from an animal behaviourist, working up to being left for longer spells of time and making sure that is well exercised before being left etc.
I feel that the kennel option is more practical as he loves to stretch out when asleep and it would have to be a huge cage to allow this. We live in a rented property and we can not run the risk of leaving him loose in the kitchen in case he causes damage. I also feel that being in the kennel will allow him to go to the toilet if needed and give him the option of moving around.

He will have a heat lamp to keep him warm and an indoor area with a cosy bed and blankets along with his toys. He will only be out there mid afternoon and not overnight.

Does anyone else have any supportive advice? I do not appreciate being told that i am being cruel, as i believe that this is the last thing i am. I love my dog very much and i'm only trying to do the best for him to make his time on his own as comfortable as possible.

Nobody said you shouldn't leave your dog for 3 hours a day .

I and others tried to offer you advice if you chose not to take it that's up to you .

Hope it goes well for you in the kennel but if your dog gets stressed when let alone, going out into a strange kennel in the cold at his time of year may upset him more, making him feel very alone.......leading to howling and gurning while you are away..........leading to complaining neighbours....and yet another problem! Why not buy the biggest cage you can, most are easily collapsable, it can be folded down when you are at home. He may feel better in the cage covered with a blanket with a kong and the tv or radio left on while you are out. Is it an only dog?

Some things to consider here......and i'm not being soft or suggesting you don't leave your dog. Mine used to be anxious when i left him, and i by the way, like many others, live in the real world and work full time.

Good luck .

 

[twinkletoes dylan]

it will take some adjusting to be comfy in a kennel, as long as you work up to it slowly and let him spend time in it when you are in the garden he'll prob be ok, sit in it with him then with door shut then walk away for seconds and let him out and praise letting him still see you til he will be settled and maybe asleep for a while without fretting, stay out of sight for a short while then open door and dont get overexcited when you return cos he'll sit and wait for the moment and not settle, just a quiet good boy, it'll take time but i know how dedicated to him you are (or get a bigger crate or a friend lol)

 

[sherry]

one of ours was in the house for 2 years but she was far too hyper and used to leap about shes now in the kennel all the time. 1st of all we just used to put her in 4 maybe half an hour and built up the time gradually, then she was out all day but came in to sleep then eventually shes out there all day, only time she barks is food time. there is 2 puppies in the kennel next door to her now and theres runs on the kennels. cud u maybe get your dog a playmate? sorry if this has already been suggested i havent read all the topic

 

[fallenangel]

Sorry, was it only the one dog that you have ? If so ,get another dog

getting another dog is not the solution if it was the case our scarlet would never barke or trash the place when we go out cos you carnt get more doggy company than here. infact the fisrt dog could make a new one anxiuis aswell bettre sorting the first dogs whitch ever ways suits that dog first.

 

[caitlin]

To all those who think separation anxiety can be dealt with - it is very difficult to crack! Whippets being whippets they are not even consistent - my Ivy will chew up our kitchen door occasionally, but not always. Sometimes, she waits patiently outside the Co-op for me, other times she sounds like a boarding kennels. There are worse things happening in the world than a dog who's got cosy in a house being expected to be outside for a few hours a day!

I think the dog will be fine in the kennel, my only worry for the original poster is that if the dog barks or howls it might upset the neighbours and they will then have another problem.

Good luck with it - you will just have to try to be positive when you try it! :luck: :luck: