Seperation anxiety at 11 weeks?

[newpuppymum]

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We bought our little cavapoo home sunday, he is now 11 weeks.

Ive had a puppy before albeit 7 years ago so I am not a complete novice. HOWEVER.... this little boy cannot bear to be on his own even if he can see me.

The first night I crated him and kept the crate close to me... he went mental. he was howling and crying and throwing himself at the crate door... The only he would stop was if I was actually in touching distance. I bought a stair gate so he could be confined from the kitchen but he just gets so distressed... The second night we thought maybe we should just put him in and weather the storm.... Ive never heard a noise like it and it went on and on and on. I could tell he was sooooooo distressed so had no choice but to go to him.. His shaking and in a hell of a straight. I literally cannot walk out of his sight..

I just don't know what to do, I don't want to make him worse... to me this is far worse than a normal puppy trying to settle in.

Any advice or tips would be so appreciated as I feel very iscolated.

 

[Sarahjs81]

I'm currently training our 12 week old pup and have had a trainer come in as we need additional help as he's deaf. We have done a lot of work with the crate. You should never force a dog into a crate, you need to let them want to go in there on their own accord. It needs to be a 'safe' place for them. Try using treats to coax them, maybe put their bed or a blanket in there. They need to learn its a good place to be and not somewhere they will be locked away and left. If they do go in there leave it a few weeks before even attempting to close the door of it. Hope this helps with understanding the crate side of it and good luck with rest of it! Have u been in contact with a registered dog trainer? They can probably offer you some useful tips

Sarah

 

[newpuppymum]

Hi Sarah, thanks for the reply, I have someone coming around today. I am enticing him in there with treats and his toys and leaving the door open. trying to make it a really good place to go. He is fine as long as he is in breathing distance of me... I literally cant leave the room and even go to the toilet without him going mad!

Good luck with your training

Sonia

 

[Sarahjs81]

hiya

I think it must be a puppy thing as ours hates being separated too, although he is very good in the nights when we lock him out the kitchen away from our older dog as they aren't getting on at all. We have got a terrible problem at the moment of him biting us and the older dog. It's really not easy is it! Did they give you any helpful tips?

Sarah

 

[Chatterdog]

Hi guys I posted this reply to someone else:

For the first couple of nights we slept on the sofa with pup, then after that we left in her bed in the kitchen with an old t-shirt to snuggle with which we had worn to bed for a couple of days so it smelt of us. We only went down once a night to let out for toilet stops and left paper in case of accidents.

If you are struggling at night try a hot water bottle wrapped tight in a towel (obviously not boing hot), it acts like a warm body and usually works well. I think with pups routine is key. Take him out after every meal, before bed and when he wakes up for toilet stop. As soon as you have injections gets walking, this will use excess energy, take him before bed and he should be a little more tierd before bedtime. When you go out try something like a kong with treats to keep him busy? When old enough go to some kind of puppy training class to get his mind working.

Hope this helps. Stick with it, they are hard work but remember they are babies and away from mum, brothers and sisters, more than likely a bit scared or lonely. It will get better.

 

[Sarahjs81]

Hello chatterbox

Some great advice, thanks! Any tips on how to stop him biting? We try to ignore it or put toys in place of our hands ankles etc however it's really hard to ignore it as it hurts a lot. He has made my mum bleed several times. We think he bites much harder than a normal pup we have ever experienced because he is deaf and hasn't learnt from his litter/mum. He obviously doesn't hear the word no or our older dog growl to stop him, we are desperately trying to teach him signs to train him these things but in the meantime any advice would be much appreciated. We are also going to puppy classes on the 1st sept.

Thanks

Sarah

 

[Chatterdog]

Unfortunately not too much advice on this. I am currently using signs to my dog as she has become deaf but not from birth, she was taught signs with words so made it easier.

I have found that to get her attention we have to touch in some way. for example a hand placed on her head to look up. Redirect like you said with a toy or even food should be a good method. It may take time but don't turn the biting into play, show the toy and then pull out of reach until they pay attention.

I think you are correct about not learn as much about the biting,

Puppy class trainer should have some tips for you, hope it goes well. Keep us posted we may learn something!

 

[Sarahjs81]

We will try that with the toy because we give it to him and then play by pulling etc. We tap him in between his shoulders with 2 fingers and that's working brilliantly. We are also trying to teach him to touch which is also going well. There are lots of positives it's just the biting that's the problem. Fingers crossed he will grow out of it. We are taking him and the older dog for their first walk together tonight so that should be interesting!! If we learn anything useful I'll let you know.

 

[Chatterdog]

Good luck on the walk!