Does my 4 month pup have Separation Anxiety?

RufusRockz · 04-08-2007, 05:37 AM

Hello to all, must say this is a great forum! So much information.

I have a 4 month Beagle puppy called Betty. Had her since she was 9 weeks old. She's absolutely adorable and I love her to pieces! She's also my first ever dog and I have to say although I'm loving the dog experience, I'm also worried sick about her half the time!

I'm paranoid she has separation anxiety. But I don't know what is normal for a puppy!

I walk her in the mornings after breakfast, make sure she's been to the toilet etc. and when we come back she is usually quite settled and peaceful, happily chewing on a toy.
I now work from home so can spend more time with her in the mornings. I do not want her to become too independent on me and as she is not fully housetrained, I put her in the kitchen after her walk so that I can work upstairs. I give her her kong and plenty of toys and usually I don't hear a peep out of her until lunchtime. But today she started whining after 20 minutes...although she did stop after 10 minutes and has been quiet ever since.
At lunchtimes, I'll let her outside quickly, give her lunch then we'll go for another walk. Again, I make sure she's been to the toilet before I put her back into the kitchen so that I can do some more work for a couple of hours or if I have to pop out until teatime. Sometimes she'll be quiet, sometimes she'll whine!

She's never alone for longer than 4 hours and usually it's about 3. She has tonnes of toys, and like I said, she's always well exercised and stimulated. In the evenings she's always out and about, and I can go upstairs and she won't be too bothered, sometimes she'll sit at the bottom of the stairs and wait for me. Sometimes she'll just sleep on the sofa.

Yesterday, I gave her lunch but then had to quickly pop out to pick up something important from the shops 5 minutes away. I tried to get her to toilet before I left but she wouldn't and I had to quickly put her in the kitchen. I was only gone for 15 minutes but when I came back she was whining and had pooped on the kitchen floor (on the paper).

Sometimes if I'm out and come back in, she'll be asleep in her bed when I come in, but I can tell she's been at things chewing (never any major damage at all mind, just pulling newspapers off the table etc.) but I worry that she has been howling while I've been out.

I'm SO paranoid she has separation anxiety but is it just normal puppy attention seeking!? Is it something she will grow out of?! I don't know whether I'm doing the right things or not...I know a puppy needs a lot of attention and care etc. but I also don't want her to become too dependent on me. So I'm finding getting the balance right...

Sorry for the long message!! Any advice would be welcome

Well she was quiet for about 2 hours and now is howling......! I feel sick with worry

threedognite · 04-08-2007, 06:23 AM

congradulations on your new family member!
First of all, Betty needs to be in a crate when you can't keep your eyes on her. The crate keeps your house safe, Betty won't potty in it and you will have peace of mind. Betty's crate should only be large enough so she can stand up, turn around and stretch out in when she lays down and she needs a water bowl that can be attached to the door of the crate. A dog won't potty where it sleeps unless it absolutely has to.
There's a lot of good advise on this forum that explains how to crate train a dog. Never use a crate for punishment and always, always give your dog a yummy treat for going into the crate. The dog soon realizes that the crate is a good place to go to.
As for the seperation anxiety...
You mentioned twice that you are "paranoid" about your dog experiencing SA. Dogs can sense anxiety in humans and Betty can certainly sense your paranoia. Helping Betty get over SA is pretty easy but it must start with you. After Betty is crate trained, you can begin showing her that being alone in the crate isn't a big deal.
Start by luring her into the crate with a treat and say, "Crate". Give her the treat and close the door. Don't say anything else to her. Telling your dog "goodbye, I'll be home soon", etc, only adds to the anxiety.
Grab your keys and go out the door. Stay outside for a few minutes then come back in. Don't let Betty out right away. Go into another room, lay your keys down, get a drink of water or whatever, THEN let Betty out. Again, don't say anything to her. She will probably be really excited to see you but just ignore her. No eye contact, nothing.
When Betty calms down, then pet her. Let her stay out of the crate for a little while then put her back in the crate. Grab your keys again, go outside and stay a little longer. Repeat this several times and each time, stay out longer and longer. Betty will soon get the idea that she isn't being abandoned and you will return. If you are working at home and Betty is crying in the crate, cover the crate with a light blanket or sheet. Don't say anything to her, just leave her alone. If you 'give in' to her crying, you only rewarding unwanted behavior.

Good luck!!

RufusRockz · 04-08-2007, 06:25 AM

So do you think she DOES have SA?

I can hear her crying now, it's horrible, makes me feel ill.