[emmalee]

Hello,

I've got an almost 4 month old Cavalier puppy. During the first month and a half we've had him, I've made sure there is someone around him at most times. This is mainly so he can go outside when he needs to, and get plenty of time to play!
Now I'm worried I've gotten him too attached to having someone around him all the time, that he's developed separation anxiety whenever we leave. Even if I leave for 1 minute (to take the trash out) he freaks out. Am I training my puppy wrong? Am I causing the separation anxiety?

He's never home alone for extreme amounts of time, but sometimes up to 3-4 hours in his crate. Every morning when I do leave, I put a kong with some treats in to distract him. Typically he is let out a few hours after, and spent the rest of the day with. The problem is my helper during the day is no going to be able to help me anymore soon.


I'm just looking for some help. What should I do to help my puppy? Should I enroll him in a puppy daycare? Or is it possible to train him to be okay with being left alone for a few hours everyday? What has worked for others?

 

[Lillith]

What makes you think he has separation anxiety? Crying for a few minutes when you leave is totally normal for a puppy. If he quiets down after a while and goes to sleep, he's fine.

You can also try playing crate games with him to teach him that the crate is a good place. Feed him in there. Really awesome things happen in the crate! You can look up crate games on this forum.