Oh my goodness! Tearing my hair out.

[Leanne]

So Arthur is awesome.  He's gentle, happy, cuddly and playful.  But he's got serious separation anxiety :(

We've had our 11 week pup for 5 days so far and as each day has shown a great step in confidence for him coming out of his shell & settling in, but it also brings worsened anxiety.

I can't leave his side for a minute without him barking/howling/screaming.

Last night he barked in his crate all night.  Hubby had to miss work today because he has had zilch sleep.  I've done EVERY trick in the book to make his crate welcoming.  I've tried ignoring him, i've tried taking him for a pee in the night (he just lies on the ground and goes to sleep) and i've tried covering the crate and music and you name it, i've tried it.  I had to give in in the end at 4am because our neighbours could hear him barking and he woke the kids up who had school today.

Two days on the trot, upon returning home from the school run, i've had to bath the little fella because he has pooped in his crate so bad, it's made its way up the bars, outside of the crate onto the floor and all over Arthur (even up his nose!) I'm worried that this is going to be bad for his skin and fur but I've had no choice but to thoroughly bathe him.

He didn't do this the first few days.  He'd been dry both of the first couple nights in the morning (where he only barked for 20 minutes before giving up and sleeping for the night).  He was crate trained before we picked him up as well.

Through all of this, I've not punished him or told him off or anything.  I've ignored the bad behaviour and praised the good.  He does do his first morning business outside which is FAB but the rest of the day is anywhere and everywhere and if I grab him up and pop him in the chosen area when he's about to go, I stop the process for about an hour and then when I'm not looking he does it somewhere else.

I actually don't know what to do regarding the anxiety.  I have an open plan kitchen/dining room and have a baby gate fixed between the two and even though he can see me and he has tons of space, a bed, toys, food and water, he just sits at the gate crying at me.  I pop him there after eating for an hour with the garden door open so he can pop in and out and do his business.  I've NEVER let the gate open whilst he's crying and only allowed this once he settles for a few moments.  

Once his vaccines are complete (got his last coming up) I can take him on the school walk with me, but for now, I'm having to spend an hour and a half after picking the kids up cleaning out his crate, bathing him and scrubbing the surrounding carpet after being away for literally 20 minutes.

What am I going to do when I have to go out for a longer period and I can't take him with me?  

Thanks for reading.  I have serious puppy blues today :(

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

The advice to have his stool tested seems really sound to me. Are you using an enzyme cleaner to get rid of all traces of odor?  

Is his behavior any better if he is really tired out?  A favorite saying around here is "A tired puppy is a good puppy" 

I would also do the papoose so he goes with you when you walk to school.  It would seem to me he is just scared and does not want to be alone.  He will be more likely to outgrow that if you keep him close and secure now.

Good luck!  He is just such a cutie!  It WILL get better! 

[Jen W]

Wow, I could have written this a few months ago myself.  The first time I left my pup alone was for about 2 minutes as I took the trash out. Came back and she had pooped in the crate, stepped in it, clawed at the crate... it was everywhere. EVERYWHERE.  I made some very hysterical phone calls that afternoon.  She never had qualms about pooping in there.  I know dogs are supposed to want to soil their den, but she never minded.  Eventually I started leaving her in the gated kitchen figuring that at least then she wouldn't step in it, and funny thing, she never once pooped in the kitchen.

I've tried everything for anxiety, too.  Did the music, the TV, the not making a fuss, leaving a worn t-shirt behind, bought a Thundershirt.  None of it worked.  I know they say that they won't outgrow it, but my puppy did.  She just needed to get a little older and now at 8 months old I can leave her and though she isn't happy, she doesn't cry the whole time either.

 

Though at first she slept in her crate w/o issue, about 6 weeks after I got her she decided she hated it and would cry all night.  Now she sleeps on the floor in the hallway outside my bedroom door.  I put her there in case of an accident, but she's never had one and never wakes up in the middle of the night.

 

Hang in there, Leanne.  We've all had our share of puppy blues, but I've been where you are and I can promise you that it gets better.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Lots of info for you to go thru here and lots of opinions on what is best--and you need to do what works for you and the pup right now. I would agree that you should check for giardia immediately--it is an intestinal parasite and LOTS of pups have it--it can cause loose poops and many pups have improved greatly once they were treated. The fact that the vet did not ask for a stool sample surprised me--that is standard procedure when a new pup comes home.

A few other things I would add--some people put the puppy in a stroller at this age so that they can walk them before all vaccines given--it works--maybe someone in your neighborhood has one that they are no longer using--

second--you can tether the pup to you when at home--use a 6-8 foot leash, tie the pup to your belt loop and bring him everywhere--carry some treats and have toys in each room--when you sit and he settles near you, he gets a treat and his toy. Lots of positive reinforcement!

Oh and if you do have to leave him, never yell at him or say "It's OK" or anything when he is crying in the other room--just act like you are deaf--he will think that the noise makes no difference to you--but if you look at him or anything else, it will encourage the crying/barking.

Last thing--do NOT leave the garden door open--he should not go out by himself yet and has no idea when he should! He should go out upon waking from a nap, immediately after eating and every 30-45 minutes otherwise--they really can't hold it long. Watch the clock and take him out on a schedule rather then when it looks like he has to go.

It WILL get better!!

[Moe]

I found the first 10 days so stressful. Every day I would think that I'd made a horrible mistake. I kid around that for the first 12 weeks my puppy's paws didn't touch the floor. She wanted to be carried everywhere. She hated the crate and cried every time she was out of physical contact. There are 6 people in our family so this wasn't really a problem. There was always someone willing to hold her. When I went out I carried her in a purse. (I understand this sounds ridiculous, I just couldn't stand to hear her crying.) I never really used the crate, she just didn't need it and always cried in it. She did get a bit better every week.

5 days is such a short time to have a pup and especially since it just left the warmth and comfort of its mother and siblings. I'm sure in a few weeks this will be a distant memory. For now, I would enjoy it while she is small enough to pick up.

[BG and Gavin]

second--you can tether the pup to you when at home--use a 6-8 foot leash, tie  the pup to your belt loop and bring him everywhere--carry some treats and have  toys in each room--when you sit and he settles near you, he gets a treat and his  toy. Lots of positive reinforcement!

 

This would be my advice too.  You are also close enough to scoop him up and take him outside if he shows he is about the eliminate.  When he can't be tethered put him in a small crate.  I also took my guy out every hour at least and tried to get him to eliminate - praise him when it happens.  The crate in your room where you can coo and stick your fingers in helped us too.  It is normal to get the puppy blues - you will get through it, we will help you.  I also agree with getting him checked for Giardia -so many pups seem to get it these days.

[Janet Byers]

I agree the puppy needs to be tested for Giardia.  My breeder sent me (and every puppy she sends) home with medication to treat this.  My vet agreed that it was a smart thing to do.  The only time Kensington soiled her crate was the very first day.  She definitely had the nervous diarrhea the first 24 hours.  The breeder had warned me about it.  I also had experienced this with my 15 y/o dog that had started having issues when I left her for a few days.  Some yogurt may help with the diarrhea.  The vet can give you Flagyl.  For the first few nights, I had a crate in my bed.  Luckily it was only me in the bed so I had room.  I tried the crate by my bed with hand down in the crate.  This didn't work.  My son's room is next to mine, didn't want him to be awake from her barking.  As soon as I put it in the bed she calmed down.  I slowly worked the crate away from me until she was out of the room.  She now sleeps in the LR in her crate.  Hang in there. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Flagyl (metronidazole) is not the best treatment for Giardia, and it can have some serious side-effects. Panacur is now considered a better choice for treating giardia. 

[Janet Byers]

Thanks.  I will have to keep that in mind.