HELP! 6 month pup still whines/cries/howls when left alone (or left in another room)

[Doodlez]

So my 6 month puppy still very much whines/cries/howls when left alone :(

He has been this way since I got him at 9 weeks.  For example, If I leave him in his pen or crate while I take a shower he will cry.  The only solution I've found is to give him a kong, take a quick shower and hope he doesn't finish before I'm done.  Also I leave for work before my boyfriend so in the morning after I walk/play with him I put him in his pen in the living room with a kong, leave for work and again he will cry like 70% of the time (my sleeping boyfriend is not too happy about this).  My pup is very attached to me and will cry if I leave him in the room with my boyfriend and will wait by the baby gate until I return. 

Basically he's been like this since I got him (only slightly improved now that he's 6 months).  I'm hoping he will grow out of it and not be so attached to me and learn to be alone.  I always ignore him and never give him attention when he's crying but I feel like I've made little progress.

Any advice is welcome!

thank you!

[Melanie, Wookie and Dr. Watson]

My recommendation is get another dog.  Our first doodle was furious if we would leave her alone.  She's less of a crier and more of a yeller. We did all the things the trainers say to do too, and she wasn't having it. Right from day one it's like she came to us with some clear red lines and she wasn't about to negotiate, training be damned.  When she was done with her crate around 7 months things got easier because she could at least go be with any humans in the house.  Being left alone during the day though still infuriated her. Eventually we got her another goldendoodle and she was better about being left.  Periodically though even now she demands my full attention for just her, she demands to go out on an adventure, just the two of us, time alone.  She's my bestie though, so I don't mind. 

[Murph and Me]

Your dog is playing you. Just like kids, if you don’t set the rules and cater to their every whim you will never have peace. Yes your dog is attached to you but be tough and set the rules. Don’t give in. You and your dog will survive and be better for it.

[LORRY SWETLAND]

Turbo just turned 2 yrs old. I am retired so he has been with me everyday since I got him. I never crated him. I had a 4 ft gate to contain him in the kitchen when I could not take him with me. On nice days I would put him in the garage which had a screen door with a doggie door cut into it. He never got into anything he shouldn't because he was so attached to me he would just sit at the doggie door in the garage and howl-bark then rest then do it again. I started leaving him for 10 min while I drove down to get the mail. I did that for 2 weeks when I realized he recognized the car motor. S then I started going further away and stay longer before I came back. I kept treats in the car so when I came in or let him out of garage he got a treat. Now I go to the dollar store and buy dog squeaky toys there and when I come in with groceries he has learned to sniff out the bag with the toy. He forgets that I left him alone. So now at 2 he is very good about not barking and howling while I am gone. He knows there is a toy as a reward for not creating so much noise that the neighbors who are acres away can't hear him anymore.

Doodles are very needy dogs. Thankfully Turbo does not get separation stress and get destructive when I leave him alone He never liked a crate. He would get hysterical in there. He has always slept in my bedroom with the door closed so he considered the floor his bed and never did any pee or poo. When I took a shower he was in the bathroom with me with the door closed. Now at 2 I have the bathroom all to my self. He won't do anything but lay on the floor outside the bathroom until I get out. He never lets me out of his sight. no matter what room I'm in he is at my side or behind my feet so I can't go anyplace without him. I'm sure your little doodle will get used to your routine. But like kids you have to be consistent with the rules.This is Turbo waiting for me to come home.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

First, let me say that your pup is so adorable, it would be hard not to over-attach to him.  I had a Springer Spaniel that was like this.  We consulted a 'trainer' once about his destructiveness that only happened when we were gone - didn't like his advice (which was very bad advice)m but never got to the REAL reason for his behavior.  He had separation anxiety. There are ways to treat this. Consult a dog behaviorist - a good one, whatever it costs.  We had our sweet Springer for 12 wonderful years, but there were difficulties.  He was much less anxious when left with a dog he was bonded to - did not help if it was a dog he was not bonded to.  So another dog can help, but ONLY if your dog looks to that dog as a calm support,  and can be his 'rock.'