My cocker spaniel never stops crying!

Josyewales · Post by **Josyewales** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:43 pm

I have a 3 month old cocker spaniel, he is generally quite playful when people are around him, he likes other dogs and other members of the family.

However whenever I leave him alone, mainly in the kitchen he does not stop crying. It can go on for hours and hours and it almost deafeningly high pitched. No matter how long I leave him for he whines and whines, and it gets louder and louder. I'm getting increasily worried that the next door neighbour will become irratated.

The first night we had him (about three weeks ago) he stayed asleep in the kitchen until about 4am, he whined for about ten minutes then went back to sleep. The next night, the whining continued for several hours and in the end I gave in and brought him upstairs to sleep in my bedroom. Ever since he has slept in his cage in my bedroom as I daren't leave him downstairs as I know I won't get any sleep due to his excessive crying and neither will the neighbours.

I have a training gate in the kitchen and whenever I leave the room, as soon as I leave he starts whining. I have tried ignoring him and even two hours later he is still whining and he often leaves a mess for when I return. As soon as someone walks in to the kitchen he stops.

I understand that he is a puppy and needs plenty of attention, but I don't want him to get in to a habit of thinking that if he whines people will come to him. I don't even want to leave him in the house on his own.

I don't know what to do for the best, I am almost at the end of my tether.

Can anyone suggest anything?

Please.

Robbie71 · Post by **Robbie71** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:22 am

It is a difficult thing when he is left alone do you have the radio on i found with my dog this helped. maybe when he is left alone and you are in the house go in to the room but ignore him then go back out again. do this and each time leave it a while longer before you go back in but dont make any fuss over him. Also try to tire him out (are you taking him out yet?) i had a cocker when growing up and he did hate being left alone but we took him in to our room and use to pander to his every needs which brings up a spoilt dog.When i leave my dog now i always leave tv or radio on.i think having the cage is a very good idea..he is still young but this is the times when you need to show that you are the leader.
How is it going now?

Carrie · Post by **Carrie** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:36 am

The next night, the whining continued for several hours and in the end I gave in and brought him upstairs to sleep in my bedroom.

That didn't help because he found out it works to whine and carry on for hours. But I do understand your dilema.

He does sound like he has some real separation anxiety going on, perhaps more than normal. And he's found out that if he carries on for a long time, eventually you'll come get him. Using a crate next to you is a good idea. But you mustn't speak to him or give any attention while he's crying.

When you do decide to go to him, do wait until there is a lull in the crying.

I know the radio or TV probably soothes some dogs. But it can back-fire on you too sometimes. When you turn on the radio, then leave, the radio can become a conditioned negative punisher. It is a predictor that the good thing, you, are about to go away. And it can cause stress rather than the soothing thing you planned.

Another way to condition him to being along is to turn the radio on, leave the room and immediately come back. Try to come back before he whines. That means you pivot while you close the door and quickly return. Turn the radio off. Do this a lot and very, very gradually, increase the duration that you are in the other room. Each time you come back in the room with him, turn off the radio. He will habituate to these very short separations. The radio then becomes the signal that a tolerable absense is about to occur.

Practice in different rooms, starting again with 1 second absenses and gradually increase. Then go out on your front porch and come right back in, a little longer next time. Do these exercises a few times a day. It's best if you can take some time off work to get this going.

But if you must leave for a long time right away, I'd be inclined to leave the radio off until he's gotten a grip on himself from your careful conditioning.

You can also get that DAP (dog appeasing pheromon diffuser) It is thought to have a calming effect.

Hope things improve. He'll likely get worse before better because by going to him when he cried, he learned that that works. So hang in there.

Mattie · Post by **Mattie** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:21 pm

He is a baby, would you leave a human baby like this? I doubt it, you would gradually build up her confidence first until he could be left, it is the same with your puppy. He must feel very lonely.

Is there a problem with him being with you when you are in the house? He needs to learn by example and shut into a room on his own he can't do that. Let him be with you as much as you can, you don't have to be interacting with him, in fact, a dog with SA is best with you but ignore him, they get bored and go off and do their own thing, same with your puppy if you allow him to.

I always let a new dog sleep with me no matter what their age is, this is a new house, new rules but dogs don't know the rules and need to be taught them. With this in mind, I let them sleep in my bedroom but in a crate next to my bed. I can then speak to the during the night if they get lonely or frightened. To a 3 month old pup life can be very frightening especially when they are on their own.

If you don't want him to sleep in your bedroom, once he has gained confidence you can gradually move the crate out onto the landing then to were you want him to sleep.

Expecting a puppy to be on his own is too much to ask, he has to learn how to deal with this not suddenly thrown into it. It is much kinder to him to teach him.

I often back away from a dog with problems but I haven't given in to them, I then approach the problem from a different angle and usually get what I want.

Carrie · Post by **Carrie** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:06 pm

Wise advice Mattie...such a sensative post. He is still very young and these things take time. It is unfamiliar and scary for a pup to be alone and just working things up gradually is best. He'll come around to feeling more secure in time. Do you have any interactive toys, like a Buster Block or a Kong that you can put something yummy inside? Other chew toys? Some article of your clothing that smells like you to put in his crate? Those things can help a little too.