Need help with a 6month old puppy with separate anxiety

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tessa
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Need help with a 6month old puppy with separate anxiety

Post by tessa »

I have a 6 month old Pomeranian - Krissy, which I’ve had since she was 2 months old. She was the runt of the litter, smaller than the rest, shy and scared. I fell in love with her instantly.

I’m now thinking maybe she was taken from her mother sooner than she should have been.

Lately, I’ve been experiencing extreme behaviors from Krissy when I try leaving the room or try leaving my house. I worry that she may be expressing signs of separation anxiety.

She follows me from room to room whether it’s the bathroom, bedroom or kitchen, it’s everywhere. When I try to leave the house she goes just absolutely insane. She will scratch at her kennel, howl, whine, bark, and throws such a tantrum; she will throw up in her kennel. I’m really getting worried about her behaviors.

I’ve tried leaving treats in her kennel; I leave the television and lights on for her; I’ve tried leaving familiar objects (toys, my clothing, and such) in her kennel and I’ve even tried leaving it quite for her.

It’s to the point when I leave I feel she’s going to hurt her self trying to get out. She makes it sound like she’s being beat or terribly hurt when I walk out of the house.

When I’m home I will do the same things for her and she’s fine; as long as she can see me or my roommate she’s content and quite. I hate how I feel when I leave her because I don’t want her to get hurt or sick. She will follow me from room to room and won’t leave my side for very long.

Krissy is well trained. She knows to go to the front door when she needs to go out for potty. But lately, she just sits there and won’t bark to alert me. She goes to the door, sits, stares and we play the guessing game. “Do you need to go potty or do you want to go out and play?â€
CockerCharlie
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Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:44 am

Post by CockerCharlie »

Hi
Belle is alittle like your pup she is 9mths old and she would cry and wimper all time when we left. So we would crate her leave the house and stand by the front door for 5mims and then go back in make a huge fuss of her and reward her. Then we would leave it longer and longer making sure that when we went back in Belle got the hugest hug going and rewarded, she knows that when we put our shoes she will walk to the sofa for us to put her into her crate. Give it a try.
tessa
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tessa

Post by tessa »

Cool thanks I will give that a try
emmabeth
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Post by emmabeth »

When she follows you round the house, ignore her. Following you about is not rewarding to do.

If you have a crate (and I do suggest you get one), teach her that being in the crate is a really great place to be, do it slowly and dont try shutting her in there immediately - get her used to it by feeding her in there and giving her treats in there.

You can make following you around even more boring by spending a hour or so every day, getting up and leaving a room, going in another room and then coming back and sitting down for a minute, and then going out of the room again, over and over, never paying any attention to her - the idea being she gets sick of following you around because you are zooming about, and shes getting nothing out of it at all.

You can if you have the crate, work up to shutting her in and going out of sight for just a few seconds at a time, building that up to longer and longer.

You can also desensitize her to the triggers that tell her you are going out (ie putting shoes on and coat on and picking up keys = going out).. put your shoes on.. then sit down. Put shoes and coat on and then go make a cup of tea. Put shoes and coat on and pick up keys and sit down. Put eveyrthing on, pick up keys, go out and come back in immediately. Go out with no shoes on and come back again. Mix it all up so she no longer can focus on a particular set of triggers and wind herself up.
Me and my dogs
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Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 12:40 pm
Location: California

Post by Me and my dogs »

Pretty much everything emmabeth said.

I would also add that it's a good idea to keep your comings and goings low key.

When you leave the house don't even acknowledge the dog. When you come back into the house ignore the dog for at least 15 minutes. It helps to cut down on the anxiety that can build w/ the anticipation of the coming home and a "big reunion". LOW KEY all the way.
The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. ~Eleanore Roosevelt
tessa
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Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 10:42 pm
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tessa

Post by tessa »

emmabeth
I do have Krissy in a crate (kennel). That is why I am scared she will hurt her self because she will grab the side bars and just shake. I am scared she will pull her teeth out

I think I walk more today trying to get her bored and not stay in one room but she kept coming. I have been telling her stay when I leave a room. That seems to be working but she is still in that same place looking for me when I get back

I also putting on my shoes and setting down and founding things to do so she will not see that as me leaving. That works better she is not jumping all over me and running to the door.


CockerCharlie
I did try the one going out and coming in and letting her have hugs that seem to be working but when I leave more then 3 min she starts it back up pulling the side bars but I feel better now on how it is going

Me and my dogs
I try and not look at Krissy when I leave or getting ready but when she keeps jumping on me I hate to tell her no and make her feel bad so I don't how to handled that I just walk and go around her and she keep jumping and whinnying

Thank you so much for allyour help
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