Seperation Anxiety? Can I use crate training to help?
Mallory is just the perfect puppy, of course in my eyes only. LOL She's four months old now. But she does have one problem that is driving us bonkers. She is perfect in her crate and she loves it. If I leave her crate door open and she gets tired, she will go in by herself curl up and go to sleep. She takes toys in it to play, doesn't view it as a prison just as her own private spot to get away from it all. She sleeps quietly thru the night in it. And during the day while I'm on the computer, she will sleep quietly in it. If she is asleep and I leave the room and she wakes up, she will quietly play with a toy or entertain herself in some other way but doesn't make a noise. But if I leave the room while she is in it and she is awake she will bark non stop until I return. Same holds true if I want to mop the kitchen or put a coat of wax on the hardwood floors, I will put her in her crate and she will bark up to an hour straight while I am working around the house. I have given her kong filled treats, other toys, put one of the other dogs in with her but still she barks. I won't go to her when she barks. I wait until she finally quiets down, then I will go get her when there has been total silence for about 5 minutes. I don't want her to think all she has to do is bark and I will let her out. I always make sure she has been pottied, fed and watered and is comfortable so I know none of these things are an issue. She has a total daily routine and from day one it hasn't changed. I sweep and mop the house daily so the crating routine during that time is a normal daily occurence for her. She is such a Mama's girl and wants to be with me all the time but sometimes I just have to do things without her. HELP please!  |
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I would suggest crating her more often, and perhaps for longer periods of time til she gets over it. I don't really know what else to suggest... sorry....  |
Well then she would be in her crate all the time. 
She always naps in her crate and like I said she doesn't view it as a prison, but if she is awake when I leave the room she barks non stop. If she is asleep and then wakes up and finds me gone she will lay quietly or play with one of her toys until I return. It's like right now she is in her crate playing with her toys, happy as can be. The crate is right next to our computer desk so there is someone right here near her a lot, mainly me. I'm just trying to understand the difference between her being awake and me walking out of the room and her barking and me leaving when she is asleep and no barking when she wakes up. So see, I KNOW she can find things to entertain herself in there. I just don't get the difference in the way she is behaving. |
| What do you do when she starts barking like that? Go back into the room? Tell her no or quiet? Let her out?
What you need to do is just ignore her when she does that. She is trying to get your attention and if you're giving her any recognition she knows she has it. Ignore her when you leave the room, ignore her when you first go back into the room after leaving, etc. No eye contact, no verbal or touch, nothing. When she finally lays/calms/settles down count 5 minutes. Then you can give her attention. Be consistent. It will eventually work. |
| Well.......... as I explained in my very first post
Quote: I won't go to her when she barks. I wait until she finally quiets down, then I will go get her when there has been total silence for about 5 minutes. I don't want her to think all she has to do is bark and I will let her out. |
| Maybe this thread should be moved to the "Crate Training" thread? Sorry, but it makes easier access for others who may have some crating problems.
But to continue on, 5 minutes of silence is is too long to wait. Dog's make connections between occurances of only a few seconds. What you can try is to let her out after she has been quiet for a count of 10...this may be too long at first, also, and if so make it 5. You need to be able to teach her to respond appropriately (being quiet), and the way to do that is to reward her...often...so she makes the connection. If you ever do let her out after barking non-stop you will be back at the drawing board, but I don't think you are doing this. So, she goes into her crate, you walk around the house, she barks and you ignore. Stay close by, though, and when she is quiet for "seconds" you can let her out to pee, (not playtime) then back into her crate and start over. No treats or playtime while she is out. Her reward for quiet is coming out...that's. However, while she is in there, being quiet, toss in a treat or so as you go by. Not as soon as you enter the room, but maybe before you leave it. Yes, this may take a while, but little by little you will shorten her barking time, before she becomes quiet. At that time you can see she understands that if she is quiet she gets to come out THEN you can start to lengthen her time being quiet in the crate before you let her out..But slowly, maybe 5 minutes intervals etc. If she continues to bark then she does not understand, and you need to back up, to seconds of silence again. Good luck. |
| I'm not sure how it works, but there's also that stuff you can buy now that's supposed to aid in separation anxiety. It's pheromone based and is supposed to relax the dog-- remind 'em of mom or something? I'm not sure if it would be applicable with your situation but I thought I's throw it out in case you hit a brick wall and are willing to try anything.
To make you feel a little better, at that age, Clyde hated the crate so much that he barked the moment he got in, while we were in the room and, if we ignored him, he'd pee. Dirty little rat! |
Shuffles wrote: .........But if I leave the room while she is in it and she is awake she will bark non stop until I return. Same holds true if I want to mop the kitchen or put a coat of wax on the hardwood floors, I will put her in her crate and she will bark up to an hour straight while I am working around the house.
I'm assuming the crate door is open while you're on the computer. Have you thought about possibly closing the door on the crate and not letting her have the freedom of going in on her own as often, or moving the crate into another room where she can see you as you work. If you move the crate she'll have to choose you or the crate. Sounds silly, but is the crate door facing the door you go through when you leave the room? Maybe she doesn't realize she can get out. Maybe its a dominance issue rather than seperation anxiety. Who knows, they have a mind of their own. Good luck.  |
| I just continued doing what I was doing and she is totally quiet now, regardless if I am in the room with her or not.
I figured it was just a matter of time and she would understand. |
Great news, I'm glad things have worked out  |
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