Human anxiety

kathiam · 09-03-2010, 10:37 AM

Ok so I don't know if I am alone in this

, but I feel so bad having to crate Lily during the day especially considering I work from home. I mean it's not a tiny crate she has plenty of room to move around and access to water and toys and she is never in it for more then 3 hours at at time (except at night of course) but I still feel guilty. Does that get better with time? I have never had to crate a pet before (this being my first puppy).

This was only our second week of crating during the day. She seems to be doing better with it she didn't constantly howl and cry this week like she did last week. Now she will generally only cry about 1/2 hr to and hour before it's time to let her out.

Just for a quick recap my trainer said she is suffering from separation anxiety and needs to be crated during the day to get used to being alone. I would like some input on others as to how long this needs to be done? Should I always crate her during the day, or when she is older would it be ok to go back to keeping her with me during the day, or would that undo everything that was done?

Myfave1 · 09-03-2010, 12:34 PM

Hey there! Well, I'm not sure if you have kids (and I'm not insinuating that I've put mine in a crate, although he did actually go in there voluntarily and it was pretty funny!) but I think having kids has given me practice with this issue.

That seems like a weird comparison, but there are so many times I've had to do things for my son that I hated but I knew were good for him. Ditto with Chloe....I now see that she trusts her crate and runs in there voluntarily for a nap, but originally, I didn't like her being in there either. I think it sounds like its best for Lily at this time (even though it's hard for you to leave her there). I think it will get better. And, I don't think in your situation, that it sounds permenant. When Lily has grown a little bit, she may realize that she is safe when you are there and when you can't be.

Your a good puppy mama.

kathiam · 09-03-2010, 12:44 PM

Lol thanks. No my husband and I have been married 3 years this fall but have not had kids yet. I hope to have kids some day though. Who knows maybe having a puppy will be good training for having a kid lol. I've already gotten good and having eyes like a hawk when it comes to surveying any room before letting her in there. Of course that doesn't mean she won't find something she isn't supposed to have, just that hopefully she won't find as many things that she isn't supposed to have.

ArthurDudley · 09-03-2010, 12:54 PM

if you are at home, is she not to be trusted with the cage door open, i understand she has separation anxiety but does that mean you have to crate her with the door closed, mine love their crate to sleep in at any time of day but they also like to snooze in the garden, mooch around, have a play or a chew they really aren't to fussed about long naps in the day, an hour at most & they are both up & about, could you not try leaving the door open, make her enviroment safe & watch her secretly & take it from there

Myfave1 · 09-03-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathiam

Lol thanks. No my husband and I have been married 3 years this fall but have not had kids yet. I hope to have kids some day though. Who knows maybe having a puppy will be good training for having a kid lol. I've already gotten good and having eyes like a hawk when it comes to surveying any room before letting her in there. Of course that doesn't mean she won't find something she isn't supposed to have, just that hopefully she won't find as many things that she isn't supposed to have.

To be honest, I think it WILL be good practice! The first few days, I found myself thinking a newborn was easier because at least they sleep most of the time!

Chloe has gotten much easier since then, thankfully. The issue will work itself out. Maybe you could just let her out of the crate some times, maybe skip a morning or afternoon a few times a week and make it unpredictable so she'll still be spending time alone at some points! It's a tough situation! My husband and I have been married three years in October too!

deardaisy · 09-03-2010, 05:16 PM

Maybe you could try an Ex-Pen? Precision Pet Products Silver Pro Handler Exercise Pens

The dog expert at the shelter where we got Seamus suggested it when I thought he may have been suffering from some separation anxiety. It can be set up in the house too. We don't have the room so I never tried it, just kept him in his crate when we weren't home until I thought he could hold his potty. I figured out, and the end of the time he was being put in the crate, that he was having the few accidents that he did because he didn't like being locked in the crate. Maybe with one of these Lily won't feel so confined?(if she does at all) and alone. Maybe you could use this around the crate so she can have the roominess AND the crate? Or will this end up making her feel like she can potty on the floor? (Not sure how he has progressed in potty training... all done with it i think?)

deardaisy · 09-03-2010, 05:28 PM

In fact maybe you SHOULD keep up the crate training, or you'll end up with a dog like this!

If you can't tell because of the dark sheets, his head is in fact, resting on a pillow.

Spoiled little mutt!

hehe

(don't mind the camping stuff around him... just cleaned out my car.. maybe he thinks he's nesting amongst all of it!)

djdakine · 09-03-2010, 05:28 PM

is it just me, or does that exercise pen does not look beagle proof?!? this was a video I looked at the week before i picked up Hailey.

YouTube - Beagle Escape

I think any pen for our beagles should have steel bars, with small openings, and....oh wait...we're talking about pen, not jail cell

deardaisy · 09-03-2010, 05:35 PM

LOL here's another:

YouTube - Beagle climbing

lol well.... I figured Seamus would knock the whole thing over... Lily just seems so little so I thought it might work for her... lol

kathiam · 09-03-2010, 05:41 PM

lol well I am not sure if it's more her or me with the issue. I have always been a dog lover thru and thru but never had a pup, or dog that had to be crated so this is new to me. She doesn't put up nearly as much of a fuss as she used to so I am thinking maybe she is getting better.

I think part of it that I am just such a sap I hate seeing animals cooped up. I have to keep her in the bedroom as my mother in law lives with us and that is the only place where she doesn't go throughout the day. She has been good with the potty training and hasn't made a mess in the house in a month *knock on wood* except a few times of peeing from excitement when someone comes but that is usually just a little bit.

I can't leave her loose in our bedroom because she still likes to chew everything she gets her mouth around so I can't trust her to not pull a hurricane Lily on me and I'm afraid to walk into a disaster zone. She is only in the crate for 5-6 hours a day and no more then 3 hours at a time. Of course she is very clingy because in the livingroom we have a smaller crate in one corner and a dog bed in the other and she won't go to either one on her own. She'd rather nap in someone's lap when she is tired, and if she gets pushed off she'll jump up again. If we are persistant she will sigh and go lay on the couch by herself and shoot us dirty looks lol.

09-03-2010, 10:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
kathiam Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 450	Human anxiety Ok so I don't know if I am alone in this , but I feel so bad having to crate Lily during the day especially considering I work from home. I mean it's not a tiny crate she has plenty of room to move around and access to water and toys and she is never in it for more then 3 hours at at time (except at night of course) but I still feel guilty. Does that get better with time? I have never had to crate a pet before (this being my first puppy). This was only our second week of crating during the day. She seems to be doing better with it she didn't constantly howl and cry this week like she did last week. Now she will generally only cry about 1/2 hr to and hour before it's time to let her out. Just for a quick recap my trainer said she is suffering from separation anxiety and needs to be crated during the day to get used to being alone. I would like some input on others as to how long this needs to be done? Should I always crate her during the day, or when she is older would it be ok to go back to keeping her with me during the day, or would that undo everything that was done? __________________

09-03-2010, 12:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Myfave1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 282	Hey there! Well, I'm not sure if you have kids (and I'm not insinuating that I've put mine in a crate, although he did actually go in there voluntarily and it was pretty funny!) but I think having kids has given me practice with this issue. That seems like a weird comparison, but there are so many times I've had to do things for my son that I hated but I knew were good for him. Ditto with Chloe....I now see that she trusts her crate and runs in there voluntarily for a nap, but originally, I didn't like her being in there either. I think it sounds like its best for Lily at this time (even though it's hard for you to leave her there). I think it will get better. And, I don't think in your situation, that it sounds permenant. When Lily has grown a little bit, she may realize that she is safe when you are there and when you can't be. Your a good puppy mama. __________________

09-03-2010, 12:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
kathiam Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 450	Lol thanks. No my husband and I have been married 3 years this fall but have not had kids yet. I hope to have kids some day though. Who knows maybe having a puppy will be good training for having a kid lol. I've already gotten good and having eyes like a hawk when it comes to surveying any room before letting her in there. Of course that doesn't mean she won't find something she isn't supposed to have, just that hopefully she won't find as many things that she isn't supposed to have. __________________

09-03-2010, 05:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
deardaisy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Vermont Posts: 129	Maybe you could try an Ex-Pen? Precision Pet Products Silver Pro Handler Exercise Pens The dog expert at the shelter where we got Seamus suggested it when I thought he may have been suffering from some separation anxiety. It can be set up in the house too. We don't have the room so I never tried it, just kept him in his crate when we weren't home until I thought he could hold his potty. I figured out, and the end of the time he was being put in the crate, that he was having the few accidents that he did because he didn't like being locked in the crate. Maybe with one of these Lily won't feel so confined?(if she does at all) and alone. Maybe you could use this around the crate so she can have the roominess AND the crate? Or will this end up making her feel like she can potty on the floor? (Not sure how he has progressed in potty training... all done with it i think?) __________________ Seamus <3

09-03-2010, 05:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
deardaisy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Vermont Posts: 129	In fact maybe you SHOULD keep up the crate training, or you'll end up with a dog like this! If you can't tell because of the dark sheets, his head is in fact, resting on a pillow. Spoiled little mutt! hehe (don't mind the camping stuff around him... just cleaned out my car.. maybe he thinks he's nesting amongst all of it!) __________________ Seamus <3

09-03-2010, 12:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
ArthurDudley Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 144	if you are at home, is she not to be trusted with the cage door open, i understand she has separation anxiety but does that mean you have to crate her with the door closed, mine love their crate to sleep in at any time of day but they also like to snooze in the garden, mooch around, have a play or a chew they really aren't to fussed about long naps in the day, an hour at most & they are both up & about, could you not try leaving the door open, make her enviroment safe & watch her secretly & take it from there

09-03-2010, 05:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
kathiam Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 450	lol well I am not sure if it's more her or me with the issue. I have always been a dog lover thru and thru but never had a pup, or dog that had to be crated so this is new to me. She doesn't put up nearly as much of a fuss as she used to so I am thinking maybe she is getting better. I think part of it that I am just such a sap I hate seeing animals cooped up. I have to keep her in the bedroom as my mother in law lives with us and that is the only place where she doesn't go throughout the day. She has been good with the potty training and hasn't made a mess in the house in a month knock on wood except a few times of peeing from excitement when someone comes but that is usually just a little bit. I can't leave her loose in our bedroom because she still likes to chew everything she gets her mouth around so I can't trust her to not pull a hurricane Lily on me and I'm afraid to walk into a disaster zone. She is only in the crate for 5-6 hours a day and no more then 3 hours at a time. Of course she is very clingy because in the livingroom we have a smaller crate in one corner and a dog bed in the other and she won't go to either one on her own. She'd rather nap in someone's lap when she is tired, and if she gets pushed off she'll jump up again. If we are persistant she will sigh and go lay on the couch by herself and shoot us dirty looks lol. __________________

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