There may be trouble ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Miss Poohs]

Well - I've given it my best shot, but either I'm losing patience or there's something wrong.

We have at last got Rufus to sleep in his crate at night. Mind you we had to give in and move it into our room. he grumbles abit about it, but he does eventually go to sleep.

He's still going nuts when we go out. Today I had to work, but Pete was home. he had to pop out for an hour, during which time Rufus was put into his crate. He just sat and howled the entire time!!! I just don't know what to try next, except never leave him by himself - surely that's not healthy either?

We've tried all the usual things - please tell me he'll eventually settle.

Please help.   :?                    

[PennyB]

When you put him in the crate/leave him do you make a big fuss every time you go out/come back. My thinking is that he may think its a big deal your coming and going.

I would make sure mine were settled in the crate and I just went about my business for about 5-10 min and then just left the house. When I came back in would pack shopping away or whatever and then go and let them out.

As they got a little older but still needed to be safe I got some extra panels to make a pen attached to the crate so they had more space while I was out (panels came off crate quite quickly so it wasn't as if they were up all the time)                    

[Miss Poohs]

That's the thing Penny I don't even get that 5 - 10 mins, the min I turn my back and walk away he goes nuts.

I really don't feel happy to leave him uncrated, as he torments the living day lights out of Vahri, and he just won't give in.

I did think about getting a kiddie gate - but he likes wires too, so I don't think it's wise to risk that just yet either.                    

[PennyB]

People used to laugh when they came to my house as I'd tie up all the wires and find a way of hiding them if I could (I've got cup hooks all over stringing the wires up and the mess of wires where the TV and video etc are are in the alcove behind one of the mesh panels I use as a playpen.

At 4/5 months old Ruby was reasonably house trained and then she began weeing on the floor again. Couldn't understand why until I realised that she was only doing this when I went upstairs to my office (I work from home) and she'd obviously started developing separation anxiety. Some on another forum suggested I was cruel leaving her downstairs while I worked upstairs but it was too impractical to do otherwise (hazardous open staircase for starters). So each time I came down for a cup of tea or whatever I totally ignored her when I came down (no eye contact) and when I was going back up I ignored her again and it worked a treat. A number of trainers I spoke to told me that what I was doing was right as she had to learn to be separate from me (i don't ignore her anymore as she understands I'm coming back or whatever and its no big deal my leaving them to their own devices).

Have you thought of putting the gate up while you're in the house so that he can be safe (i.e. you can keep an eye on him) but he can see you but not have access to you and may feel less stressed as time goes on about being left. Might work/might not. Have found with my two they are very different dogs and I have to think up ingenious ways sometimes to deal with a problem that would never work with the other.                    

[suki1964]

Its heartbreaking to hear them scream the place down I know and it is so easy to give in but you cant be tied to the house and dog for the rest of your life.

The way I worked it with Alfie was I started putting him the crate with the door closed whilst I was still going to be in the house. Ok so the first few days I let him out whilst he was still screaming but I slowly extended the time by a few minutes each time and after about 7 or 8 days he would stop the screaming and howling after about 5 mins and would settle down to sleep or chew his kong and I would leave him there till I was finished with my bits and pieces - probably an hour. I then started to leave the house for short periods of time and now at four weeks 2-3 hours hes fine with.

The other thing I do is to feed him his meals in the crate and when i go out now I pop him in with a sprinkle of kibble hidden amongst his bedding and toys which keeps him occupied or give him a kong stuffed with a dairylea and bits of cucumber.

At night hes in our room in his crate beside the bed and I have found that covering the rear end of it with a bath towel helps him settle quicker and sleep just that wee bit later in the morning (6.30 today - a miricle) If he does start a moaning session then hubby just drops his hand down and it seems to calm him.

All I can say is to try and keep calm (easier said then done I know) and to keep at it. It really does get easier but you do have to harden your heart to the screaming.

Caroline and Alfie                    

[Miss Poohs]

Thanks everyone - I guess I just feel like a monster leaving him, but I want for him to be confident in the house when I'm not there, but this is so tough.

I'll persever and hopefully he'll get to know that I will be back for him. Jx