Well, 9 week old Barney came home with us on Saturday afternoon. I absolutely adore him! He's so beautiful, much bolder than I thought he'd be, full of mischief and very affectionate!
Toilet training is going well and he seems to be a pretty happy chappy throughout the daytime.
However, his separation anxiety is chronic!
Sorry, this is going to be long...
We feed him in a back porch behind a stairgate, which was originally where he was supposed to sleep and it was going to be 'his room'. He's fine to eat in there and goes in and out happily throughout the day, for water, food, his toys, etc. but as soon as the door is shut and he can't get to us, he goes ballistic! He barks and howls, bites at the gate, sits in his water, messes and spreads it everywhere...
And he is a very determined little pup!
He is the same at night too! Now, I've had dogs throughout my childhood and I know that you have to leave them, which I'd be more than happy to do... but the problem is our neighbours. On one side we have a very elderly lady and on the other we have a young, working couple, who get up early for work... so him crying a bit isn't a problem, but him howling and yelping for hours on end, into the small hours, just isn't acceptable.
He's a lot worse than any of the puppies we ever had at my Mum and Dad's as a kid.
In the end, last night, we decided it wasn't fair on our very accomodating neighbours and the latest plan is have him in his bed, in our room. I don't mind this, as long as he stays in his own bed, which he seems happy to do as long as he can see us, however, I'm so worried that he is going to be one of these dogs that you can never leave home alone. My other half and I both work, I have a horse, etc. and whilst 9 times out of 10 he will be able to come with us everywhere we go, he needs to be able to be left, even if it just means being shut behind his gate whilst I mop the floor, or take the bins out, or a work man comes round, etc.
I'm currently in my office and he is in a puppy crate, in the studio, (the room next to me) with his bed, my Tshirt and the toys he seems to have taken most of a shine to. The studio is on an old farm, so there is no danger of him annoying our only neighbours, the cows across the car park! Actually, miraculously, he has just quietened down, after half an hour of howling... I'm hoping that he will learn to be on his own if we do this for a few hours a couple of times a day... but then still let him sleep in our room. Perhaps we will get to a point when he can manage a night downstairs, but it's not a huge problem if not. Although my OH is concerned that pup will impact on life in the bedroom
Other than that, do you think there is anything else I can be doing? Other than just letting him howl away and upset the neighbours.
And do you think he might get braver and more secure and be able to be left alone?
This is our only stumbling block so far and I'm still so so pleased we've got him, and just adore him! So if we can overcome this I will be so pleased.
P.S. He's still quiet in there!
Fingers crossed this will work.
