Hello everyone, this is very important news that has been really bothering me lately and has been a very big problem this year especially while I have been training puppies. Unfortunately, breeders are selling puppies way to young. There is no reason why puppies should leave their mom and littermates less than 8 weeks old. They learn so much from their mother and littermates.
Not only are they selling the puppies to young, they put them in a crate and on an airplane in cargo. Their immune system is not strong. This is causing major crate anxiety and plenty of fear from noises because it is so loud in cargo and unfortunately the people that get them out are probably not gentle getting the crates to where they need to be. The puppies are filled with pee and feces.
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Imagine being less than 2 months old and being totally traumatized like this. It is not fair. It is very difficult to fix crate anxiety and separation anxiety because they pee and defecate from the anxiety as soon as they are put in the crate. Even if you switch to a playpen, which gives them more space, it has been causing major anxiety. Granted, every dog is different, just like every person is different. They can hurt themselves from trying to bite the cage or dig at the bottom.
10 – 13 weeks is a perfect age to adopt a puppy. I have trained plenty of puppies that are extremely fearful of noises and just the world around them. They are shy and it is dangerous to walk them because they can slip out of their collars and go running in the street once they hear a loud truck, motorcycle, or garbage truck.
Separation anxiety can lead to mass destruction and will only worsen with time. The most important thing to start with is to choose a confinement for your dog. It could be a crate, playpen, or certain small room in the house. Do not see the confinement as a negative thing. Dogs are like wolves and they see their den or confinement as their safe place. Your dog will not have the opportunity to bite and destroy furniture. I have seen some horrible destruction of the home caused by one dog.
If you are a stay at home parent or you work from home, DO NOT have the dog with you at all times. If you have the chance to leave the house for a little bit, even if it is for 15 minutes, please do, so your dog will get used to you leaving and coming home. When you do leave and come home, do not make a big deal because it raises the dog’s anxiety.
A rescued dog with separation anxiety:
If you rescued a dog with separation anxiety, it will take some time and patience but the problem can be solved. Please be patient!!! First, put the crate in an area of the house where the dog can not see you leaving the house. You might also want to get a plastic covered crate, so the dog does not hurt themselves trying to get out.
You can set the dog up by putting the dog in the crate, put a deer antler or empty marrow bone with a little bit of peanut butter in the middle to try to get their attention focused on the bone instead of you leaving. Every dog is different. Go outside for 3 – 5 minutes then come back in and let him or her out of the crate. DON’T say anything, just let the dog out, so they realize that they can be comfortable being in the crate. Also, before you start getting ready to leave, put the dog in the crate, so they can not see you getting ready because that causes the anxiety as soon as you start your daily habit before leaving. By the time you leave, their anxiety is very high. That is why people think that the dogs are having an accident on purpose. They can not hold it. It is like a person with a nervous stomach, who can not help but to throw up or they have to have a bowel movement.
Training will definitely help with separation anxiety:
Obedience training is so important for the peace in your household. You gain the dominance of the dog and the dog gets more tired than just running around playing with toys because dog training takes mental stimulation. The best part is that it does not take long on a daily basis. Even if you work with the dog for 10 – 15 minutes before you leave, that will be perfect. Take the dog out before you go and remember give them the bone in the crate and walk out without saying anything.
A tired dog is a happy dog!!!!!!
