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Cocker Spaniel Puppy

  • 31-01-2007 10:33am
    #1
    rubyred
    Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭


    We just got a ten week old Cocker Spaniel puppy. She is settling in okay and is sleeping through the nights except for one or two visits to the garden. I go to work from 9 to 1 every day and she is alone during this time. She has a large crate - half with a bed and half with water and toys etc. The only problem is that she crys and howls for ages when I leave. I'm worried that it is mean of me to leave her there but I'm told that she will get used to it soon. Is that correct? I find it so hard to leave in the mornings cos she is distressed and I worry about her being lonely or getting "separation anxiety".


Comments

  • #2
    peasant
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    The harder you find it to leave her, the more fuss she will make.

    Dogs are very good at sensing our emotions and reading our unconscious body language signals.

    Don't do Gone-with-the-wind-style departure scenes ...just leave.
    And when you come back ...no big scenes either. Take your coat off, put the shopping away and THEN greet the dog.

    I would suggest though, that you do a little training on this.
    At random times ...just leave the house for a minute, ignore the dog and come back and still ignore her. Stretch the times "away" gradually ..this way she will learn that you always come back and that there is nothing special about you coming and going.

    Good luck


  • #3
    rubyred
    Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭rubyred


    Thanks for the advice. See she has the run of the downstairs of the house when we are there, and she only gets put into her pen when we leave so now she knows as soon as we try and get her to go into her pen. I'll try putting her in the pen and leaving the room for short intervals when we are there and maybe that will help. I know I am just a big softie!!!


  • #4
    peasant
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    The other issue is, that at 10 weeks she really is a bit too young to be left alone for so long ...she really only is a baby.

    But the deed is done, the situation is at is is and you have to make the best of it.

    Try to make her like her pen. Sweeten it for her with the occasional goodie ...you could even feed her in it (always).

    And if she ever goes into it on her own accord, make sure to leave her alone in there, this way she will hopefully accept it as her "retreat" where she feels comfortable and relaxed.

    At the moment the pen must seem more like a prison to her.


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