Need Help w/ Separation Anxiety and Crate!!!

[Cosmo's Mom]

Hi--

I am fairly new to Boxer World and apologize if this topic has been addressed ( I looked in forums and couldn't find same specific problem)

I need help with my 10 week old boxer pup and his separation anxiety when he goes into the crate. At the breeders, he was with his litter mates and had no problems sleeping or going into crate. Once with us (alone) he barks, cries the whole time and even gets so upset ....he throws up !!!

He is very "pack" and "people" oriented....as he was a small pup from the litter and was held an awful lot early on !!

We tried putting treats into the crate, feeding in the crate ( he won't go in and doesn't eat for several meals). And I have to go out during the day ...off and on... to run errands . I don't want him to cry the whole time...or .... forever!!! HELP !!! Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks

 

[Taren]

well we were so scared of maverick having separation anxiety and i was told to get like a piece of cloth and rub it on the pups mom and other litter mates to just get the scent on the cloth and put the cloth in the crate. we didnt do this bc we forgot. but it makes sense. or you could put a piece of cloth or something in your shirt all day to get your scent on the cloth and put it in the crate. maybe this will help..

 

[UTexasBXR]

Cosmo's Mom,

I am new to boxer world too and I am having the same issues with my 8 month old boxer. She HATES being in her crate. I know that is the safest place for her though. I barks and barks and barks. I have tried a lot of things to help her. I got on line the other day and found this website. I have read a few forum conversations and got some good adivce.

I learned that a Kong with something in it like peanut butter or yogurt helps keep them occupied. The kong web-site says that it also helps with seperation anxiety. I just bought it today and she has been playing with it for about 2 hours straight. I also brought her crate around where we sit in the living room. It was off in the dining room and if she wanted to lay in it she would have been away from us. Now she is more willing to check it out and go inside sniff around etc...

I'm pretty new to the WONDERFUL world of owning a Boxer so I guess we will be learning about this together.

 

[Jan]

Hi--
We tried putting treats into the crate, feeding in the crate ( he won't go in and doesn't eat for several meals). And I have to go out during the day ...off and on... to run errands . I don't want him to cry the whole time...or .... forever!!! HELP !!! Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks

Try starting with his food bowl right at the entrance to the crate, even put it outside the door to start if necessary. Then you can gradually move it further and further in. You can try the same thing with treats.

You can also try feeding your puppy out of Kongs. Ian Dunbar goes into in some detail in his book "Before You Get Your Puppy" You can download it for free from www.openpaw.com. There is also lots of other great information in there.

It really important that you make your coming and going a non-event. Don't make a big fuss of your puppy before you go. It will only make it worse. Just put him in the crate and leave. When you come home, don't let him out right away. Wait 5 minutes or so.

Good luck!

 

[Cosmo's Mom]

Thnaks for the tips!!

Hi--

Thanks for all of the tips. I worked with him now for two days and he will go all the way into the crate to get treats that I throw in there.

Still, even if I make no fuss when leaving and leave a radio on, he cries and is covered on his lower jaw and two front legs with excessive drool ( even after just 1 hr) when I return.

I had a marrow bone with peanut butter inside in there ...but he gets so upset, he doesn't even realize it's there. Will try a Kong.

We will keep trying to help him to deal better with his "in crate" time.

 

[EKR16]

Cosmo's Mom - I have the same problem (my post is in the Training Issues section). I didn't think about it, but maybe she did drool instead of throw up? How could you tell? My Romie won't eat treats or a kong in her crate yet. I've had her for nearly 4 weeks now & she has definitely gotten better with the crate, but still has set backs-like last night apparently!! I had to scrub her for what seemed like FOREVER! She was covered in it from nose to feet!! YUCK! :( So I feel your pain!

 

[cbignall]

separation anxiety

hi cosmos mom--i have the same problem with my little boy--he is 12 weeks old and everytime we leave him in the crate for times from 1 hour to 2 hours he will cry and scream and throw a fit-he gets so upset he poos and slings it everywhere---i know too the crate is the safest place but bathing the little man 5 times a week is too much too--i guess he is feeling like he is being left forever even though its a short time....good luck and im looking for good suggestions too

 

[courtney323]

cbignall -

Pleas post your Introduction, as required.

www.boxerworld.com/rules

 

[kitikarial2]

Lucy used to drool all the time and then she kinda just stopped, and then she would start again. She doesnt like her crate either but i guess she is used to it. i did try that stuff from petsmart. the calming stuff that is a plug in. i dont know if that helped or not, it took a while for it to work i did it for two months, but have stopped using it and she hasnt drooled in awhile and she is almost a year and a half old, and just stopped. i dont know what to tell you about it except that he is still very very young.