Need advise about separation anxiety

[Evans0308]

My baby girl is 9 weeks and very smart. I've been crate training her and I am having a problem with her crying so much. I've covering the crate with a blanket, the puppy kong (works well for about 15 mins) crate toys, and leaving my scented shirt with her. Does anyone know anything else that could work? She literally cries all night and then wants to sleep during the day be ause she's exhausted from crying all night. She been doing this since I got her two weeks ago. There was one night she slept with my son and slept all night but she's so small I don't want her in the bed because my feat is she'll jump off and hurt herself.

Any advice?

Thanks

[yorkietalkjilly]

She's still a very young infant, not really old enough to know why or what is happening so she's calling for her "pack". She craves company as she is just learning fear and other things and still in the imprinting phase when she really could use her momma and littermates to see her through this, which is only one reason to leave the dog at the birth home with its beginnings where possible through at least 12 weeks.

I can't right now, but later I could post a little routine to start using now but more later as she matures. Right now, she's just a tiny infant and like any baby, doesn't want to be alone and insecure. But, you can do some things to help her through this a bit easier. Whatever you do, don't lose patience with her but just understand that some babies so cry a whole lot more than others as they are more insecure dogs.

[Susan78]

I am not a breeder and I hate to give advice but you got your puppy at too young of age. Yorkies need to be with the mother and siblings to learn things from each other. Our last yorkie we had ; we got her at eight weeks and she had separation anxiety all her life. Time and patience for our baby was all we could do. We could not put her in a crate or she would go crazy.Not all dogs will stay in a crate so maybe if you got a little pen to put her in. I am sure YT members will be glad to help you and have so much experience with these matters. YT has helped me greatly so good luck with your puppy and welcome to YT. Susan

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Evans0308

My baby girl is 9 weeks and very smart. I've been crate training her and I am having a problem with her crying so much. I've covering the crate with a blanket, the puppy kong (works well for about 15 mins) crate toys, and leaving my scented shirt with her. Does anyone know anything else that could work? She literally cries all night and then wants to sleep during the day be ause she's exhausted from crying all night. She been doing this since I got her two weeks ago. There was one night she slept with my son and slept all night but she's so small I don't want her in the bed because my feat is she'll jump off and hurt herself.

Any advice?

Thanks

Oh dear - your little baby Button is way too young to be apart from her mother....as you probably know by now! Especially as she's been apart from her since 7 weeks....so much love, reassurance, comfort and training is done during that time - learning independence too.

Just asking - at night, is little Button in her crate in YOUR bedroom? If so, is it elevated to your eye-level so that she can see you? Sally + Harry x

[Evans0308]

No I have her crate right next to my side of the bed. I have literally placed my hand on the crate at night and pet her trying to ca her. My son was out of school for Christmas break and he slept on the floor with her and she did really good. I have definitely heard she's too young to be away from her mom a lot. =\ she does so great with everything else though. She's potty training well, great with learning commands. She's very smart my only problem is night time. I would not mind her sleeping with me but again my bed is way to high for her and if she wanted off she'd get hurt. A trainer at the pet store told me to try these tricks to calm her but none seem to be working so far.

[Evans0308]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

She's still a very young infant, not really old enough to know why or what is happening so she's calling for her "pack". She craves company as she is just learning fear and other things and still in the imprinting phase when she really could use her momma and littermates to see her through this, which is only one reason to leave the dog at the birth home with its beginnings where possible through at least 12 weeks.

I can't right now, but later I could post a little routine to start using now but more later as she matures. Right now, she's just a tiny infant and like any baby, doesn't want to be alone and insecure. But, you can do some things to help her through this a bit easier. Whatever you do, don't lose patience with her but just understand that some babies so cry a whole lot more than others as they are more insecure dogs.

I would definitely appreciate any routine you might be able to provide!! I will not lose my patience I love this little girl dearly!!

[rubymoon2072]

well there is always a ramp or stairs so she can sleep with you. get up and down the bed with no issues. my three sleep with me and i wouldnt have it anyother way but thats just us.

[yorkietalkjilly]

So sorry. Had to get a couple of things done by a certain time. Here are my thoughts on part of your problems with your pup for your consideration to use or not. I am not lecturing or anything as I've been exactly where you are so I'm just speaking in plain language that is not to be taken personally or even necessarily directed at you or anyone. It's just for anybody that wants to read it and think about.

Remember first that in nature, the young canines or young of any species are around the mother and any littermates for months as their brain develops and as they learn and experience life so that she or a stand-in pack member, should she die, is around to guide and nurture the young. Mom lets the youngster know when it is time to branch out and leave her be at times, knows when to draw near, comfort. Knows when to discipline and nurture. Most breeders won't keep puppies around with mom for months and besides that, purchasers are panting to bring home the "infant" dog. Why? I don't know but they do. I've done it myself as a younger person and learned the reasons why not in the process and years since.

So consider that you have to try - that is try to take momma's place and act in her stead for a while. You can't ever do as well as she and littermates could during infancy(0-14 weeks) but you have to give it your best efforts.

When the infant is separated from its pack in the wild, mother or a pack member gathers it in and it sleeps near or in a heap with its littermates or mother. In homes, we want to stick them in a crate alone often in another room, which is foreign to canine nature. They cry to try to call their pack, their mother, even if they didn't have one in the birth home after the delivery. It is instinct. They want to bundle with another warm body that cares for them - not be alone as a baby. I would crate that little one in an small airline carrier with the mesh or wire door at one end, pee pad and a blanket near the door end and place it in a chair in or on the bed so you can "bundle" with that baby as in nature, if you want to give it its best sense of security and nurturing. It will still cry and whimper as it wants to be free and out and touching you but with a tiny dog, that is impractical outside the pack unless you have a fence around your bed to prevent it falling off and sleep on rubber sheets in a rubber gown! But it will quickly learn that you are there near, it isn't all alone and vulnerable but in its little "den" and new momma near. It will help it settle to sleep far sooner and with a happier sense of well-being.

Keep Nutrical or whatever you use for potential hypoglycemia nearby and if the puppy won't rouse or exhibiting any of the symptoms of low blood glucose, use that.

In a separate post I will give you some things that have worked for me for when you do have to leave your little one alone - again a foreign concept to the nature of the infant or youthful canine but something "new mommy" can help teach them to handle without overly stressing.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Below is the usual post I use for Separation Anxiety when you have to leave the home and the dog alone. Make no mistake about it, though you have a little puppy that is still an infant, you can still use some desensitization training with that little one to help it deal with the stress of separation and it can learn from the training as young as it is. Just go a little slower and keep sessions even shorter with the very young. Mamma dogs leave their babies at times - leave them all alone. These techniques are to use in her stead and actually intended for an older dog but the training is still okay for an infant if you go slow. In Service Dog training they start Separation Anxiety desensitization training very young so that the dog is imprinted at a very young age with the concepts.

Mind that this addresses a male puppy and you might read and consider using some of these techniques for your own puppy if you want. They are taken from things I've read and experiences I've had over the years.


SEPARATIONANXIETY:
Most anxious dogsthat aren't used to it get nervous and anxious when their owners leave thehome. Firstly, take all emotion out of your leaving. Do not feel sad for him ortell him goodbye - just like pack leaders in the wild don't when they decide togo on a hunt or take a walk - they just walk away and nobody freaks. They areimpersonal and matter-of-fact in how and what they must do. So no emotionalgoodbyes or hello's when arriving home. Act like a pack leader. Your dog is apack animal and is genetically in tune with a firm but fair leader. As far asyour actual leaving, just slowly desensitize him to your leaving and soon hewill come to accept it. But you must desensitize him to it slowly and allowhim to adjust to each step. Be patient with that baby - his anxiety can beovercome with time and patience and knowing what to do. Keep your trainingsessions short and impersonal, matter-of-fact. (You can reward him once eachexercise is over with a big, loving play session and lots of loving hugs,kisses.)

Give him a lovely food-stuffed kong toy, sit down and watch him playing withit, take up your keys and purse and whatever else you do as if to leave homeand sit back down and just watch him. Don't go anywhere. Just sit there. Nowthis is key: keep repeating this for a day or two on a weekend over and over,giving him different things to chew on or play with as you get ready to go butdon't.

After a day or two of this, when he's playing with his kong and hasaccepted your getting your things together, get your keys/purse, watch him fora while then get up and without saying one word to him or looking in hisdirection, just like an alpha wolf who acts in its pack without questionfrom one of his pack members, walk out of your door outside. Shut it. Standthere 10 seconds and walk back in, DO NOT NOTICE HIM AT ALL, nomatter how he's dancing around your feet or whining in joy, put your thingsaway and sit back down where you usually sit when you watch him with his kongtoy. Repeat this over & over and keep increasing your times outsideto let him learn slowly that though momma goes out the door, she will be backand I'm really okay. Slowly but surely as you stay out longer and longer but docome back in, he'll have grown to accept this action as inconsequential in hislife and soon grow to accept your leaving without thinking a thing of it -he'll know he gets a good thing to play with and some good food, momma will beback and he'll accept it. B4 long, he will just accept your leaving without anytoys or kongs or anything. After a while, include getting in the car in this training exercise, even starting it up and getting right back out andcoming in the house without noticing him. Repeat repeat repeat - sitting in thecar a while with it running. Eventually, drive around the block and then backhome, inside, not noticing your dog and putting your things away, coming to sitin the same place on the couch where you always sit during this training. Onceyou have sat there a while after each training session, now it is time to playand reward that anxious baby who is learning to be a goooood dog so now have ablast with him. Lots of love, hugs, kisses, tugowar, etc. Happy, happy rewardsfor his efforts are definitely in order!

If you are patient enough to do this, it works EVERY SINGLE time andturns an anxious, crying dog into one that accepts leaving as just a part ofhis day. They soon learn to adjust their day to sleep while we are away and beready to go when we get home.

I would also start him on a good positive-rewards training program such as in TamarGeller's The Loved Dog book. This will teach him to bond well with youas you develop a strong relationship that he will not question, no matter whatas he knows momma is always gonna keep it fun, loving and always rewarding for him.

P. S. Sorry in the copying and pasting process, some of the words run together. Hope you can make it out okay anyway.

[Evans0308]

Originally Posted by rubymoon2072

well there is always a ramp or stairs so she can sleep with you. get up and down the bed with no issues. my three sleep with me and i wouldnt have it anyother way but thats just us.

I thought about that but right now she's 1.9pounds. She's brave and jumps but she doesn't always succeed so I'm scared to do steps that might be to steep.

[rubynrosie]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

She's still a very young infant, not really old enough to know why or what is happening so she's calling for her "pack". She craves company as she is just learning fear and other things and still in the imprinting phase when she really could use her momma and littermates to see her through this, which is only one reason to leave the dog at the birth home with its beginnings where possible through at least 12 weeks.

I can't right now, but later I could post a little routine to start using now but more later as she matures. Right now, she's just a tiny infant and like any baby, doesn't want to be alone and insecure. But, you can do some things to help her through this a bit easier. Whatever you do, don't lose patience with her but just understand that some babies so cry a whole lot more than others as they are more insecure dogs.

Oh Jeannie

How I wish I would have had someone like you as a mentor when I got my first yorkie!! I love reading your posts...down to earth straight to the point and fabulous information!!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by rubynrosie

Oh Jeannie

How I wish I would have had someone like you as a mentor when I got my first yorkie!! I love reading your posts...down to earth straight to the point and fabulous information!!

That's so sweet of you so say! Been a bad morning and you gave me a big lift. Thank you from the heart. ♥

[rubymoon2072]

Originally Posted by Evans0308

I thought about that but right now she's 1.9pounds. She's brave and jumps but she doesn't always succeed so I'm scared to do steps that might be to steep.

keylo was too and i was really worried but she followed cedric n lola when she was allowed to use the stairs and thankfully she doesnt jump off of anything anymore. before i trained her to use the stairs that is what she wanted to do. i know there is contradiction between what is best stairs or a ramp. but with my dh's bad back the stairs are light and he can move them so that is what works for us. maybe you could have someone help you make a ramp. i know there was a thread on here of a member who's dad helped her make one and would be less steep.

[rubymoon2072]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

That's so sweet of you so say! Been a bad morning and you gave me a big lift. Thank you from the heart. ♥

sorry your having a bad morning...but you are always insightful and helpful!! hope your day gets better mondays are always a toilet day in my mind!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by rubymoon2072

sorry your having a bad morning...but you are always insightful and helpful!! hope your day gets better mondays are always a toilet day in my mind!

Thank you and same here about Mondays!!!!