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Originally Posted by viviansnickers  The plug in didn't work....big surprise.  We are going back to basics. Crate training while we are home not just when we leave. This is breaking me. I feel so guilty, like I am hurting my puppybaby. I can't help feel this way, that I am harming another life. I know it's not that deep (maybe it is) but this is beyond difficult and it's breaking my heart. He is so attached to us. He is too young to be out of his crate I guess (thats what some other people have told me) but the fact that he messes his crate and then has to sit in it makes me feel like crap..... |
I'm not an expert either, but I have to tell you that watching Cesar Milan's program, tapes and reading his book has helped me tremendously. In a nutshell, he says that separation anxiety is mostly due to the dog being confused about who the pack leader is. The dog most likely senses both yours and your husbands anxiety and has assumed the un-wanted role of pack leader. If you say he can hold it for 8 hours at night - he should be able to hold it when you go to work. Cesar also says the good thing about dogs is they live in the here and now. If he passes the vet inspection of not having a UTI, I would look into re-establishing your pack leader role. I too got my puppy from a pet store.... but as soon as I practiced Cesar's methods of being the pack leader - it was like a miracle. There are some simple basic things you can do (check out his show, books, or website) - but if a dog senses your energy as anxiety they see it as a weakness and assume the pack leader role and a pack leader must always protect the pack - therefore when you and your husband leave the home (pack) he can not protect you and therefore has separation anxiety. It's dog psychology.