[Cha Cha]

I am struggling with the very same issue with my 5 mo. old puppy. She has been on the same exact schedule since we got her. She has to be in her crate for her own safety at this point when we are not there. It is only a couple of hours at a time. She is well exercised when she goes in. Her problem, I believe, is the seperation anxiety. I don't know how to help her with this. When I come home, she is so exhausted from stress that she then goes to sleep. She has a t-shirt of mine to sleep with, but she doesn't care. When I am home, I leave the door to her crate open and she readily goes in and out, and I spend a lot of time doing exercises of treats putting her in for a little bit and letting her out. She does great with this, and I don't think she sees her crate as a fearful place. That's HER problem. MY problem is I am afraid of ex-pens for little ones that have not learned to even stay in a crate yet. I am afraid that if I give her more room (her crate is a bigger one) she will destroy anything in it's path and possibly hurt herself from her anxiety and trying to get out. I am a worrier so I worry about them getting a foot caught between panels, continuous jumping to try to get out, and continuous pawing or digging. (Is this fear justified?) Mine has been one of the most challenging puppies I have ever had. All I can think of at this point is consistency. She knows this schedule and routine, it is just going to take her a while longer to accept it. Good luck.