My two are pretty good in their playpen when I leave - as long as they are together. It took a little while but I always give them a treat (in the playpen) when I leave. Now I just have to say "hop in" and they run and dive in the pen and sit and wait for their treat.
Beemer does have separation anxiety but it's only when both Sadie and I leave him, and my husband isn't there. I take training classes with Sadie so I do have to leave him by himself occasionally. What I do is make what I call a fountain of treats. I take about two small treats and grind them up in my hands till they are just tiny pieces - almost crumbs. Then I sprinkle them around the pen, in his bed and around it. It's kind of the same principle as the kong. While he's running around finding the treats and eating them, I take off. I also do this with both of them when we have to leave them if we're staying in a hotel room. Usually by the time they find all the treats they don't pay that much attention to the fact that I left. It's worked pretty well for us.
__________________ Karen and the Kids  Sadie and Beemer |