Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm definitely checking out all the articles posted. I figure I'd post a more detailed description of what I'm doing so maybe someone can provide more specific pointers.
So one of the major problems I have with Bunjee is that he hates being crated. Oh he'll go into the crate on his own and go to sleep in it. But he whines like there's no tomorrow if the door is shut and he does not see anyone there. I use a travel crate with him and I've come home from school before where the crate has moved 5 feet from its original spot, probably from him trying to get out.
I've also noticed that his amount of whining without me there is directly associated with the amount of space he's allowed to roam. He'll whine for a couple hours straight if left in his crate. He'll whine for 30 mins at 30 min intervals if left in the gated portion of kitchen. He'll whine minimally if left to roam the condo on his own (not of my own doing though, this is when he was able to climb out of his old gate.). But i'm not ready to allow him full access to the condo while i'm away just yet.
I've made every effort to make his confined area a happy, fun place. It's exclusively the area with all his toys, treats (like kong and other food dispensing toys), food and water. But it seems like he ignores all of that once the gate is closed. He'll ignore his toys, his food, his treats and try everything to get out of the gated area: whine, bark, cry, climb, jump an otherwise destructive in his gated area. He's even like this when I have him gated while I take a shower or a bath. I think he's viewing gated area as one big crate. And he hates being crated. He'll be "okay" with being confined if he sees me, but as soon as I step away even just to another room, the whining and frantic pawing at the gate starts.
I know many articles say to just ignore the whining. But that's just not an option for me anymore. I've been ignoring his whining and if it's more than 5 minutes then the neighbors will start complaining. That's just the problem with living in close proximity to your neighbors.
I've also tried giving him more exercise during the day so that he'll be sleepy and tired when I'm away. Which works for the most part when I'm present. But he'll have a sudden burst of energy when he's gated.
I always leave the lights on in his area so that he can see. I don't let him out of the gated area unless he calms down which he usually will when I'm there. I'm going to start leaving the radio on to see if it helps. If regular radio does't work, then I'm going to record myself talking and letting it play in a loop for a few hours while i'm gone to see if hearing my voice will work.
He's such a good boy otherwise. He's nearly potty trained (only one accident in the past week since he's been neutered and before that he went 2 weeks without an accident). He doesn't chew on furniture (although his baby teeth are starting to fall out and his adult teeth may be coming in soon so i'm not taking any chances). He's getting pretty good at his basic obedience commmands... except for (surprise, surprise) the "stay" command. The separation anexiety is just the one thing that we're having such trouble with. |