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yorkiemommy · 01-23-2005, 06:55 PM

my sweet cute oh so lovable 5mth old yorkie pup is afraid of being alone. he throws a barking fit once i leave the room for a second! we haven't yet left him home alone but we are reaching a point where we are needing to. any suggestions??

iheartyorkies · 01-23-2005, 09:07 PM

Hi Yorkiemommy and welcome to the Forum. You will find invaluable info here and there are so many loving committed Yorkie owners. Does your baby have a crate that he can feel warm and secure in? I decided as soon as I brought Bo home (he's three months old now and we've had him for several weeks) that I would crate train him. He has a little crate that has a soft blanket in it and I always put a toy in there for him to snuggle with. He loves the feeling of being warm and secure. I cover the crate with a small blanket (except the front, so he can see out) and it makes a little 'den' for him. He naps and sleeps in there only. If he's active but I can't watch him he has a pen that he can walk around in (I try to put it in the same room where I am so he can see me if possible). Normally unless he needs to go out he is fairly content in the pen. He may whine for a minute but then settles and rests or chews on a toy. Just some things that have worked for me. Good luck!

lickthestar · 01-24-2005, 03:58 AM

I was scared that Archie suffered from separation anxiety (or was it my separation anxiety?!) But anyway, what was suggested to me was to start out by leaving the room your yorkie is in for 5 minutes. Then, come back in. Then go somewhere else for a longer period next time, and then come back in. Soon enough, your dog will realize that when you go out, you will come in again and it's not forever. Also, one good trick is to keep a toy that your yorkie loves, and bring it out only before you leave. When you come back in, take that toy and put it away until the next time you leave. It helps divert attention from the fact that you're gone.

Dolce's Mom · 01-24-2005, 12:10 PM

lickthestar-Thats what I did too....I would put her in her playpen and leave the room for a while and then come back in and take her out...I kept leaving her in there for longer and longer periods this way she knew that I would always come back and get her. She has her own room basically in our house (its our computer room), and she sleeps in her playpen in there. When its bedtime, i say "ok, bedtime" and give her lots of kisses and hugs then she goes in her playpen, i put on her nitelite and close the door. I have been doing this since she was about 9-10 weeks old (she is almost 6 months), and she knows, when its time for bed its time for bed. No crying no whining no nothing. She is very very good about that. It just takes time....I think it hurts us more than it hurts them. In time your baby will be ok with it....lickthestar gave some really good advice about it!!

lickthestar · 01-24-2005, 03:50 PM

I keep advocating for this all the time, but I really really encourage people to check out www.thepetshow.com. A friend of mine told me to do the going in and out, and giving him the toy thing, and told me to check out Warren Eckstein. Warren Eckstein is a pet therapist and he's REALLY good. I've followed most of his advice and had a great success...you can find answers to almost every pet issue! My new idol is Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. He's very good too and his techniques are very similar to Warren Eckstein. I like Warren and Cesar because their advice works and doesn't make me feel bad about doing something.

yorkiemommy · 01-24-2005, 08:51 PM

i began attempting to leave him in my room with the door shut while i do laundry or run to the restroom. he barks and yelps as loud as possibly until the second i come back into the bedroom. once i open the door he is sitting right in front of the door with the "why did you leave me look?". today i left him inside while i went to the mailbox. he cried so loud i could hear him in the street. what size crate would be best for a 5 and 1/2 pd puppy??

orinskye · 01-24-2005, 09:53 PM

you know...... if you open the door when he is still crying, then you are sort of "rewarding" his behavior....... if you wait until he is quite then open the door he will learn to associate his "quiet" with your return... eventually hell be quiet the whole time...... i know this may sound mean, but let the little guy cry......(you should say no, when he cries too, but dont let him out until hes quiet)
as for teh crate this size:12"W x 19"D x 15"H is for dogs up to 10 lbs
and this size: Size 1: 18"W x 24"D x 20"H is for a dog up to 25 lbs.... (in case you wanted to put a pee pad in there, ect....)

But i use the up to 10 lbs one (except it is one of those plastic carrier kind)

bld2751 · 01-25-2005, 04:32 AM

I completely agree with the advice you are getting about the crate/kennel. This is where Hercules is put during the day when we are at work and at night. He wines a little bit and then usually settles down for a nap. If you aren't able to be with your pup 24-7 then this is a good idea as well.

Orinskye is right about not responding to him until he's quiet. If you let him out while he's barking, then he will think that's what he needs to do to get out in the future.

Good luck. Keep with it. And remember that the crate is not mean or cruel. It is a place that he can feel comfortable and secure in.

iheartyorkies · 01-25-2005, 06:16 AM

Ditto what orinskye and bld2751 said! When properly crate trained, your pup will grow to think of it as his 'den' and feel secure. If at all possible, let him out after any longer periods for some active play. I try to let Bo out of his crate when he wakes up from a nap, we play, then he goes into his playpen if I'm too busy to watch him. Of course, I'm home most of the time and am able to do this. He won't have the run of the house until he's completely housebroken, and even then I believe it's best to always know where he is cause these guys are so little. If you plan to be gone all day, you might try confining him and his crate to a small space with the crate door left open. An x- pen (exercise pen) is excellent for this and you can cover the floor if he's not housebroken yet. These little ones, especially young puppies, have SO much energy that they must have active, albeit supervised, play several times a day. Also, try him in the crate or pen while you are in the room and he can see you. You might be surprised how soon he settles, and then wait a few minutes, then get him out and praise him like crazy. Good luck!

01-23-2005, 06:55 PM	#1
yorkiemommy YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3	help! my sweet cute oh so lovable 5mth old yorkie pup is afraid of being alone. he throws a barking fit once i leave the room for a second! we haven't yet left him home alone but we are reaching a point where we are needing to. any suggestions??

01-24-2005, 12:10 PM	#4
Dolce's Mom YT Addict Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 307	lickthestar-Thats what I did too....I would put her in her playpen and leave the room for a while and then come back in and take her out...I kept leaving her in there for longer and longer periods this way she knew that I would always come back and get her. She has her own room basically in our house (its our computer room), and she sleeps in her playpen in there. When its bedtime, i say "ok, bedtime" and give her lots of kisses and hugs then she goes in her playpen, i put on her nitelite and close the door. I have been doing this since she was about 9-10 weeks old (she is almost 6 months), and she knows, when its time for bed its time for bed. No crying no whining no nothing. She is very very good about that. It just takes time....I think it hurts us more than it hurts them. In time your baby will be ok with it....lickthestar gave some really good advice about it!! __________________ ~Melissa and Dolce~

01-24-2005, 08:51 PM	#6
yorkiemommy YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3	thanks for the advice.. i began attempting to leave him in my room with the door shut while i do laundry or run to the restroom. he barks and yelps as loud as possibly until the second i come back into the bedroom. once i open the door he is sitting right in front of the door with the "why did you leave me look?". today i left him inside while i went to the mailbox. he cried so loud i could hear him in the street. what size crate would be best for a 5 and 1/2 pd puppy??

01-23-2005, 09:07 PM	#2
iheartyorkies Boppin' Bo! Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,719	Hi Yorkiemommy and welcome to the Forum. You will find invaluable info here and there are so many loving committed Yorkie owners. Does your baby have a crate that he can feel warm and secure in? I decided as soon as I brought Bo home (he's three months old now and we've had him for several weeks) that I would crate train him. He has a little crate that has a soft blanket in it and I always put a toy in there for him to snuggle with. He loves the feeling of being warm and secure. I cover the crate with a small blanket (except the front, so he can see out) and it makes a little 'den' for him. He naps and sleeps in there only. If he's active but I can't watch him he has a pen that he can walk around in (I try to put it in the same room where I am so he can see me if possible). Normally unless he needs to go out he is fairly content in the pen. He may whine for a minute but then settles and rests or chews on a toy. Just some things that have worked for me. Good luck!

01-24-2005, 03:58 AM	#3
lickthestar YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NY Posts: 360	I was scared that Archie suffered from separation anxiety (or was it my separation anxiety?!) But anyway, what was suggested to me was to start out by leaving the room your yorkie is in for 5 minutes. Then, come back in. Then go somewhere else for a longer period next time, and then come back in. Soon enough, your dog will realize that when you go out, you will come in again and it's not forever. Also, one good trick is to keep a toy that your yorkie loves, and bring it out only before you leave. When you come back in, take that toy and put it away until the next time you leave. It helps divert attention from the fact that you're gone.

01-24-2005, 03:50 PM	#5
lickthestar YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NY Posts: 360	I keep advocating for this all the time, but I really really encourage people to check out www.thepetshow.com. A friend of mine told me to do the going in and out, and giving him the toy thing, and told me to check out Warren Eckstein. Warren Eckstein is a pet therapist and he's REALLY good. I've followed most of his advice and had a great success...you can find answers to almost every pet issue! My new idol is Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. He's very good too and his techniques are very similar to Warren Eckstein. I like Warren and Cesar because their advice works and doesn't make me feel bad about doing something.

01-24-2005, 09:53 PM	#7
orinskye YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California Posts: 2,990	you know...... if you open the door when he is still crying, then you are sort of "rewarding" his behavior....... if you wait until he is quite then open the door he will learn to associate his "quiet" with your return... eventually hell be quiet the whole time...... i know this may sound mean, but let the little guy cry......(you should say no, when he cries too, but dont let him out until hes quiet) as for teh crate this size:12"W x 19"D x 15"H is for dogs up to 10 lbs and this size: Size 1: 18"W x 24"D x 20"H is for a dog up to 25 lbs.... (in case you wanted to put a pee pad in there, ect....) But i use the up to 10 lbs one (except it is one of those plastic carrier kind)

01-25-2005, 04:32 AM	#8
bld2751 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 861	I completely agree with the advice you are getting about the crate/kennel. This is where Hercules is put during the day when we are at work and at night. He wines a little bit and then usually settles down for a nap. If you aren't able to be with your pup 24-7 then this is a good idea as well. Orinskye is right about not responding to him until he's quiet. If you let him out while he's barking, then he will think that's what he needs to do to get out in the future. Good luck. Keep with it. And remember that the crate is not mean or cruel. It is a place that he can feel comfortable and secure in.

01-25-2005, 06:16 AM	#9
iheartyorkies Boppin' Bo! Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,719	Ditto what orinskye and bld2751 said! When properly crate trained, your pup will grow to think of it as his 'den' and feel secure. If at all possible, let him out after any longer periods for some active play. I try to let Bo out of his crate when he wakes up from a nap, we play, then he goes into his playpen if I'm too busy to watch him. Of course, I'm home most of the time and am able to do this. He won't have the run of the house until he's completely housebroken, and even then I believe it's best to always know where he is cause these guys are so little. If you plan to be gone all day, you might try confining him and his crate to a small space with the crate door left open. An x- pen (exercise pen) is excellent for this and you can cover the floor if he's not housebroken yet. These little ones, especially young puppies, have SO much energy that they must have active, albeit supervised, play several times a day. Also, try him in the crate or pen while you are in the room and he can see you. You might be surprised how soon he settles, and then wait a few minutes, then get him out and praise him like crazy. Good luck!