Worried.......need advice!
 

My girl Teeka is now 5 1/2 months old. We have never left her home alone. She goes to town with us and waits in the truck with my hubby or she goes into stores with me. I left her home with my 19 year old son this morning to finish my shopping. He said the entire time I was gone, she whined or barked! My husband says, when I am in stores, she whines constantly. I think she is missing me. Does she have anxiety or is this typical for a puppy her age? I am a stay at home grandma and she is with me pretty much 24/7 What should I do, if anything? I know there is going to come a time where I am not able to take her with me and she will have to stay home!!!

Awww the poor baby! I am no pro at diagnosing these things but yorkies ARE like babies and that sounds like a classic case of separation anxiety to me!!

This happened to me too, everyone told me to socialize Joey and take him everywhere, so I did, but he became too attached to me. So I started desensitizing him, you can leave for a few minutes, go out to the garage or just outside, and come back in. You can do this several times a day and gradually increase time to 15 minutes. When you come in, ignore her the first few minutes, that's the hard part, but all the books say to do it. I wasn't able to completely do it, I found that if I sat down on the steps with Joey and gave him a quick kiss, he settles down faster. Joey really gets anxious and has trouble breathing, so the sooner he settles down the better. Next, make sure you go out at least 1/2 hour every week, I still like someone at home when I leave, but it's because I'm so worried about a fire and I stress out too much, but Joey is no longer so anxious when I leave and I can be gone for hours now and he doesn't show any stress, unless its dinner time! Here’s an article with some good information. Separation Anxiety : The Humane Society of the United States

:thumbup: I agree with every word Nancy says.....our Harry was exactly the same.

I'm used to being with him 24/7 - but there are times you just can't take them, for instance when it's boiling outside and you have a loooong hospital appointment.

It does get easier as they get older and more secure - once they realise that you WILL come back! :) The pup-sitters that I've used to pop in for the odd hour have said that he's become much more relaxed as he's got older, he'll watch and wait now instead of crying and getting into a trembly mess! :eek:

I really wish you luck, and please try not to be too worried - it WILL pass :) Sally + Harry x

Yep, I did the same as Nancy said. He's completely fine to be left home alone, but if I leave him in the car with Chad he whines. So I'm making sure to do that more often - run into the store and leave him outside with Chad or a friend, leave him in the car with Chad, leave him at work with co-workers...just for a few moments. Most of the time I'm just standing outside the door waiting for a few minutes to pass, LOL

Thanks for the advice, I will try this. She even cries and scratches at the door when I take a bath!

So did Joey, I even had a little bed in the bathroom for him! He's outgrown this need though.

Up until Harry was about a year old - I used to leave the bathroom door open because of this....now I just leave it ajar and he doesn't bother to come in, probably because he knows he CAN.....;) :D Sally + Harry x

Exactly!

Yes, desensitize. Victoria Stilwell trains this way. You might want to eatch some episodes...

I know it is fun to take the furkds everywhere, but it really is not good for them. They need to learn to be independent when necessary.

I also think they can sometimes act worse when there is someone there with them, it's almost like for attention. Everyone use to tell me that my last yorkie Kirby was a mess when I was out, so I used to sneak around the back to see what he was doing when he had been left completely alone. Most of the time he was sound asleep in one of his beds.

Just last night I was out and my husband was home, he said Lola was very subdued while I was gone, and was pacing and pouting, yet I know when she is alone she sleeps in her bed not far from the door. Same thing in the car, if I run into a store and she is alone I come back and she is curled up on my seat sleeping, but if I leave her with Hope holding her, she is scratching and panting and so forth. I am sure this is not the case with all dogs but just because they act one way while someone is watching does not mean they act the same when left totaly alone. Time for puppy cam.

I also think it is good advice that others have given you, I cringe when I hear a new owner say how they will not ever leave their dog alone, this is just not feasable or healthy, there will always be places you can not take your dogs, hospitals, dental offices, doctors, weddings, funerals and so forth, so you might as well get them used to it as puppies

I have started leaving the door open a crack, just so she can come and go! She is such a little fire cracker and thinks she needs someone to give her attention most of the time. I think I have created a little monster......! We have other dogs, so it's not like she get all the attention.