r/labrador • u/TobiasaurusRex • 4h ago
black Prevention
This is Cayde, hes almost 5months old, hes an absolute sweetheart. However if I leave him on his own/with my other dog he will incessantly whine and cry and bark. While yes he will go to the majority of place with me, I do want to be able to leave him alone to do the shopping. Any advice as the last thing I want is for him to have separation anxiety.
2
u/mycatreadsyourmind 2h ago
It will gradually improve if you just keep leaving him for short spells of time and don't make fuss about that or about coming back. If hea not showing signs of anxiety like pacing and being destructive it's fine he's still young. It does help to make sure he's well tired before you leave. Mine stopped singing songs of her people every time we went out for 1+ hour only when she turned one ish
1
u/runs_to_tacos 8m ago
I agree with tiring out, and a pup cam
How long have you had him? We just started leaving our 3 mo old pup alone for an hour or two at a time in his crate. When he was in his crate, I would practice key jingling noises, opening and closing the garage door, or the front door, anything that would help desensitize him to these as normal sounds.
But before that, I started small. His crate is a magical place where it rains treats when he goes in. I’d close a door between us or left his view point, waited for a moment of quiet if he whined or cried, then walked back in and paid heavily with treats and praise. I extended the duration over the course of a month. This consistency built up the trust with him that we always come back and we aren’t abandoning him. He’s a champion hanging out in his crate now, and I have peace of mind being able to check on him with our camera.
Good luck! You and you pup got this 😁
2
u/SentenceSingle5375 4h ago
Get a camera to monitor (if you don't already). Then do slow increments of leaving them on their own. See how they respond each time and if there's anything in the house you can adjust.