anxiety training

[hobbit Cub Find all posts View Profile Close hobbit]

this is my first question here :) i have a new chihuahua puppy. he's almost 5 months old and we got him when he was 3 months from a petstore. i understand that wasnt a good idea since they arent good BUT what's done is done. he learned potty training fast. he's very smart... mabey too smart haha. he knows things he shouldnt do and does them and then as soon as i look at him, he runs. its pretty cute when its not something important he's destroyed. anyways, the only problem he has is when he has to go into his room for the night, or when we leave, or when i eat lunch. he doesnt bark. he SCREAMS and whines and throws the biggest hissy fit you've ever seen a tiny dog throw. my aunt heard him and said "are you baby sitting a kid?" now, his room is the downstairs bathroom. he's got a crate (we are getting him a "big dog" bed for christmas to replace to crate), a down blanket in the crate, chew toys, chew sticks, bones, a soft toy for him to cuddle or bite, water, a puppy pad and his very own radio. and i hide treats in his blanket so he's got a little suprise. but what's missing is me. he'd rather be with me 24 hours a day. he could care less bout my boyfriend haha but he wants his mom.

we do not let him out when he cries. we've done everything the books say. nothing has worked. and eventually he does calm down but if he hears me, or if i'm on the phone, he starts up again.

any suggestions?

[smiffy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close smiffy]

hi

i find the biggest problem with little dogs is the awww factor.

my shih tzu my mum has up on her knee and hands feeds her biscuits and i moaned and shouted about it and she ignored me while the dog gave me an 'up yours' stare.
so one day i took mybiggest dalmatian (pictured) and sat her on mums knee. my mums tiny so she couldnt see over the top. i said to her go on then get the biscuits.

its the same thing. i tell people all the time treat them like big dogs. do you notice the smaller the dog the higher people speak to them? i do and it drives me nuts! and when i say shes a little monkey i get nooooo!

they are hardy sturdy dogs and can take a lot more than credit is given i think. i would recommend you get jan fennels the dog listener.
ive lots of things i could type here but i havent seen what your like with him, get in to the habit of not making a fuss of him when you come in. put your shopping away before you even look at him.

when you crate him before you go dont make a fuss just say bed and go.
have you tried standing out of sight of your door when you go out just to see how long he goes on for?
thats always a good indecator. if he shuts up after a mo when you are not in sight (and watch for your shadows to see its not casting where he can see it) then its because he knows you will come running and you will see its a learned behaviour but if it carries on and he becomes destructive or doesnt touch his toys/treats then i would look to seperation anxiety.

i think when you have found out whether its one or the other it will be easier for us to give more suggestions.

[hobbit Cub Find all posts View Profile Close hobbit]

thanks for the reply!!! if my boyfriend puts him in his room, he wont even cry. but if i'm downstairs and i do it, he freaks out. and usually it stops after 3-5 minutes with rare exeptions.

i hate people who talk to dogs like babies too. of course i baby him when he's sick but other then that i talk to him like normal. well kinda normal haha. we spend most of the day together so i talk to him a lot.

i think its more of separation and he wants to stay with me. and i'd love to have him sleep in our room in his bed once he gets a little older and a little more trained but until then, he's got to sleep in his own room. if we leave him unsupervised for more then 5 minutes, he will find something important and eat it.

when he cries, i dont let him out and i dont say anything to him unless he's getting really loud and then i say "enough" really firmly. some place suggested that. and he quiets down for a few seconds and that's it. normally, if we leave the house, by the time we get to the garage, he's quiet. but if i'm at home and he has to go in there, he goes a little bit longer.

i hope i answered all of your questions :) and your dalmation is very adorable!!!

[Jenmm Cub Find all posts View Profile Close Jenmm]

I had a minnie doc that had seperation probs. if i left his sight just into another room he would cry! he even needed a padded crate because he would bang into the side of the crate very hard and get injured. the vet recomended drug treatment becuase he was causing himself injury. I would joke and say he needed a straight jacket :wink: i ended up having to find him a new home with an older couple who didnt work. i was a single mom living in an app. and when i would go to work even with the drugs he would hurt him self. it was very hard for me to let him go but it was best for him. i have lost touch with the couple and i hope he is still doing well. he was a great boy and i wish i could have done for him what he needed. it still kills me :cry:

I dont think your little one has it to this extent, i feel it will get better for you. good luck!

[smiffy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close smiffy]

oh jen thats so sad, if you do have another dog in the future just reach out as help is alway there.
me for instance i work as a homechecker for dalmatian rescue but ive fostered a homeless rabbit here, ive helped all sorts of breeds and at themoment im helping a family with their dobermann my boss has a flock of doves right now!!! long story:)

just ask ok, im sorry you didnt get the help you needed in time and i can see your still cut up understandably but if you have another dog help is at hand :)

hobbit i wouldnt have him up in your room its a good thing to have your space and his space. just saying enough is good. with eating important stuff, sit on the floor when hes not in the room and put your head at his height ~ yes you will look silly :) ~ but that way you can see what he can get to easily and rectify it. this is a trick in ferrets and 'ferret proofing' your house and it makes the world of difference. in dalmatians i tell ppl to think waggy tails :) one of my ladies waiting for a dog wants a large breed so i was talking tails and ornaments now every time her two year old daughter sees me she wags her'tail' she soo cute, like a button!

do take a look at yourself with your dog in the day and compare that to your boyfriend and the dog. its my betting that your bf walks straight past him and does what ever hes doing before he even looks at the dog but you might say something like hello sweety or give him a ruffle before youve put your bags away.or walk past him during the day and give him a ruffle or smile.
im not saying ignore your dog all day long but at the mo one dalmatians curled up in a beanbag the other is stretched out behid me and my shih tzu is washing and ive not spoken to them or looked directly at them for hours.

have you enrolled him at a puppy group yet? i think this will be a great idea on so many levels because he needs to be around dogs all shapes and sizes and ppl suddenly swooping down going' oh what a poppet' plus you will pick up some fab tips and excercises to work on at home.
i would take him as far as you can in training because it great to see my little dog in agility and obedience, i call her super dog because she sort of flys through the air with both front paws stretched out.
im working on a heel work to music routine with all three of them and when something like this all comes together its so rewarding but it all helps with the relationship between your dog and you.

[RedyreRottweilers Cub Find all posts View Profile Close RedyreRottweilers]

I would urge you to confine the puppy in a room near you, or in the main living area, instead of putting his way down in the downstairs bathroom.

He is feeling too far away from you, and that is likely the cause of a lot of the screaming.

Some things that can help are covering the crate with a blanket so he can't see out, or putting one of the comfort snugglers that you warm in the microwave in with him when you put him in the crate.

Puppies sold in Pet Stores come from breeders who do not care about their puppies, so he could have been bred from any sort of parents who had any sort of behavior or health issues. The main reason not to buy ANYTHING in any store that sells registered puppies or kittens is that you are contributing to the demand each time you buy. Even dog food or toys. Any money you spend in these places supports the greed breeders and makes the cruelty wheel turn, so vote with your feet against puppy mills and commercial breeders, and do not buy in stores that sell registered puppies, or designer mixes.

[hobbit Cub Find all posts View Profile Close hobbit]

thanks for all the suggestions!! he starts classes in january and i'm really excited about it. he's such a little smarty so i know he'll love the class. also he has an appointment with a behavioralist so we can get him checked out i guess emotionally lol

i am worried that he was taken away from his mom too early and i'm pretty pissed at the pet store. the lady lied big time about his size and she said she let him stay at home with her for a week but i dont believe that at all. so hopefully we can work through his emotional stuff and get him on the right track.

he got a new bed for christmas (early) and its a burrow bed and he's in 7th heaven.

lately we've been trying something new where i got upstairs for 5 minutes and them my boyfriend puts him to bed and he seems to be doing better. this week i'm going to "puppy proof" the upstairs and try getting him used to playing up there.

i'll keep you guys updated!!!

[smiffy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close smiffy]

i wish you all the best with your pup.
the thing about pet shop dogs is that many come from puppy farms (even harrods were stocked by a pup farm in north wales) conditions a sparse,cramped no compassion.
ive known of a westie mother to be so hungry she ate her young. very often the first human contact is when the pup is lifted out to be sold which also means no vetinary care.
oh the pup farmer will come up with 'papers' but trust me it means nothing unless you want to breed (and i hope one wouldnt from a farm dog) or you plan to take part in club shows, it doesnt stop you if you dont have papers from taking part in all other shows though,i show mine and i would never even apply for 'papers'
ive seen dogs in such a state its enough to make you puke.i know whats done is done but maybe now you can play a part in the campaign against puppy farming.

[hobbit Cub Find all posts View Profile Close hobbit]

the lady promised his health papers yet never mailed them. i really would like to write her a really mean letter but what good would it do ya know. i'm just glad i could give teecee a good home. he's pretty normal for the most part. he's very friendly which suprised me. but he still has some issues that i can see from being in that shop. and even tho he's not as small as she said, i dont mind as long as he is healthy and growing good. :D

[smiffy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close smiffy]

well thats it hobbit, all he needs to see from you is a safe secure home where a smiley face and a tickle under the chin are always on tap.

[hobbit Cub Find all posts View Profile Close hobbit]

he didnt cry last nite!!!! tho i dont think its cuz he's over it but more because he got his bone with peanut butter in it and was very happy haha. but its an improvement. i cant wait until christmas. i have a santa suit for him to wear and he's gonna go with us to my aunts. he's never seen a pool so hopefully he wont jump/fall in. and she has two dogs so he'll be able to play with them.

[smiffy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close smiffy]

brilliant! thats great he didnt cry in the night ~ if the peanut butter works then stick with it and over the weeks gradually reduce it to a slither.

it sounds like he will have a great time at your aunts :)
merry christmas.

[hobbit Cub Find all posts View Profile Close hobbit]

hey guys!!! well teecee has been doing great! he's only had one really bad night. and i think it was because everyone has been so busy during the holidays and he felt left out. he gets either a peanut butter bone or his new favorite, beef jerky.

he got neutered 2 weeks ago and he did great! he had to wear a cone for 7 days and he was pretty mad because he figured out he cant do as much with the cone on. but its been off for a week and the vet gave him a thumbs up and said he's doing great! he gets the rest of his shots monday and i am enrolling him in puppy class!

so we've had a great few weeks!

[smiffy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close smiffy]

thats great :D good luck at puppy class :)