Stay at home doxie (cross post from gen health)

[Augie Dog]

When my wife and I got Augie we worked opposing shifts, he was rarely left in his creat for more than 5 hours a day.

Well, my wife and I are now working the same hours. She leaves at 7:30 and I leave at 8. She comes home for lunch to let him out around noon then it is back into the creat until 5:15. A nice set sched.

Nice for us but, what about Augie. He is safe in his 2X3 cage, nice warm blanket with a water bottle and toys (and as always a yummy peanut butter filled kong) but I know that he is not happy when I put him in. He goes for the kong and then when he sees me head for the door, his heart breaks (mine too) cry, bark, whimper, howl!

He does the same if I am in the garage and am working on something (anti-freeze and stuff)and he is in the house or even if I am just in another room he can't get too. I can see that this is just separation angsiety <sp> but what about when he is left alone, we keep the TV on and the kitchen light.

When we get home, out of the cage he goes. He does a dance and out to poopeedoo he goes.
Then it's play time!

He seems ok. He's coming up on 9 months, just wondering if all of this is still puppy stuff. He is deffinatly daddys dog and must be with me at all times.

Is there anyone else that has a stay at home doxie? Do they do the same thing? (howl, bark, cry) I hate going to work sometimes. But I always look forward to coming back home to a wagging tail & big sloppy kisses.

I need some input or thoughts.


David

[Krista]

David,

My two stay at home in their x-pen usually from 7:30am -1:00pm and then again from 2:00pm -5:30 most of the time, and unfortunately somedays they are in there more, when hubby works overtime and does not get home at 1:00.

They obviously would rather stay out of the pen, but they don't howl, or cry or anything when we leave. They seem to be perfectly fine, but of course are extremely happy when we get home.

I have the back of the house (bedrooms and bath) gated off so they cannot go back there unsupervised. When I am back there getting dressed, or showering, Roscoe will sit at the gate and wait for me. Sometimes he gives a soft whine every few minutes, but its nothing I worry about. Rudy used to do that too, and now he is content to snuggle up in blankie on the couch while I am back there. It might be a puppy thing, but you might have a dogger with separation anxiety too...

Maybe someone with more experience in this area will offer some better comments.

I think having a buddy with them helps a lot -they aren't really alone. I know you are wanting to get another one eventually, and I think that may just solve or at least improve the situation.

[LisaH]

I've read that it's important not to make a big deal out of leaving the house. They'll pick up on your emotion, so keep it simple. Use the same cue each day to tell them you're leaving ("Be a good dog," or something) and don't make a lot of eye contact or hug them. Just leave in a very casual matter-of-fact way.

You can also "practice" leaving, that is, leave for a couple of minutes and come back, leave for 5 minutes and come back. That helps get them accustomed to the idea of your coming and going.

I found this advice very helpful with our Annie. She was a VERY clingy puppy at 8 weeks, and if I hadn't had this advice to keep it low-key when I left, I would probably have made her far worse! We practiced leaving her alone in her pen for short periods during the first week we had her (which we both took off), then when we went back to work the interval was just longer. She's now 3, and barely lifts her head when I tell her to "Be a good dog."

[Roxane]

Hi David:
Have mentioned before that Greta was the definition of Separation Anxiety. So bonded to hubby it mattered not that I was home, if he left. We took the easy way out and added Baylea. Now we give each a special really-hard-to-chew bone just before we quitely go out the door.
They have each other and the bones. Heck, they hardly look up now!
Think I am pushing for you to adopt a rescue? Moi? http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/halo.gif
Roxane & crew +2

[Mrs.F]

We went through the same thing with Penny, too. When we first brought her home she never made a fuss about staying in the pen when we all went to work and school. Then came the long summer vacation from school. My husband was working extra hours because of good weather and both of our teens were away working at a camp for most of the summer so Penny and I were inseparable. She was OK when I'd leave her for short periods, during the summer but come September she rebelled over being left in the pen for most of the day. She would whine and/or bark when I'd put on my "teacher shoes". I felt terrible, but couldn't quit my job! After about 4 weeks of my feeling guilty and worrying about Penny, I had to take the morning off to have some medical tests done. Insane woman that I am, I got up at the usual hour, got everyone fed and out the door, put Penny in the pen and left "for school" as she whined and barked. I parked the car a ways down the road, walked back and stood in the garage for about 1O minutes, and didn't hear a peep. I sneaked into the backyard, peeked in the window and watched Penny chew on her Nylabone. Since then I've been convinced that the whining is just a last minute attempt to be 'rescued' from the pen and not a sign of real distress.
Whether it was because I was able to stop feeling guilty and just acted more matter of fact, or perhaps Penny got used to the routine again but things improved pretty quickly after that.
When we first got Maggie, it just doubled my worries because I had 2 sad dogs giving me the L@@k every morning! A second dog may help, but I'm not convinced that it totally takes care of the heartbreak of not going with Mom and Dad every morning!
Perhaps Augie just needs a little more time to learn that even though Mom and Dad have to leave every day, they always come home again.

[Oscar's Mom]

Mrs. F - I have always wanted to do that! But we live on the 2nd floor and I wouldn't be to get a peak.