Hi all- I'm new here :)

I just got a 7 week old Parson Jack Russell Terrier on Saturday (Nov 23rd 02) and he's just lovely! He is very attached to my bf & I's company though (which makes sense, as he's still getting used to not having his siblings around). He cries & cries if we leave the room, or if we put him in his papered 'puppy area' (he can see us through the gate- we're always within sight, yet he still cries as though he's the saddest puppy in the world). Does anyone have any advice to help stop this? Does anyone know if he'll grow out of this somewhat, and when? I've been practicing leaving the room for short amounts of time, but he usually starts crying loudly 30 seconds after I leave. I also try to ignore him a bit before I leave, and when I come back in so that I don't emphasize the importance of either. Of course I'll keep it up, he's only been with us for a few days! I just hate to hear/see him cry so loudly and am a bit paranoid of him getting seperation anxiety (majorly) as a result of being left for too long, and getting 'scarred 4 life' (Russells have great memories!)! Both my bf & I work (tho my bf works nights only a few days a week, so is usually home, although asleep) and the pup (Flash) will have to be left in 2 days for 2 hours when neither of us will be home. I'm worried that he'll get really scared by it. Anyone had any experiences to share? He's a confident pup- not shy at all, except that he's needy when it comes to our attention.
On the plus side, he already comes when called, knows his name, comes to a whistle, and shows great promise with the 'sit'! :)

Emma

Hi Emma,
I'm afraid I have no experiance (yet) to share with you, but I just wanted to wish you luck with your new pup and I'm sure someone will be along soon who can help you. I've received loads of advice from the others on the board!
Nic :)

Think you are doing the right thing, leave the room for short time and ignore the crying, have you taken him to the vet yet for his check up, if not I would do it and then you will know that there is nothing wrong with him and you can ignore his crying until it suits you to go to him. If he finds it does not get him anywere he will stop. Horrid isn't it. Ja:)kie

hi emma, everything will be very strange for your new pup at the moment, you have only had him a couple of days, i know it is really hard to listen to them cry, but you will have to be tough. leave the room, close the door, return after a couple of minutes, repeat this but leave it a bit longer before returning each time, your pup will soon realise that you will be coming back, remember it is early days he will get used to being left, im sure we have all been through it. another tip is to leave the radio on. good luck with your new pup and let us all know how you get on
carol

Hi, I think if you try getting them use to noises, like when I first brought my puppy home and I would leave her alone in the room to go to work. I would always leave the TV on and a little on the loud side. It seem to work because there wasn't a dead silence. She now loves to sleep where there is a TV or where music is being played. Try it, it might just work.

I posted something like this when I first got my pup home 3 months ago. It was so upsetting to hear her cry and she would follow me around the house and howl if she couldn't get to me. I forced myself to go out of the house so I couldn't hear her crying and would come back an hour later, over 2 weeks I would take a little longer to return by which time she was fine. I also left her with a kong and now when I go out she is more interested in that than me. When I was in the house I would build up her confidence about being left by keeping her in a room where she could see me but there would be a baby gate between us. I also worked hard at making sure she would sleep on her own downstairs at night.

I am no expert and others may have some better ideas but this all worked for us and I now have a pup that will quite happily amuse herself for a few hours if needs be.

Good luck, and try not to worry too much; it will improve.

Oh good! That gives me some hope, moo! I do those same things (tv, kong) so hopefully it'll work for me too! I'll try leaving to do some groceries for about 20mins today, so that should be a good start (& I can't heasr the noises). Hope the neighbours won't mind too much (live in a small block of "apartments" - there is 1 person above me, and 2 to each side)!

Emma =)

Thanx 4 all the suggestions! I'll persevere with my 'leaving & coming back'. I do so fairly frequenly when leaving to go to the bathroom- he's not too bad with this. Oddly enough it's his puppy play area he seems to hate most. I also have to work within time restraints, as my bf (who works nights) is often sleeping during the day, when I want to practice leaving & coming back. I feel that I can't do it too much as Flash's cries will wake him. Oh well. I do it a bit anyway! I also always have the TV on in the room, so he'll be comforted by it (both when I'm here & when I'm not).
Anyways, I'll let you know how he gets on! =)

HI

Get some nice earplugs for your fella (Boots do nice pink ones, he'll like those :D ) and practice going out as you are doing...it is important to be able to do it every little and often at this stage.

Many sociable youngsters just want to be with you, so if you pop him in his play area, it is maybe not as much fun as you. It's hard - I had to practice this from theword go with my Belgian Terv, as they are known for separation troubles as they just want to be totally involved withthe family, ALL the time!

I used to pop upstairs, and shut the childgate, also pop out to the corner shop and get chocolate...!!! So started slowly and built up the time away :) The third time i went out, I heard this amazing little puppy howl, just heartbreaking. I had to really make myself get in the car and drive to the shops.

After I was happy with this, i would very the time, so I MAY have been out for half an hour, 2, or just 10 minutes. I think this sort of cements the fact that the pup knows you will be back, but they don't learn to expect you at a certain time, so don't get upset if they feel you are "late" :)

Have fun, bet your pup's so sweet.....:) ;)

Lindsay

Hi Lindsay

Thanx 4 the ideas!
Flash has gotten much better over the last day or 2! It's amazing how quickly they move on! I found that putting an item of clothing that I had been wearing in with him made a huge difference! He always sought out these items to fall asleep on when he's out & about in the living room, so I thought I'd try it out. He settles in much quicker (in his pen) that way. Also (!!!!!) I awoke this morning with a scare, because I realized that I hadn't been woken up during the night, and was worried that my pup was ill or something! But thank goodness he was just sleeping, and he had managed to stay clean all night long! Granted that was still only 6 hours, but that's amazing to me for a 7.5 week old! I'm dead impressed & made a big fuss over him when I got up. =) He started out crying as ususal when I shut the door to his crate (he likes the crate, just not the door being closed), so I put an item of clothing in with him (again, since it worked quite well with the play pen) and he was immediately quiet & went to sleep without a peep. So, even if I have to do this with a scruffy old shirt 4 the rest of my life, I don't really care- it seems to comfort him.. and me!

Admin Note: URL Snipped. Terms of Service

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh ! How cute is that. A million miles away from my great lummox :D :D

You must be dead proud and from what you say, Flash is coming along great.
Good Luck with the little cutie

Beth

Sooooooo cute :) - reminds me of my dearly departed :(