Right everyone read the posts before you write something and judge me!
I'm excluding myself from the judgmental thing, I made 2 posts & neither were judgmental, or rantings for that matter.
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By rabid
Date 06.10.15 21:45 UTC
Edited 06.10.15 21:47 UTC
Upvotes 9
Kdale I also run puppy classes at a vet practice and am an APDT trainer and behaviourist.
I can also say that most vets receive zero training in anything behavioural.
Letting your puppy continue like this will likely lead to severe separation anxiety. That means: Claws torn off, trying to get out of the crate, excessive panting and salivation on being left, urination and defecation from stress, ongoing and excessive barking, and when strong enough, crates broken out of, doors demolished and woodwork destroyed and a problem which takes an incredibly long time to fix.
I work with dogs like this. I take their case histories. They begin exactly as your puppy is.
Unfortunately it is probably already too late. Puppies learn a lot in their early weeks. If they learn that being left alone = unbearable panic, that is not an association which it is easy for them to unlearn. It can take literally years of behavioural work to enable a dog with severe separation anxiety to be ok being left, and all because a few weeks of training didn't happen now and because you left a puppy alone too long. And separation anxiety is a major reason dogs are given up to rescues for rehoming, because people can't deal with them anymore.
You have been offered WAY more advice on here than you merit - because you are not taking any of it.
I will be having a litter next year and there's no way I will be homing a puppy with anyone who works full time out of the house and who hasn't made careful provision for care during the day, for the puppy.
As a behaviourist, I frequently have to deal with impossible situations like this. They go things like: "I have 3 dogs. One of them is reactive, and when she is reactive, she sets the other two off.'. Me: "Well, to start with, you need to walk the dogs separately...." Person: "Oh, I can't do that because...."
Some situations simply can't be fixed unless a very huge change is made. Without that huge change, nothing is going to improve. It is the dog who suffers, every time - the dog who will get rehomed. The dog who will get put to sleep. The dog whose problems get worse until either of the previous eventualities is the only option.
If you really want to deal with separation anxiety, the VERY FIRST step is to ensure the puppy is never left whilst you work through very gradually getting the puppy used to being separated. If you can't do that - if you can't put things in place to ensure that the puppy is never left (dog sitter, relative or friend looking after puppy whilst you are out) then you are never going to fix this problem and will only screw the puppy up further - please rehome him.
And if you are going to rehome him, please do it through a reputable rescue and don't just put an ad in the paper where some other **** is going to buy him and make things even worse.
And let's not forget: It is now dark by 6pm If you are working full time, how much socialisation is this young guarding breed getting, shut up at home all day? His mind is a sponge for socialisation and enrichment and he's spending most of the day in a house by himself.
Frankly, please do the one right thing you've done, in all this, and give him another chance with someone who cares. Take him to a reputable rescue organisation if his breeder won't take him back.
Hi, I'm one of the Many Trainers on here, and I have to say I agree, maybe it's the way you worded your first post, but I have this impression of a very cold person, a puppy is like a baby and a dog Is like a child, THEY NEED YOU!
Dogs are social and love the company of mummy, daddy and anyone else in the family. If you carry on doing what you are doing you could seriously damage his or her fragile little mind.
Vets are great for treating our Ill pets but not always the best for training and behavioural issues, often with a new pup you will meet with many little issues
If following my school of thought (likely to soft for you, based on what you've put)
·Treat your puppy like a baby, fragile and in need of a supporting mum
·Let the sleep near you, if you must use a crate then at least keep it close to you
·Never ignore your new pups cries
· Last but not least PRIORITIZE... PUPPY NOT NEIGHBOURS
also I always recommend going to a `proper` breeder so you can take the pups back, ask for help etc
Please don't take offence at my post and please don't feel alienated, but we are dog lovers and so we care more for dogs then kind wording.
Jess