Before trying anything we want to be sure we’re treating the right problem.
- For this article, we are assuming you are not seeing
any other signs of anxiety when you leave the home (example tearing up bedding,
pools of drool, bent crate bars, etc).
If this is true, I dare say what you’re seeing is not separation
anxiety. If there are other symptoms or issues of stress during your
absences from the home, it’s important to address them. Misdiagnosis of the problem could make
matters worse.
- Verify with your vet if necessary that there are no
medical issues (example UTI) or something would prevent him from holding his
bladder overnight.
- You also want to be sure that he is old enough and has
been through house training such that he should be capable of holding it
overnight.
- Assuming overall health, that he is well fed, has been out to
potty before bedtime, you may simply need to let him whine, cry or bark to
teach himself to self-soothe and calm.
With some dogs it can be brief, as in a few minutes upon being
crated. With other dogs, it may take a night
or three. If your new family member is one of the more
difficult cases don’t despair. There are
a number of things you can to do ease the transition and train for better
behavior.
Calming Methods:
- Consider having the crate in your room.
- Play calming music outside his crate on a low volume overnight. (I once found that singing to my foster puppy put her out like a light within 5 minutes). A ticking clock often works as well with very young puppies.
- Add some lavender oil to his collar and/or bedding
- Add a little chamomile tea to his evening water.
- Remember no water or food within 2 hours of bedtime.
- Once you put them in bed for the night -- don't take them out until their scheduled potty break (see House Training Guide for Puppies)
Waking Up Too Early:
If your dog
has become an alarm clock that sounds off before your real alarm clock goes
off, you will need to teach him that he only gets out of the crate when the
alarm goes off or you decide it’s time. It’s possible that
something is waking him up that you don’t hear – a school bus, the newspaper, a
barking dog, etc. He will need to learn to cope with that if that’s
what it is, but training him to wait for the alarm can help that. You may
lose a little sleep in this training method, but chances are you’re losing
sleep anyway.
- If he’s whining at 5 am and you want to sleep until 7 set
the alarm to sound before he would normally wake up. Start tomorrow by setting
the alarm at 4:45 am. Get up, take him out, tell him to go potty, and
then put him back in the crate with no other interaction.
- You can
give him a toy, a treat ball, KONG®, chew-toy, etc with a little bit of his
kibble in it when you put him back in the crate, or even have a non-food toy in
there to start. Puzzle toys may keep
him entertained longer. Just prepare it the night before, have it ready
on the counter, and grab it on your way back in.
- Do that for a day or two, then day 3 set the alarm for 5:00, day 5 set it 5:20, etc. You don’t get up and go in there until the alarm goes off. Period. You will be conditioning him to listen for the alarm. Eventually you should be able to work your way up to normal time to get up. He will also learn that he may have to go back to his crate and wait quietly. Keep in mind he might not be so quiet the first few days.
Going “hard core” and just making him wait it out from 5-7 if
he is not fully potty trained may incorrectly teach him that when he’s sick his
call for help is going to do no good. You want him to alert you when he really
needs to go out!
Hang in there – ideally it is a few controlled nights of
training that will help him learn to sleep through the night.
Dana Brigman
The K9 Coach
Dog Training - Matthews, NC
980-339-8064
www.thek9-coach.com
info@thek9-coach.com
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The K9 Coach is a Professional Certified Dog Trainer Serving Charlotte, NC, Matthews, NC and surrounding areas.
My mission is a better life for dogs as members of a forever family.
My goal is create training solutions for the home owner, to rehabilitate dogs from shelters and rescues, and to prevent dogs from dying alone as strays or owner surrenders in shelters due to unnecessary aggression or behavioral issues.
Begin training with a consult with a professional trainer to be sure you're solving the right problem. Misdiagnosis can make the matters worse. Be sure that there are no medical issues at play and that your dog is not in pain, as pain can be a contributor to a new display of aggression. If you have any fear or uncertainty -- do not attempt the techniques without professional supervision.
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