My puppy cries and destroys when I leave, even if not alone. Why?

Raising a puppy can definitely be frustrating at times! Dogs don't understand "bad" behavior the way that we do - they just do what makes sense to them at the time. He may know that you're angry when you come home, so he runs and hides in his bed - but he doesn't understand that his behavior earlier in the day was the problem. So I would recommend not scolding him anymore when you come home - it won't help the problem, and just creates additional stress and anxiety which can actually make things worse. If he's still having some issues with destructive chewing and housetraining accidents when he's home alone, then he's not ready to be left loose in the house just yet. Many dogs need to be crated or confined to a puppy-proofed room when you're gone until they're 1.5 - 2 years old, or even longer - this is perfectly normal. So my recommendation would be to simply not give him this much freedom yet. Another possibility to consider, if he's only having accidents and destroying things when you're gone, is that he may have separation anxiety. If you're unsure, try videotaping him one day when you're away to see if he seems upset or just bored. If he does have separation anxiety, you will need to talk with your vet as well as a good reward-based trainer who can help you work through this.

Begin with crating her for very short periods of time. Gradually increase that time as she acclimates. This will take time and requires patience and consistency. Offer a special toy or treat as a distraction. Praise and reward her as she acclimates. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may help to decrease anxiety. This same method can be used to acclimate her to your absence. Additionally, you can prepare to leave several times daily then put everything away and stay or actually leave. Upon your return, ignore Lily Belle for 15 minutes or until she is calm. Do not make a big deal about coming or going. Consider a pet day care program or having a dog walker visit during the day. At her age, she should not be crated for more than 5 hours before being let out to relieve herself. This time can increase as she matures. The general rule is 1 hour of crate time per month of age plus an additional hour.

Young puppies like this are often anxious about being left alone, even if they're just in a crate across the room. You can help him learn to enjoy being in his crate by giving him a special long-lasting treat each time you put him in - something like a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter works very well for many puppies. This will help to keep him busy and encourage him to settle, and will also teach him to associate good things with being in his crate.

Hello. It sounds like Andie has separation anxiety. This can happen to dogs of any age, but often occurs with younger dogs. There are some good tips on aaha.org under the pet owner section. At home, try and make his routine constant, dogs thrive on routine. When you get home, try and ignore him for 15 minutes so he doesn't just look forward to your return the whole time you are gone. I would also seek advice from a trainer and if those things don't work you can try behavioral mediations. I also like solliquin for anxiety, it's a natural calming aid and can be purchased from your vet. Good luck!

If you have previously given into him over your husband that may be why he only cries when you are in the room. If he is crying in the cage it is ok to leave him and then once he is quiet you can get him out. He is still young and is still learning. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Destructive behavior like this when you're not home is usually caused by separation anxiety - some dogs will chew things when they're bored, but if there is significant destruction and it only happens when you're gone, anxiety is much more likely. If you want to know for sure, I would suggest videotaping her the next time you go out - it's usually very easy to see on the video if this is anxiety vs. boredom. There are a few things you can do to try and help her. You can try crating her, but be aware that many dogs with this problem are more anxious when they are confined - she won't be able to do as much damage to your home, but she may injure herself if she panics trying to escape. I would strongly recommend leaving her with a special long-lasting treat of some kind every time you leave the house, like a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter or something similar. You may also want to try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Composure or Zylkene to help decrease her anxiety. If you don't see improvement within the next 1-2 weeks, you should talk with your vet about the problem as she may need prescription medication to treat her anxiety, at least for a while. You could also request referral to a veterinary behaviorist for additional help if the problem is severe.

I'm sorry Luna is having trouble crate training. I would try to make it as pleasant an experience as possible, such as rewarding her for going in the crate and sitting quietly. You can also put her in there during times you aren't actually leaving, and then reward her when you come back and let her out so that she knows you will always return. It may also just take some time and her getting older to be more comfortable by herself. Good luck!