My puppy cries - makes me sad! :(

[mpoier]

Hello everyone,

I have a yellow lab who just turned 5 months old. When my husband and I first got CB he didn't whine/cry or anything, we were shocked really!

Anyway, just recently, we have been keeping him in an excercise pen in the livingroom during the day and in the evenings when we are home. We usually let him out when we can watch him very closely because he just loves to play with our two cats. The only problem is that when he is in his pen, he starts crying like crazy. Its high pitched, and it makes me feel terrible that he is in there. We do give him treats when he doesn't whine/bark, but its not working anymore.

Do we just need to let him out with us and endure the chaos that occurs with it? I'm starting to get really worried that this may cause some serious emotional damage to him. Is this seperation anxiety?

I have noticed that he does it more in the morning, when we are sleeping in our room and he is downstairs in his pen. Should we let him sleep on his bed with us in the room? We tried letting him in the room and he never slept the whole night, he was so excited!

Any help or ideas would be appreciated,

Thanks!
Michelle

[Dixieland Dancer]

Why is the dog in a pen when you are home???? Of course the whining is likely being caused because the dog is pining to be with his humans. It's bad enough for them to be left alone when you are not home but to be alone when he can hear you and see you.

Being excited is something he will experience at first if you let him sleep in your room. He is filled with joy to be near you. He will eventually learn to lay on the bed and go to sleep. You need to teach the down command and give it and then reward the dog for listening.

I automatically crossed a potential candidate for one of our puppies off the list if they said the dog could not sleep in their room with them. I don't say the dog has to be on the bed but I do think the dog being in the room is important.

[mpoier]

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be crossed off of anyone's list!

I've heard lots of ideas to help, so I'll try them all and discover which one works for our family and our situation.

Thanks for your advice!

Michelle

[Karen]

Yes, I would only keep him in his pen when you aren't home. Being a Lab, actually most any kind of dog, what he wants most in the whole wide world is to be with you!

Our family's dogs were always allowed to sleep in whatever room they chose, and Sheba (best smartest dog in the whole wide world ever) would "make her rounds" and quietly check on all sleepers several times a night!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Hi, CB's Mom ~

Dad sez try this...

When SmokeMutt an I moved in wiff Dad, we weren't zaktly "pups", but we WERE a lil *rambunkshus* at tymez... (Read that as *liked to chase da Kat*!)

The *fix*?? We wore a leash strap allua tyme!
Iffin we got too *rowdy* - ON went the leash - udder end wuz under wunna Dad's foots, round his wrist, or tied to an immovable object (BIG table, doorknob, you get the picture).

CB will prolly like bein within leash-length of you an Dad - and can easily be corrected if he starts chewing on sumpin.

Works inna bedroom, too! SHORT leash or a stout rope - tied to the foot of the bed. Short enough he can't jump up ON the bed; long enough he can move around a bit. And PLAN on a couple of noisy nights - till he figures out you will NOT talk to, pet, cuddle, or otherwise pay attention to him while YOU are (trying) to sleep!

[micki76]

I can understand why he's in a playpen when you're gone, but when you're home he needs to be out and be with you. Why would you have him if he's in a pen and not with you???? He whines because he wants to be with his pack.
We did the always on a leash thing when we couldn't watch Chester when he was a pup, too. It can slow you down some, but you get to do everything with your best friend! And, yes, I think it could cause emotional damage to him, most likely to manifest in chewing, soiling, etc.

[mpoier]

I showed my husband my original message and my replies, and he said I was exagerating on the "crying" part of CB's life. The only time he does cry is when he's just been out and we put him in his pen while we are having our dinner! We've never really ignored his whining / barking, and have just let him out. Now we just wait 30 seconds while he is quite THEN let him out.

Anyway, he was out all night last night with us, no problem whatsoever. AND he was out in our room (with the door closed most of the time), and he fell asleep right away. The nice part about having him in our room at night is that he can tell us when he needs to go out...otherwise we'd just take him out periodically throughout the night.

I'm just thankful I got a full nights sleep!

Anyway, thanks for the great advice!
Michelle

[Hbrika]

He sounds really cute.

I have a big soft spot for yellow labs and am glad that yours got to sleep with you

[mpoier]

Ceebers has his own website!

You can see him at

www.ceebers.com

[sammi]

What a sweetheart!!!!!!!!!!

[lovemyshiba]

Awww what a little cutie!!!!!
I'm glad you got the problem solved--he sounds like a wonderful dog!!

[skpaw]

My dogs have learned they get fed right when we finish dinner. Sometimes they are so excited about this they can't wait. Maggie whines, Honey barks loud (this is a special feed me bark) and Rosie sits quietly just outside the kitchen.

As soon as the food bowls are down, everything is peaceful. Maggie eats in the crate because she was stealing Honey's dinner. They were confused when we had to start that but she is only there till Honey's food is gone!

Sounds like you all need to work out a system that works for your family. You might try feeding the puppy before you eat, so he does not need to cry and interrupt your meal!

At my house, puppies sleep in the crate until they turn 1 year old. This is for housebreaking as well as chewing. The puppies were always getting into things that they should not eat while we were sleeping. They are safe in the crate and they really don't mind when it is the normal spot with a nice bed for them!