# My golden hates being confined/separated



## davmar77 (May 5, 2017)

A blanket over the crate helped us a lot. We use it if we are there or not.


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## kabuky (Aug 23, 2017)

There is a good book - How to raise a puppy you can live with. They may have suggestions. I usually start pups by introducing them to the crate by feeding them in it and not closing the door. At bedtime, I then close door while sitting right next to it and using my voice to comfort and touching the pup to reassure. I do this for 1-2 minutes then leave room for 5 minutes, come back, say hi then leave room for 10 minutes, say hi then 15 minutes. I do NOT let the pup out at anytime. Do this routine for a week - do NOT let the pup OUT, especially at night. My pups get their treats when in the crates so don't usually have an issue except the first night or two.

If the pup is pooping in the crate, the crate is probably too big (or she REALLY had to go!). Pups will not defecate in the area they sleep (unless HAVE to such as being left in crate for hours...or diarrhea).


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I would get a referral to a very experienced trainer (someone who has raised puppies and this isn't their first rodeo) contacting your breeder or your local kennel club or Golden Club etc. may be a good resource. Have someone come over who can walk through this with you. You need to determine if this is anxiety driven or a training issue. If it's anxiety, you can work with a vet on whether it needs to be addressed with meds. I have only known one dog who was so bad with separation anxiety he needed drugs.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Gigicalloway said:


> Our 14 week old Golden cries, whines, barks, paces and poops whenever we leave her. We've only been gone for an hour or two at most. We have recorded her and we can see and hear that she never settles. She sleeps in a crate near our bed for a solid seven hours and seems OK there. Lately she puts up a big fuss when we first put her in for the night. We don't know what to do. Not sure if it is separation anxiety or just not liking the idea of being confined. Even in her favorite spots, if we close her off in any way she pitches a fit. Any ideas?


Are you exercising her before you leave? Generally, a well-exercised dog will be tired and sleep when you leave. I speak from some experience - my dog also hated her crate and hated to be separated from me when I was home. I dealt with that by using the x-pen to block off furniture and baby gates to restrict access to bedrooms, and then basically just let her follow me around at home. She had free access through the living room (lifted the area rug) and the kitchen and bathroom. That made her feel very secure and happy. Plus, it was fun just having her follow me around all the time. I got a crate for my bedroom, so she was sleeping in the same room. When I had to leave her alone during the day (I work out of the home), she got at least an hour of exercise before I left, and I watched her on a puppy cam. She would cry in the crate for no longer than 10 minutes. I did note that she would use antlers or Nylabones to chew and almost calm herself. She'd chew chew chew, then maybe let out a little sob (yes, it broke my heart), chew chew chew, sob, chew chew chew... until she fell asleep. Which never took long. My dog walker would come halfway through the day, she'd be out for another hour+, and then my walker would feed her in the crate before she left. Feeding her in the crate also made her like the crate better. And then she would sleep til I got home (she didn't really cry when my walker left). The crying when I first left did go on for a couple of months - it did not get better right away. But with consistency, habit, and lots of exercise, she became secure in the routine. By the time I wanted to start leaving her out of the crate during the day when I wasn't home (she was about a year old), she WANTED to stay in the crate. I actually had to wean her out of the crate over a month or so! :smile2:


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