New Husky Pup with Anxiety

[Farrell60]

Hey all, I am 20 years old and I just adopted my first Husky.  I have owned dogs my entire life and this the 3rd dog I am raising from the time she is a pup.  I have successfully crate trained both other dogs but I am having troubles with my new little one.  She seems to be having anxiety issues.  She wants nothing more than to be around people, give kisses, cuddle and play.  She does not bite people and she is not afraid of meeting new people.  The issue I am having is if she is in the crate for more than 30 seconds she goes insane.  My roommate, was taking and only exam and said she cried for an hour straight while I was in class.  In the week that I have had her she has had 0 accidents inside the house outside of when she uses the bathroom in the crate, she only does this when she has to be left at home alone during the day (not at night).  

 

I am posting this because I am looking for advice on how to get her to stop crying and using the restroom in her crate when she is left alone.   I know this stems from her fear of being alone caused by separation anxiety.  How do I make her feel better?

 

She is a 9 week old, female. 

[Maz51]

She so needs your company and this breed is like no other! .. if you can take time off over a few days, do so.. and if you have a partner who can help share with you in time off, staggered... 

CRATE TRAINING Also on ●  Out back Dog Training Page Troy recommend that crate training is vital - to

a)  give your dog their own 'den' and space.

b)  keep them contained if you need them out of the way - XL crate for enough room but ensure it's the length of their body, nose to tail base.

c)  for 'time out' if their behaviour is undesirable, and you give 'rejection' time;  eg, if biting, being rowdy & not listening, behaving badly.  Three to five minutes, ... bring back in and observe.  If they repeat, simply clip on lead and walk them (no words), back to crate, unclip, put in, and close door. May take two or three goes, but they get it pretty fast. Hi and welcome. 

My training with this regime was this and it works very well ... take it or leave it xx To introduce any dog or pup to something new, you need to go slow & steady;  the first thing you do and when you have a few days clear, you start from the beginning; you throw a treat into the crate (which can be partly covered over the top 1/3rd to create a 'den' or snug ... and you then wait for him or her to go in;  as soon as they start to pick it up and eat, you close the door quietly.

When they've finished you praise them and say 'good dog! in bed,' and then you let them out; you leave it for a while and you repeat the process, all the time leaving them just a little bit longer so they begin to realise  (and trust) it is not a bad place but it's a safe place for them to go and they can get a treat at the same time; if they're really good and stay, wait for them to look at you and then say 'yes! come' and when they come out with encouragement,  you reward and praise. Gradually, you can keep increasing the time span and you can walk away for a few seconds;  this takes quite a few days and up to 30 repetitions to start getting it ingrained into them, that it's a safe place to go. 

Later you go out of sight but just increase the seconds to minutes very slowly.

If they don't have 24/7 access outside it is actually harder. My two dogs will go in and sit in the crate;  they have an individual crate box now, so the three of them are contained.

I don't want or need them for long-term but I can put them all in and they settle down to wait.

I don't have to lock them indoors when I go out because they have access 24/7 to outside to a very large run with outdoor shelters however, all the doors in my bungalow are shut and just one door from the inner hall to kitchen is open so there is just access for them in there, (around two crates area & one on top) and the kitchen; If that's the best way out of the house and your garden is secure, ie with 6 ft high fences then you could install a dog flap and if it's secure enough, that they can't get over or out, and nobody can get in (so ensure there are locks on Gates etc), then you should feel reasonably safe with them being able to exit via a dog flap.

I would also work on this going out of the house for short periods making it all a 'no big deal'. Giving them a frozen carrot in their crate just before you go gets them focused on this. Put the radio on, remove any edibles off counters (bread & fruit in oven or microwave 😉) and ensure the bins are not accessible - I put a strip of tape on my bin lol. I used to have a strong silent closing one (as mine would suss out a sensor opening bin in no time)! The repetition training (for all training in new stuff) has to continue with encouraging them to go into the crate; if you're looking to shut them in long term when you go to work and @ bedtime, that's going to take longer, especially as they are not pets - they want to be near you as a companion; mine sleep in the hall outsiand a roomy one is important, de the bedroom door but they have access in once my husband goes to work and then they can come up and join me on the bed; I have a throw over it. Use, for all the training skills ... and disciplines -  positive reward training. 🤗 Good luck!

I will post a separate one on SA.. Separation Anxiety, for you.. which she also seems to have ... but she's a baby.. they take longer to mature, but are incredibly affectionate.. as I said more a companion than a pet.  They are also better with  a playmate or more too. 

Training. Is. So. Important.  With this breed.. and you must start as early as possible - so intelligent!

{Many forums out there to help you in "anything husky"  pls.. Husky Owner's Forum.   

S.A. Hi This just might help those new pups & any owner's with furkids with SA. Be aware it's not an overnight solution, day or two even... If at all possible, split some time off from work, between you both,  on this... Here's what I did with my boy, and girl.. and I was/am retired. SA - SEPARATION ANXIETY I remembered this when I got my first HuskyXMal, Chester, at nine weeks; he was around six months old when I started. Did this for several weeks 2-3 times a week..  and, I do think this helped his worry cease when I went out and couldn't take him..  he knows I'll be back! He doesn't howl now when we're out; only maniacally ... when I return!  (You'd think he'd be hysterical with joy but can be heard screaming as if in raucous pain!  And the longer I'm out the worse it sounds).  There's just a little wooo-oo I've heard from either one as I go to the car ..  and my neighbours say they're quiet.. (unless he's shut himself in a room!) They still greet us very loudly when we pull up on the drive; Chester is up at the sink (and my foster boy Blu is now too (8 weeks in), and looking at us through the window - and howling. It sounds like the Hounds of Baskerville every time. Maybe it's an idea for you folks worrying over furkids with SA .... starting with trips out, but good for travelling and socialising them too - esp at a sit-outside Costa or other Cafe. 😉😁 This breed really just want to be near you.. as mine do - anywhere!  They are very correctly defined as a wanting to be more of a  'companion' ... not a pet. Taking them anywhere/everywhere you can, in the early days, as this really helps them adjust to being with you, but, also being left in the car ..  BUT (NOT ever IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER - better at home); winter temps are good but windows still need to be open three inches, and within sight of you.. around lots of people & some dogs too, and when it's colder like now, it is also brilliant to erase or, at least reduce, SA. NB: This is for training de-sensitisation exercises initially! I did this in town in the High Street... plenty of activity with folk passing by and distractions, too ...  plus me being out of sight too.   I would go in & out of shops, for seconds, and then over more trips, increasing the times out of sight, but watching through the shop window... if they looked restless, or about to howl, I would get back to the car, take them out, and walk round for a bit, meet n greet, then back into car, maybe walk in/out of a few more shops within their eyesight,  and then  take them home.  The more distractions/people/ activity there is, the better. Parking in the High Street, is better than a car park .. as, you can see them.  I don't like them in the car out of sight from me. And .. regardless of where I go, I always ensure they 'Wait' ..until I say 'OK' .. to exit. This command WAIT is REALLY  important for safety, esp. if parked in a busy High Street with close-by passing traffic. (It's worth checking no dogs are around or you could be knocked over!) I repeatedly do this safety action word ...  so, they have learned & obey, to 'Wait' and not leap out while I get their leads, unclip from restraints, then 'OK' to let them exit, praising both & giving them a reward. 'Wait' in sit or down position, wait, for dinner, so many uses for 'wait'. [ NB : I have inside leads clipped into seat belts or hooks in the boot area clipped to their harnesses, (NOT a Collar) as is the vehicle law since 2014.   That 'Wait' also stops them leaping out loose into traffic before I've hooked them to my canibelt.  (The inside clips are just beginning to work as they are realising they cannot get out). I also use 'Wait' on walks; ie, every curb side before we cross over is 'Whoa! Wait!... (while I check it's safe to cross) then 'Walk On' or 'OK'. They both hesitate at curbs now then stop as soon as I say 'Wait'! My boy Chester howls uncontrollably if either Eski or Blu go out separately (eg with me to vet check!) 

[Seth89]

As Maz51 suggested, get the XL cage. Putting a towel down is a large help if it smells like you. Also helps if they pee. The dog is smart enough to pee on the towel and to then push it in a corner.

CBD helps alot too.

Im not talking about CBD branded for dogs or for vaping either. Look up CBD genesis and select 1000mg. Fill an entire veggie cap and give it to the dog before you go.

Also get a cheap adult size Razor scooter and get the dog moving at a good pace for 20 minutes before you have to leave for class.

turn the lights off in the room too, dogs are natural dormers.

between the jog, CBD, and dark room the dog will lay down.

oh leave talk radio playing too, if the dog hears real people in the house they won’t shut up. A cheap radio or the TuneIn app on Sonos will do. 

 

https://cbdvapejuice.net/cbd-drip/cbd-genesis-vape/

https://www.doterra.com/US/en/p/usage-internal-veggie-caps?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkfaXl7DJ4QIVjcDICh2cbAaGEAUYASABEgIQpfD_BwE