How to stop puppy crate accidents & barking due to separation anxiety?

Question

My 3 month old puppy poops in her crate every time my boyfriend and I leave the house for work. She is left alone from 8:30 to noon, my boyfriend comes home for lunch to take her out and walk her, then he goes back to work and we both return home at 5. He says overtime he comes home at noon she has pooped all over her crate. Our neighbor who is home all day says she can hear our puppy barking non-stop the entire time we are gone. I do not know what to do. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 3 months and 5 days old | 12 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Betty Lou! It sounds like she probably has some pretty serious separation anxiety issues - this is a very common cause of barking while you're gone, as well as accidents in the crate. I would recommend talking with your vet about this problem as soon as you are able to, as in my experience most pups with significant separation anxiety will need prescription anti-anxiety medication to get things under control. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help. First, make sure that she is well-exercised every morning before you leave the house. You should also leave her with some type of extra-special treat that she only gets when you're gone - something like a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter works well for many puppies. This will help to keep her busy, and give her something to look forward to each day when you leave. You can also try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure daily to see if this helps - this will likely not be as effective as prescription medication, but it may help to take the edge off of her anxiety until you are able to see the vet.

How to stop puppy crate accidents & barking due to separation anxiety?

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