My puppy has severe separation anxiety in his crate. What to do?

Question

My 4 1/2 month old Chorkie has SEVERE separation anxiety. I have to put him in his crate when I leave so he doesn’t hurt himself or damage my house. He is so bad that when I have leave he chews on his crate which is metal and grinds down his puppy teeth. I am concerned for when he gets his adult teeth. He also destroys everything in his crate and poops on everything and makes a huge mess. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 4 months and 21 days old | 4.8 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Brownie! You're right that this level of anxiety is not normal, and needs to be treated ASAP in order to improve his quality of life and prevent things from getting worse as he gets older. I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Brownie in person and help you put together a detailed plan to work on his problem - this will likely include training exercises to help build his confidence with being alone, management suggestions to help him be more comfortable while you work on the problem, and anti-anxiety medication to make him feel better in the short term. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

My puppy has severe separation anxiety in his crate. What to do?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Is it normal for a pregnant guinea pig to zoom after cage cleaning?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

Why is my new pet biting? Is she stressed or scared in her new home?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My degu lost teeth after an accident. How can I feed him soft foods?

My degu has trouble breathing, coughing, and nose discharge. Help?

Share