Ok... Problem

[Fran27]

Argh. Tips was great and tonight it's been a nightmare. Everytime he is in his pen or crate, he whines. That's even when we are in the room. When we leave, he whines more, and barks. A lot. He's been barking basically all night, and been in his crate or pen complaining for like 8 hours now (it's almost 5am here).

The vet checked him today and he's fine, but I'm really worried because he shouldn't complain when we are in the room with him... He was great the first two days, it started last night. When I'm with him I say 'no whine' and praise him when he's quiet, but that's not helping because he starts again right away, and he just goes back at it when I leave the room.

It sounds like separation anxiety to me, but then why does he do it when I am with him too? It started when I was in the kitchen for one hour to cook...

I really don't know what to do, I almost haven't slept all night and my husband went to sleep outside!

Any advice?

[nedim]

Maybe Tips is REALLY close to you. I know Peanut follows me everywhere and if I leave her in a room for literally a few seconds, she whines and barks. I dont know if this helps, but I also think it is extreme sep. anxiety. Maybe he/she is tired of being in the crate and would like to run around a bit? I'm no expert though, so I dont know if any of this can be of value to you.

[Fran27]

Well he has the pen to run too. I know part of the problem is he wants to be free in the house, it's just way too early for that. We tried the room and he escapes through the gate as he's so small.

I think I slept 4 hours, my husband is still sleeping outside... Now Tips is in his pen crying for attention, just behind me (whines and barks). Seriously, I don't know what to do :( If I ignore him it just gets worse and worse, if I go to him I just reinforce the bad behavior...

[bridey_01]

Even saying "no whine" is reinforcing the crying. You may have to desensitize him to the crate again, because it sounds like he has taken a disliking too it. Try feeding him all his meals from chewtoys, and only in the crate. Don't worry if he doesn't eat at first, when he is hungry enough he will. Eventually he will learn that crate=good, and will settle down immediatly to work on his chewtoys.

[Fran27]

I don't think it's the crate, he does it in the playpen too and he only eats in there. I know he wants attention from me, my husband and Boris. I just don't want to leave him with Boris for now because he is way too rough in my opinion (probably only puppy playing but I don't want to take a risk). So they play together a few times a day for 5 minutes. I might feed him in the kong though, good idea.

Now he's quiet (finally). I just make sure to ignore him then give him attention as soon as he calms down for a minute. He had an accident of course because I wouldn't take him outside, but I'd rather see him calm down before getting housetrained. He's not stupid, hopefully by the end of the day he will know that he won't get any attention if he's crying... I know I shouldn't have said 'no whine' but I was so tired I got brainwashed last night :(

I just wonder why I got another puppy sometimes and not an older dog :D God bless that wonderful thing called caffeine...