Puppy separation anxiety? Kongs, dog runs, & off days explained.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sienna. I would gradually increase the time she is left alone over several weeks. I think a reasonable goal is 5-6 hours if you do not need to leave her for a full work day. This would allow you to be out of the house for a good amount of time knowing that she is comfortable. As far as her dog run, water is a necessity. Anything else left in the run should be tested before you leave her for hours. Some puppies are good with toys, beds or blankets, while others will destroy and eat these items. If she eats one of these items, it would become a surgery to remove it. I hope this information helps!

For his age the time he spends at a stretch in a crate is fine. You're doing a great job with making sure he gets out to go potty and exercise. When he's at the park, make sure he plays hard and gets tired, so throw the ball or run with him to make sure he gets tired. Making sure he gets plenty of exercise will ensure a little destructive behavior as possible, since a tired dog is a happy dog. Get him some kind of toy to keep him occupied in his crate as well. Kong toys are fantastic, they offer heavy-duty chewing and can also be thrown for him to fetch, dogs will even entertain themselves with a Kong toy by dropping it, the shape makes it bounce erratically. In time, he may be able to come out of the crate as he comes to understand that you will come back to him.

It sounds as if your puppy is developing serparstion anxiety. The good news is that she is still young and you have time to correct her behaviors so she can live a long happy life! I would recommend first commiting to crate training your dog. This will help prevent her from destroying things and keep her safe so she doesn't get into anything that could harm him. Crate training can take a few weeks but once she is used to the crate she will begin to feel safe there. I would also recommend taking her on a fast paced walk before you have to crate her to help drain some of his nervous energy. You can also try giving her a chew toy like a kong in the crate to keep her distracted. If these tactics do not work I would recommend talking to your vet about starting her on an anti anxiety medication until she becomes more accustomed to her crate. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

I highly recommend against using a shock collar for this situation, as it is likely only going to scare and confuse her more, or at worst, make her dread being in the kennel if she associates it with a shock, leading to more frustrating behaviors. Siberian Huskies are extremely active dogs, and require a LOT of exercise. I would be increasing her exercise to several long walks a day, or long play sessions, especially prior to placing her in the kennel so that she is too tired to be stressed out and chew. She is also the age where puppies tend to get adult teeth and explore more, so it may be that she needs something to keep her busy, such as a safe chew or puzzle toy she can be left with in the kennel to focus on instead. Looking into separation anxiety training is also a good idea, if you suspect this may be part of the issue. Usually, this works around gradually leaving your dog for increasing periods of time so that they get used to you being gone, and learn that you being gone means you'll still return. Adding in soothing music, smells, a favorite toy, etc. are all ways to help combat anxiety in addition.

I would start with very short absences (just out to get the mail, or something similar), and always leave her with some tasty treats or a food puzzle toy such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter to keep her busy while you're gone. Over time, as she gets more comfortable, you can work up to longer absences. I would also recommend leaving her in a crate or x-pen to prevent her from getting into trouble while you're not there to supervise :)

Being only 6 months old, it is safest in a kennel until he gets used to the new routine. It will prevent him from having an accident and destroying things out of bored and possibly ingesting something that may harm him. If you can start getting him used to the kennel before you leave to let him know it is a safe spot that would help. make sure you give treats when he gets in there. Leave him toys as long as he does not destroy or ingest them, and make sure to rotate toys so he does not get bored with the same one every day.

It's very common for puppies this age to tear things up and have accidents in the house when no one is there to watch them. I would recommend getting a nice comfy crate for Koda to stay in when he's home alone - it should be large enough for him to stand up and turn around in, but not much bigger than that. This will keep him from getting into mischief while you're gone, and most puppies will "hold it" rather than use the bathroom in their crate if they are able to. You can leave him with a special treat or puzzle toy, such as a bully stick or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter, to help make the crate a fun place for him and keep him occupied while you're gone. He will need a potty break in the middle of the day at this age, so I would suggest coming home at lunch or having a neighbor let him out, if possible. If he continues to have accidents even in the crate, or if he seems excessively upset even with treats and toys to keep him busy, these are signs that he may have a separation anxiety problem. In that case, it would be best to consult your vet as he may need anti-anxiety medication to help make him more comfortable.