my 2 yr old cairn mix has a mild case of separation anxiety. I've recorded him while away and he seems to whine anywhere from 5-20 mins and then gives up. Well today I wasn't able to come home for lunch and my gf (who was sleeping at the time) called me up in the afternoon and told me he had urinated in one of the bedrooms.

This SA faq says that dogs do this because they are nervous, anxious, fearful. My dog has never urinated in the house for the 2 months that I've had him. I thought maybe I can crate train him to be less anxious... but he's even worse in the crate. he's not afraid of the crate but when I lock him in there and leave he whines and barks. I've left him in the crate while away for up to an hour... I didn't record him so I don't know for how long. It's just that tonight when I tried this with him, he was acting out a lot... perhaps because he could smell me in the other room? Not sure.

anyhow... advice on how to make him less anxious while I'm away? if the answer is crate training... am i just supposed to leave him in there until he gives up? and that's it?

How long have you had him?


ETA: Never mind. I missed the "2 months."

Edited by Connie Sutherland (01/21/2009 10:15 AM)
Edit reason: eta

More info.

When you were unable to come home, did that mean he missed a potty break outside?

When you crate him and he whines, etc., while you are still home, what do you do?

Have you ever let him out while he was whining?

He has run of the house when you're gone? (Or how did he pee in a bedroom?)

He didn't miss a potty break. I've never let him out when he was throwing a fit. Once he sees us he's fine again. He does have reign of the house while we are away.

This morning I tried something different and I left him in my bedroom with my gf still sleeping. When I got to work she msg me that he whined and barked until he was let out and then he was fine... Sleeping on his pillow in the living room.