Hello, Check out the Surprise method from the article I have linked below. There are more intensive methods for addressing separation anxiety, but since it sounds like he hasn't even started to process of building independence yet, I would start with the surprise method first and see if something more intensive is needed or pup adjusts well to simply practicing the surprise method often. Also, be sure that whether pup is crated or free whenever you leave in the future, that they aren't prone to destructive chewing or if they are they are somewhere where they will be safe from chewing things that could harm them, like a crate or dog proofed room. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Aug. 31, 2022

Hello, Check out the Surprise method from the article linked below and work on that method to get him used to you being out of the room while he is crated. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate He also needs to build his independence and his confidence by adding a lot of structure and predictability into his routine like mentioned above. Things such as making him work for rewards like meals, walks, and pets. Working on "Stay" and "Place," commands while you move away or leave the room, and teaching him to remain inside a crate when the door is open as well as closed. Give him something to do in the crate or on Place during the day while you are out of the room (such as a dog food stuffed Kong to chew on). Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Another protocol involves teaching the dog to cope with their own anxiety by making their current anxious go-to behaviors unpleasant, giving them an opportunity to stop those behaviors long enough to learn something new, then rewarding the correct, calmer behavior instead. This protocol can feel harsh because it involves careful correction, but it tends to work much quicker for many dogs. If you go this route, I suggest hiring a trainer who is very experienced using both positive reinforcement and fair corrections. Building his independence and structure in his life will still be an important part of this protocol too. First, check out this video on treating anxiety combining an interrupter and rewards both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3j882MAYDU Second, purchase a Pet convincer. DO NOT use a citronella collar, buy the additional unscented air canister if the collar comes with the citronella and make sure that you use the unscented air. (Citronella collars are actually very harsh and the smell lingers a long time so the dog continues to be corrected even after they stop the behavior). This protocol can also be done with a low level remote training collar for dogs who do better without seeing you during the training, but for any training collar use I recommend working with a professional trainer proficient in their use for training. Next, set up a camera to spy on him. If you have two smart devices, like tablets or smartphones, you can Skype or Facetime them to one another with pup’s end on mute, so that you can see and hear him but he will not hear you. Video baby monitors, video security monitors with portable ways to view the video, GoPros with the phone Live App, or any other camera that will record and transmit the video to something portable that you can watch outside live will work. Set up your camera to spy on him while he is in the crate, and you leave. Spy on pup from outside or another room. Leave however you normally would. As soon as you hear pup crying or see him start to try to escape or destroy the crate from the camera, quietly return, spray a small puff of air from the pet convincer at his side through the crate wires, without opening the door, then leave again. Every time he barks or tries to get out of the crate, correct, then leave again. After five minutes to ten minutes of practice, as soon as your dog stays quiet and is not trying to escape for five seconds straight, go back into the room where he is and sprinkle several treats into the crate without saying anything, then leave again. Practice correcting when he barks or tries to escape, going back inside and sprinkling treats when he stays quiet, for up to 30 minutes a session at first. After 30 minutes -1 hour of practicing this, while he is quiet, go back into the room and sprinkle more treats. This time stay in the room. Do not speak to pup or pay attention to him for ten minutes while you walk around and get stuff done inside. When he is being calm, then you can let him out of the crate. When you let him out, do it the way Jeff does is in this video below. Opening and closing the door until your dog is not rushing out. You want him to be calm when he comes out of the crate and to stay calm when you get home. That is why you need to ignore him when you get home right away. Also, keep your good byes extremely boring and calm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5GqzeLzysk Also, for longer alone times give him a food stuffed Kong into the crate/room with him. Once he is less anxious he will likely enjoy it even if he didn't pay any attention to it in the past, and that will help him to enjoy alone time more. First, he may need his anxious state of mind interrupted so that he is open to learning other ways to behave. Once it's interrupted, give him a food stuffed Kong in the crate for him to relieve his boredom instead of barking, since he will need something other than barking to do at that point. Regularly practice him staying on Place and in the open crate while you are home and leave the room as well. Finally, teach pup the Quiet command to make communication with him clearer. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark If you don't want pup to have to stay in a crate while you are away, once pup is doing well in the crate, you should be able to transition to leaving the crate door open, returning to the basics a couple of times when you leave and listen out for pup, if pup struggles again when you transition. Only leave pup out of the crate if they are safe to be left out though, meaning pup no longer is destructive, chewing and potentially swallowing things, and pup is fully potty trained. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Aug. 16, 2022

Hello Lewis, How does pup do right now when left alone? How you address this partially depends on the dog and how they adjust to time alone and whether they are destructive or not fully potty trained yet. In general, first work on teaching the Quiet command during the day using the Quiet method from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Second, during the day practice the Surprise method from the article linked below. Whenever pup stays quiet in the crate for 5 minutes, sprinkle some treats into the crate without opening it, then leave the room again. As he improves, only give the treats every 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hour, 2, hour, 3 hour. Practice crating him during the day for 1-3 hours each day that you can. If you are home during the day, have lots of 30 minute - 1 hour long sessions with breaks between to practice this, to help pup learn sooner. Whenever he cries in the crate, tell him "Quiet". If he gets quiet - Great! Sprinkle treats in after five minutes if he stays quiet. If he continues barking or stops and starts again, spray a quick puff of air from a pet convincer at his side through the crate while calmly saying "Ah Ah", then leave again. Only use unscented air canisters, DON'T use citronella! And avoid spraying in the face. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Repeat the rewards when quiet and the corrections whenever he cries. Once pup is doing well with you in the house in another room, use a camera to spy on pup from outside. Start going outside where pup can't see or hear you. When pup barks, return to quietly correct then go back outside again. When pup gets quiet and stays quiet, initially for a couple of minutes, gradually working up to longer periods, then return to sprinkle in treats then leave again. After 30 minutes of practice, gradually working up to three hours, return when pup is quiet, ignore pup in the crate for 10 minutes until they are waiting calmly while go about your business in the home (correct if pup gets really loud and isn't settling down on their own). When pup is being patient and quiet in the crate, let pup out calmly. If pup tries to rush the door, close it again, making pup wait. Practice this until pup is waiting inside with the crate door open. At that point, happily tell pup "Okay" and let them come out calmly. You want to set that expectation of staying calm as they exit, so they don't get into the habit of getting anxious and excited in anticipation of being let out. As pup improves when you are outside, work that time up until you have worked up to you being outside for three hours and pup staying quiet the whole time. At that point, you can give pup a dog food stuffed chew toy in the crate whenever you leave for longer. As far as pup having free range of the home, if that's being considered, I generally recommend waiting until pup is at least 18 months AND hasn't chewed anything they shouldn't while you are home for the past three months, before testing if pup is ready. Keeping pup crated until that time makes it far more likely pup will be able to be uncrated later, since you are avoiding letting pup get into the habit of chewing things they shouldn't without you there to interrupt. When you do feel pup is ready, you can test it by leaving pup out of the crate while you go for a ten minute walk. When you get home, inspect the home or spy on pup with a camera while gone, and see if they had any accidents and got into anything they shouldn't have. If they did well, you can increase that time by 5 minute increments, up to thirty minutes, then by thirty minute increments until pup is being left out of the crate the entire time you are gone. If pup has a chewing incident one of those times while working up to longer, go back to crating pup for another month, then you can try again in 1-2 months, repeating that cycle until pup is mature enough to be left out. Working on things like Leave It and general manners when you are home to prevent unwanted chewing at those times, can also help prepare pup for being out of the crate when you are gone later. For separation anxiety, its also usually easier to address separation anxiety with pup crated, so I usually recommend crating at first for those cases too, even if pup is fine about chewing when you are home, then once pup is okay being left alone, gradually giving more freedom in the rest of the home if pup is ready. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

May 18, 2022