Hi I am going to be getting a Beagle puppy in about 6 weeks time! I have a question though that I am a little worried about! I have read a lot about some Beagles suffering with Separation Anxiety and I really want to try my best for my little pup not to suffer! The pup will be left for about 3.5hrs at a time on his own and I am wondering the best way to prevent him from developing the anxiety!??! I will have a week off work when he arrives and would like to use that week to de-sensitise him to being on his own! Is the best way just to keep leaving for longer periods so that he knows I will be back!??! I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the above? Particulary anyone who has a Beagle who has to sometimes leave them alone? (I know it is not ideal but know it is a common problem that most of us have to work) Sorry for the long post
i don't know about beagles in particular, but generally: start off with short periods, gradually increasing. You don't always have to leave he house to do this - you can just go into another room don't make a fuss when you leave him or when you come back leave him with something nice e.g. a stuffed kong so that he sees it as a positive experience make sure he has been well exercised (in relation to his age) and mentally stimulated before you leave so that he is more likely to eat his kong and then go to sleep.
When my dog was a pup i found the DAP spray worked well i would spray a bit on his bedding he would roll around on it and go to sleep.
Hello - thanks for the replies! Sorry I have also just though of another question, what does everyone think of Puppy Pens? I am not sure if I am going to get a crate as soon as I get the pup and wondered what it would be like to leave him in a puppy pen while we were out? Until he is used to a crate etc. Thanks
I know someone with a young beagle and she crate trained her from the beginning and Millie stays quite happily in this at home for up to four hours. Don't know how you feel about crates though.
Yeh I do think crates are a good idea but would rather not have one if I didn't need to! I have gone to and from the idea of having one! I initially wanted one, then I wasn't sure and then I was going to get one (I know I am rubbish) but I am now thinking that if he was ok in a puppy pen while we were out this may be a nicer idea for him, he will still be able to play but will be restricted to where he can go! I wouldn't want to use a crate as a long term solution, just through puppy hood, but would like to see if this would be successful without the need for the crate! My sister has a lab and we would like to be able to leave them together sometimes in the future and would like to teach him good practice on his own from the start if possible! Does this sound silly? I would just like to try a pen first then if no success move onto a crate! Just wondering if people think puppy pens are a good to use? Or are there any dangers involved? Thanks (sorry for the long post, I promise to make it up with pictures when he finally arrives)
Hi Amy, Can't wait to see your little Beagle when you get him,you must be so excited,they are adorable puppies. I don't know much about seperation anxiety but Hali has given you some good advice,None of my three ever had it but i always made sure that they had been walked prior to me leaving them (to tire them out) and that i left them with plenty of toys (stuffed kong is invaluble) so they had something to do if they weren't sleeping . Beagles like to be mentally stimulated (as well as physically stimulated) They are actually quite clever.I find a bored Beagle is a mischievious one lol !!! With regards to puppy pens they are handy to begin with but to be honest they dont last that long in terms of growing pups,sooner or later you will come home to a very pleased with itself puppy that has managed to knock it over and escape and had a good explore (with possibly a few chewed household items lol : and maybe a poo parcel for you somewhere ) (talking from experience here as i had a puppy pen also) I crate trained all of mine from pups and it worked great,what i did was buy a medium sized one and put a blanket ,toys and the odd treat in there to show pup it was a nice place and i left it in the corner of the room open at all times so pup could explore it in their own time,i then gradually began shutting the door here and there when pup was in it for a few minutes with a treat of course (food is the way to a beagles heart ) and built this procedure up gradually till i was able to leave pup in the crate for the time i was out,I dont have crates out nowadays but when i have had pups the crate always comes out to get them used to it and my older ones always jump in there for a crafty snooze (even if its too small for them lol) i found them great for when pup wants some peace and quiet if you have children round etc,mine always took themselves off to the crate if they wanted a bit of peace.Nowadays i have a large area under the stairs which i have used one of the panels from the old puppy pen to gate it off for them to sleep in overnight as mine will be good for months overnight if left out and then out of the blue have a 'Beagle party' every now and again and get the shoes out the shoe pile and chew one or get on the dining table and feast on the fruit bowl,go throught the kitchen bin etc In my experience beagles are oppertunists and will get away with something if they can. I would try to start as you mean to go on,they pick up things very quickly and like routine. Hope that helps some
Thank-you Tink That was of great help! I just said in my other thread how we are definately going to get a crate now! We went to see the pups on Friday and both Mum and Dad had one! Tanks (the dad) went in while we were there and looked very relaxed! It was like you said he goes in there to get away from the kids (they have 8 so he prob does need the peace lol) We dont have any kids but I am sure he may wanna get away from us sometimes to! It was nice seeing a beagle in there happy, it just confirmed to me they are good, if that makes sense? I am very excited about getting him- we have decided on Monty as a name (well montgomery but Monty for short) He is a Tri colour but quite broken! I would love to see some pics of your 3, what are they called? Do you breed pups then?
Aww how exciting!! Glad you are going with the idea of a crate - I find them the best things in the world - taught my dogs that when I am out the fun stops so they just sleep when I am out and dont bother getting into trouble - even when I stop using the crate (and Mias crate is her safe place when the fireworks are about)
My Beagle, Pikey pitches a fit when I go out on an errand. I haven't solved the problem but I have considered taking him with me but I'm afraid to leave him in a locked car. It might require being locked in the car for up to 45 minutes. I want to be sure it is OK before I try it.
Ed had separation anxiety at first, and went almost everywhere with us in the car - even though he was also car sick! One of us used to nip back for a peep at first, just to make sure he was still settled. I wouldn't leave a dog unattended in hot weather, even if the car is out of the sun. Apart from this, he should be OK for 45 mins. as long as you work up to it gradually. At home, we left him for increasing periods - as in Hali and Tink's posts - at first just in a different room, then spending some longer periods in the garden. We used a comfy soft crate in the early days - he now has this in the car, and a choice of dog beds in the house. Some people say not to draw attention to your leaving the house, but we always say, 'Be back soon' - and they just hop into their beds and settle down.
Pikey is getting a little better about separation anxiety. He still barks when I leave and when I return, but he's less excited than he was at first. It looks like this is going to work out OK as time goes by.
Good, I'm sure it will come. Rescue dogs have so much to re-learn. I can't remember you saying, but how old did the kennels say Pikey was, and how long has he been with you?
Something that works well for our dogs is if I leave a robe or item of worn clothing on their chairs while I'm gone. Sophie especially seems comforted having Mommy smell to sleep on.
I do not think that Pereg has separation anxiety but - she waits until I am out of the door, the door is closed and locked and she hears me move away and then she complains. Only briefly and it is more of a sulky complaint. But as soon as she hears me come down the ramp she does an excited bark and as soon as I have unlocked the door she pulls down the handle to open it. I am usually out for just a few minutes but the one time she had to be left for some hours while I received emergency hospital treatment my neighbour kept listening out for her and told me the next day that she was mostly quiet, only barking if she heard something outside. Of course once she heard the taxi pull up the excitement started but that was understandable. My neighbour has a key to my home and she would have come in had Pereg sounded distressed.
