[scurran74]

Hi everyone, we have an 11 week old Cockapoo who is in the process of toilet training (good days and bad days). He is particularly clingy and if we go out for 20 minutes to the supermarket or something, we crate him in the lounge with some music and the aircon on (its summer in NZ so quite hot outside). When we get back he's poo'd in his crate and is very quiet. Its happened twice now.

He has a playpen but has recently learned how to jump out of it so we keep him crated when we aren't at home.

Is this down to separation anxiety? Has anyone experienced this? How did you train them to be better when left alone.

 

[Puffin]

Hi Scurran ,a puppy really doesn't like to soil in its sleeping area. It is a good idea to give your puppy a play time/little walk then make sure he has been out to the loo so is 'empty' before you put him in the crate.
Before going out and leaving a puppy it is a good idea to habituate them to being left in a crate. I do this from day one with feeding/play/ loo then time in the crate while I am there but ignoring the puppy no word no eye contact so the puppy gets used to 'quiet time' . My crate is in the kitchen so the puppy can see me going about my jobs and feel secure. When you let the puppy out of the crate give lots of praise.

 

[Evelyn]

I think the pooping is an anxiety response. My mother-in-law's well-trained little poodle did this when she was left in the car briefly. She became very distressed to see her favorite person walk away, and pooped on my husband, who was holding the dog in his lap. Of course we laughed hilariously, but bottom line, the dog was very upset and pooped without quite knowing what she had done.

If the puppy is tired out, it will probably go better.