Can't be left alone

[Calibur]

I just got my puppy Monday night. He is a seven week old doberman and seems to be doing really well, but I do have one problem. He completly freaks out if I leave him ANYWHERE. He will wake up and not see me on the couch, run to find me in another room, and when he can't he cries and yelps like someones beating him!(lord only knows what the neighbors think!lol) I think he is really truely frightned, so I don't want to be mad at him or anything. I put my bunnies next to his pen and that helped, he sleeps right next to them now, but thats only after he tires himself out from crying. He doesn't like his pen if I am out of it, but then he cries to come in the pen if I am in it, so it isnt the pen, he just doesn't like to be away from me. I know dobermans are "velcro" dogs, but I think this may be a little extreme. He is wonderful any other time and is very sweet, but I don't know how to get him over this one. Will he grow out of it as he gets older and knows my house better or is there something I should be doing to help it? Any suggestions?

[Cassiepeia]

Firstly, he's only 7 weeks old. He's a teeny tiny baby (well, as teeny as a dobe can be LOL). He's freaking out because he's been ripped away from his mother and siblings and thrown into a strange situation in a strange house with people he doesn't know. Everything is different and very scary for the little guy.
When you say 'his pen' what do you mean? Is it a crate? An ex pen? Or an outdoor pen?
You might do best (if he's crated at night), moving the crate into your room so he feels close to you. I'd also let him follow you around. If you absolutely can't have him near you at a particular time, fair enough. But there is no need for him to 'get over' it yet. He's so young.
As time goes by and he settles in and gets use to the routine (and he needs one because dogs like stability) he'll become more independant.

Cass.

EDIT: What ever you do, don't give him attention when he cries. Wait until he's quiet to do that. Also don't expect him to go all night without peeing. He may whine once or twice because he has to go (assuming he's crated).
Umm...hmm...oh and don't use the crate/pen as a punishment, that'll ruin the whole idea because he'll associate the pen/crate with punishment.
LOL ok...I think I've run out of ideas. Hope some of it helped. If not...an expert will be along soon to help you, I'm sure.

[calgal]

Let him be with you. He's a baby and still needs to feel safe. Eventually you will notice him going about his own "nosy" business a little bit at a time till the length of time away from you lengthens. It will be all too soon that you will have to call him to you when you need him, so enjoy this baby as much as possible right now.

[Pugdawg1]

He's so young! Very upsetting times for the guy right now. I'd keep the crate near my bed at night like already suggested, and be patient. He's just a baby.

[bigdoglover]

I agree,....something else that has worked for me is putting a sock in his crate (or whatever you use) ....one of yours that you have worn. It sounds gross, but your odor is all over it, and helps them feel a bit more secure with your scent so strong and close.

[Fuzz Puppy]

I'd let him be with you since he's still a baby and obviously wants to be near you enough to cry when he isn't with you and can't find you.

[HersheysMom]

Let him run around with you while you are in the house, since he's so young. So much good advice on here, I'm just repeating. But something I did with my pup, he's 9wks now, I fed him in his crate, played with him so by his crate, so he would be so upset when i left him there.

[Kade]

I agree with much of the above -- maybe buy a stuffed animal, carry it around, wear it inside your clothes (LOL), if the breeder's close, take it over there and rub it on his littermates and mother -- and then let him have that in his crate. (I personally wouldn't use a sock because we're trying to keep Winston away from socks.)

But once he's in there, you must let him cry it out. Even if it kills you. The very moment he settles and calms down, you can go to him, although I wouldn't make a huge deal of it.

Perhaps place the crate in a high-traffic area one day, so you're constantly passing by? The next day (or a few days later), a medium-traffic area? And then try leaving him alone for a half hour at a time? When you walk by, speak to him calmly, but don't get him all riled up as if your return is the most crucial thing that's happened all day. (Although of course we know it is.)

When Winston cries in his dining-room pen (rarely these days), I turn my back on him and wash dishes. He settles pretty quickly.

Good luck!

[Calibur]

His pen is an exersice pen in the kitchen. He only goes in it when I have to leave the house or at night. I tried moving the pen into the bedroom for bed time too, but unless he is IN the bed with me, it doesnt help. Whenever I am home he is my shadow (I never make him stay in it when I am home because then I am able to watch him, I just have him in it when I can't watch him (he already decided to eat some stereo wires because I THOUGHT he was still sleeping under the desk, but I guess he woke up and thought they looked taste). I think that the sock or stuffed animal will help and I will try those. It just breaks my heart when he cries like that becaues I KNOW he is such a lil baby and that he is really just scared, he isn't just being loud or anything. I will try that idea and see it it helps.

Thank all of you guys so very much for the quick response and I am sure Ill have more questions soon enough!

[chazzysmybaby]

My baby is kinda like that too!! If I leave him in his room all by himself, or in my room by himself or outside for a few minutes by himself, he'll cry and whine and it breaks my heart! He's only 3 months old. But he doesn't follow me around. He's very independant.

[jujubaum]

I've got a new 9-week old whiner too. He's a shar-pei/english bull dog mix and he's the mellowist puppy I've ever had. So cool. But my other two dogs took to their crates so well, and this little guy, Merle, just cannot be away from me - whines and cries. I've read all the advice on this thread and I thank you all, but I have one other question. Because we let our other boys sleep in our bedroom (sometimes on the bed, sometimes on beds on the floor - they kind of decidee) I've been letting Merle sleep in the bed with us too. Is this contributing to his reistance to the crate?

[Kade]

Juju, I'll bet it is -- indirectly. It's just that he probably has more negative associations with the crate than positive. Since he doesn't sleep in there -- is just put there as a place to be away from you -- he probably thinks it's kind of an awful place.

I would have a puppy that young sleep in his crate. He'll be pretty PO'd about it at first, though, I'd imagine.

Another thing -- are you encouraging the crying/whining? Do you come back to check on him and make "sad mommy" noises? Do you stick your fingers through and apologize while he gives you kisses? When it's time to come out of the crate, do you make a big deal and hug and kiss him? If so, you're teaching him that crying/whining brings about the most loving, demonstrative side of you, LOL.

[chazzysmybaby]

What I've learned to do, (Chazzy doesn't whine anymore when I leave him alone) is that when he goes quiet, congratulate him, praise him, etc. But I've learned that Chazzy is NEVER quiet, so what I do is put him outside, with a clear door, and when he whines, DO NOT go out to let him back in. Instead, stand by the door and look at him, not sternly but not sad mommyly. When he goes quiet for at least 30 seconds, praise him congratulate him and let him in. He'll soon learn that if he's quiet, you'll let him in.

[rmci]

Don't know if this will help for nighttime:
When my cat was a baby he cried all night unless he was on me. My husband put a windup watch under a blanket in his pen and the next thing ya know, he's sleeping right on it and forgot about me. I guess he just needed to have a "heartbeat" sensation.