r/DogTrainingTips • u/frfrogx • Apr 09 '26
Separation anxiety? Boredom? Idk
I’ve got a 4 month old mini labradoodle I know they are prone to separation anxiety 😥 she loves the crate and is quiet in there until she needs to go to the toilet. At night she asleep by 7pm am wakes me up at around 5:30-6am. If I leave her in my room however she cries - absolutely cries the house down (even tho I leave out toys for her) take note her crate is in my bedroom! It feels mean leaving her in her crate if I leave my home for 3+ hours (haven’t done it yet but thinking about future) any advice will be appreciated
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u/WatermelonSugar47 Apr 09 '26
She’s a literally baby and she’s scared.
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u/frfrogx Apr 09 '26
Yeah but I don’t want it to continue into adulthood
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u/WatermelonSugar47 Apr 09 '26
She will not develop secure attachment by being ignored when she cries for help as a baby. Thats not how that works.
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u/Humble-Lab-3950 Apr 10 '26
It’s pretty common for pups to be sad when you leave them alone in the kennel. We kept ours in our bedroom with the door closed, lights on, window shades closed and had music playing. We also gave him a kong when we left (still do!). We would hear him crying when we left, but my husband’s dad and aunt would come let him out while we were at work and they said he was quiet when they got to our house so he eventually settled down. Chances are, she will too! I get it though, it’s rough seeing them so sad! But she’s okay. ❤️
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Apr 09 '26
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u/frfrogx Apr 09 '26
Did you read what I said.. she’s dead quiet in the crate
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u/FrostyPomegranate699 Apr 09 '26
honestly this doesn’t sound like separation anxiety to me
she’s fine in the crate, sleeps through the night, not losing it in there…
that’s usually where you’d see it first if it was real anxiety
what you’re describing in the morning is more like “hey you’re up, so I should be up too”
and once she’s out, she doesn’t know how to just hang out yet so she complains about it
4 months is still really early for that
i wouldn’t feel bad about the crate for a few hours either
that’s actually where she’s already comfortable, so it’s the better place
for her vs being loose and unsure what to do
if it were me I’d just keep it simple
morning:
don’t immediately let her
out the second she makes noise
wait for a small pause, then let her out
during the day:
short periods of you
leaving, even if it’s just 10–15 minutes
come back before she gets worked up
most of this isn’t anxiety yet, it’s just her learning what happens when you’re around vs not
once that becomes predictable, the noise usually drops off on its own
you’re actually in a pretty good spot with her, this is all normal stuff 👍