The neighbour got a puppy... it's not going well

[Spidey]

Our neighbour adopted a rescue (3 month old shepherd cross). She is single and works 8 hours/day with a half hour commute to and from work. No other animals in the house.

This dog has severe separation anxiety and is left alone 9 hours / day on the days she works. The dog is howling/crying constantly throughout the day. We've offered to help by taking the dog out with ours when we're home but she's declined our multiple offers and says she needs to train it to be alone during the day.

I don't know a lot about training dogs, but I'm sure 9 hour 'exposure therapy' is not the way to remedy separation anxiety, and it's heartbreaking to listen to.

My question is twofold: 1. will this mess the dog up permanently? 2. At what point does it become neglect to leave a puppy home alone this long.

Does anyone know of any resources we can pass along to our neighbour? She's young and when we talked to her last, she seemed defensive but also overwhelmed. We feel sorry that that little pup...

[DiabeticKripple]

My pup had separation anxiety when we got him. He would pace and cry all day while we were gone.

He eventually got over it and can be alone in his pen all day.

[Dewey Cox]

Tell her she should get 4 or 5 cats instead.
That's a more typical thing for a single lady to do.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

Minding my neighbour's business or anyone’s business has never been appealing to me regardless of what they are doing. Maybe I just think differently and most likely an entire different life setting, I guess because when I know someone is minding my business there’s most likely someone minding there’s.

It just ain’t me 😎

Anyways, shes probably scared to be alone and finds the dog comforting. I don’t blame her the way things are these days. Just my opinion but unless it’s a basement suite or something I would stay out of it. Just my instincts though

[nebcfarmer]

That’s how you crate train a dog. Assuming it’s in a crate. If not, have solace in the fact that it’s probably ****ting and ****ing all over the house and probably chewing ****.

I’ve crate trained all my hunting dogs, yes, it feels bad, but you end up with a dog that will willingly go into any kennel.

[nimrod]

Let her know a radio or tv on will allow the voices to keep the pup from crying

[Grizzly Adams]

I can't understand for the life of me why people who are never home insist on having dogs ?

Grizz

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

I can't understand for the life of me why people who are never home insist on having dogs ?

Grizz

stupid is as stupid does

[liar]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

I can't understand for the life of me why people who are never home insist on having dogs ?

Grizz

well , at least shes not letting it run loose all day long , yet ....

[Windsweptcoast]

It’s perfectly normal to leave dogs alone in the house while the owners are away at work for the day. We do it Monday to Friday and it is not a problem for our dog.

[dodger]

I’m the opposite. I get separation anxiety from my dog 🙃

Dodger

[HVA7mm]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

I can't understand for the life of me why people who are never home insist on having dogs ?

Grizz

Does wonders to keep crackhead thieves out of the back yard.

[Pixel Shooter]

3 month old pup kennelled for 9 hours straight is expecting a little much. I have a 3mth old now and still needs a potty break mid day and a small drink and stretch legs and yes she is crate trained. Your neighbour needs an education. Crazy not to take you up on your offer.

[Staystrong]

It's better to left alone a puppy from very first days of his life in a new house, if you know, that it'll live that way all its future life. Because, if you stay with a puppy for a month, it'll used to it and after this month it'll have bigger stress then before.

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by nebcfarmer

That’s how you crate train a dog. Assuming it’s in a crate. If not, have solace in the fact that it’s probably ****ting and ****ing all over the house and probably chewing ****.

I’ve crate trained all my hunting dogs, yes, it feels bad, but you end up with a dog that will willingly go into any kennel.

You hit the nail on the head. It's not in a crate and messed all over the place and chewed up the rug and couch its first two days alone. She tried locking it in her bedroom after that and the next door neighbours complained because it was so loud it was waking up their baby. I do feel for her, but she's also not taking anyone up on the multiple offers to support her by walking her dog periodically. We recommended a crate, so hopefully she'll do that.

We live in a very safe neighbourhood with lots of retirees and stay at home parents who have offered support. She's new to the area so hopefully she'll come around.

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by Staystrong

It's better to left alone a puppy from very first days of his life in a new house, if you know, that it'll live that way all its future life. Because, if you stay with a puppy for a month, it'll used to it and after this month it'll have bigger stress then before.

That's probably the issue. The puppy was in foster care since birth with young kids and a family at home 7 days per week. The adoption agency should have done a better job screening. To go from love and attention all the time to the situation now after 3 months - that's a tough one.

[ssyd]

Originally Posted by Spidey

That's probably the issue. The puppy was in foster care since birth with young kids and a family at home 7 days per week. The adoption agency should have done a better job screening. To go from love and attention all the time to the situation now after 3 months - that's a tough one.

Tough for them to do a better job without requesting a police background check and work references.

"Yup I'll totally spend every waking hour with the dog."
"Here's your puppy ma'am!"

She's probably not used to that kind of hospitality of all the neighbours offering to help so like you said, hopefully she comes around.

[artie]

Not a big fan of crates. Met a girl who had a nice young black lab about a year old and she has that dog in a crate for 17 hours a day. It is in there for 9 hours while she is at work and for 8 hours while she is sleeping. Oh yes she lives in an apartment. Told her she was worse than the old Calgary Zoo. I wonder if she still has that dog or it rebelled and she had to get rid of it.
My guy has never been in a crate he did a bit of damage eating some drywall and some blinds when he was a puppy but that is no big deal. If he wants a protected area for a while he goes under my table desk. Dogs are not meant to be kept in cages.

[Whitetail503]

Originally Posted by Spidey

Our neighbour adopted a rescue (3 month old shepherd cross). She is single and works 8 hours/day with a half hour commute to and from work. No other animals in the house.

This dog has severe separation anxiety and is left alone 9 hours / day on the days she works. The dog is howling/crying constantly throughout the day. We've offered to help by taking the dog out with ours when we're home but she's declined our multiple offers and says she needs to train it to be alone during the day.

I don't know a lot about training dogs, but I'm sure 9 hour 'exposure therapy' is not the way to remedy separation anxiety, and it's heartbreaking to listen to.

My question is twofold: 1. will this mess the dog up permanently? 2. At what point does it become neglect to leave a puppy home alone this long.

Does anyone know of any resources we can pass along to our neighbour? She's young and when we talked to her last, she seemed defensive but also overwhelmed. We feel sorry that that little pup...

She's actually doing exactly what she needs to do to train the dog. Separation anxiety is common but crate training will eventually wean the dog out the anxiety phase and in the long run she'll wind up with a behaved dog that can handle being alone during the day. Same deal for babies, worst thing new parents can do is constantly go in a pick up a crying baby out of a crib during bedtime or during the night. You have to let them cry themselves to sleep. If you cater to insecurities you will severely regret it in the long run.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by grizzly adams

i can't understand for the life of me why people who are never home insist on having dogs ?

Grizz

x1000 !!!

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by artie

Not a big fan of crates. Met a girl who had a nice young black lab about a year old and she has that dog in a crate for 17 hours a day. It is in there for 9 hours while she is at work and for 8 hours while she is sleeping. Oh yes she lives in an apartment. Told her she was worse than the old Calgary Zoo. I wonder if she still has that dog or it rebelled and she had to get rid of it.
My guy has never been in a crate he did a bit of damage eating some drywall and some blinds when he was a puppy but that is no big deal. If he wants a protected area for a while he goes under my table desk. Dogs are not meant to be kept in cages.

Another one X1000 !