# cocker spaniel crying



## rosie28 (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi All, 
we picked up our cocker spaniel girl puppy on Wednesday night she's 12 weeks old. She is from a breeder and was kept in a kennel outside with the other pups. On the first night home she cried for at least an hour in the kitchen down stairs but eventually relented and went to sleep but had been to the toilet a couple of times on her mat which was great. We then spent the day yesterday with her but noticed as soon as leave her in kitchen with stair gate she cries constantly even when she can still see us in lounge? When go into the kitchen to cook/wash up etc she sits at feet and whimpers as wants attention. The crate we ordered arrived at lunch time and she had no problem going in the crate during the day. It came to bedtime at 11pm so took her outside for toilet and put her in crate in the kitchen, she howled and cried for an hour but was awful much more distressing than the previous night, so we thought maybe she didn't like being locked in so let her have free run of kitchen again and went back to bed still an hour later she's crying/howling/scratching and came down to a real mess. We then bought the crate upstairs to our room and she slept through all night with no more mess and got up at 7am. Does it sound like separation anxiety to you? what should I do? How do we move on from here? please help never had a dog before!


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Ooooh I sympathise, cockers can really give it some welly once they get going! If you have sympathetic neighbours, then you just need to be consistent and build up the time during the day when you're away from her if you can. I would leave her crated and leave the house, don't go far so that you can hear her, and wait until she's quiet before you pop back in and let her out. Some people don't mind their pups sleeping up with them in their bedroom, but if you mean to keep her downstairs then you have to start as you mean to go on, so I'd avoid that stage if I could. 

I'd normally suggest puppy pads are a bad idea but it's a tricky one, because if you get up to let her out, she could end up screaming the house down when you leave her again. Probably best to tackle one issue at a time in this case. 

A nice bottle of wine for the neighbours is a good idea as well, help smooth the waters just in case she's disturbing them at all. And keep them updated of your progress with her


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

You've took her away from everything she knows. Where she was with her mum and littermates 24 hours a day. Put her somewhere she knows no one, understands nothing of whats happening and she has lost her littermates and mum. She's going to be upset and cry, I would be worried if she didn't. It will all work out in the end


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## sunshine80 (Jan 25, 2010)

I can half sympathise although my Cocker Sonny was very good at night when he was a pup. He slept in the hall (I did not use a crate) and was right beside my bedroom which had a puppy gate up on it. I put a puppy pad down and he used it if he needed to tiolet. If he cried at night I got up and put him back in to the bed and waited until he was asleep - I did not play with him or touch him too much at this time just got up and put him back in bed and it seemed to work for me but as said he was really good at night.

He was awful during the day though and was constantly at my side - he used to follow me to the tiolet and would cry if I went to take a bath/shower even though he could get into the bathroom and see me. He did eventually grow out of this although he still likes the sound of his own voice  I do think it is normal puppy behaviour though as said she has been taken away from everything she knows - ot may be worth keeping the crate close to the bedroom for a litlle while and see how things go - but I am not an expert on crates as never used them and would depend where the pup was to sleep.


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## springer-lucy (Jan 29, 2011)

Awww bless her! Firstly don't panic, this is perfectly normal behavior for a new pup and I really wouldn't worry about separation anxiety just yet. She's just been taken away from her mum and siblings and it's all a bit scary and strange for her that's all.

We have always had Lucy in a pen in our kitchen and although she howled and cried for the first few nights, she soon relaxed, slept all the night through and grew to love her pen. As hard as it was to do we just ignored her cries and let her settle on her own and she soon improved each night. One thing you might find though is that by giving in to her she'll learn that if she howls she'll get her own way and you run the risk of her thinking she's the boss so it's best to stick to a strict routine of putting her to bed, making sure she's comfortable and leaving her for the night. 

Some things which may help settle her in is a ticking clock, maybe put the radio on quietly and a comforter. Did you get anything from the breeder with the scent of her mum and siblings? This may help settle her too.

It will get better I promise, best of luck! x


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

hawksport said:


> You've took her away from everything she knows. Where she was with her mum and littermates 24 hours a day. Put her somewhere she knows no one, understands nothing of whats happening and she has lost her littermates and mum. She's going to be upset and cry, I would be worried if she didn't. It will all work out in the end


I agree and just what I was going to say. Pups kept outside in a kennel are usually an indication of a back yard breeder who probably hasn't socialised her much, and twelve weeks is very old to be leaving all she knows.

It is going to take a long time, she is lonely and pining and personally I think you have done the right thing by bringing her into your room. Once she gets to feel more secure, she will settle, but as said could well be prone to separation anxiety if you are not careful.

I would do as suggested and leave her for a few minutes at a time, building up gradually to longer time, during the day. Just think how quiet the house is at night as well, not at all what she is used to and probably very scary. When you do try to get her back downstairs (if you do), leave a radio on and leave her with something that smells of you, like and old pair of slippers or a tee shirt.


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