Good Morning. My first post

Hi everyone. I had a good look around while a few days ago but havent posted as yet because my internet went down!

Anyway My names leanne and i live nr manchester.

I have a 12month old girl called Sophie. Now i love my dog to bits but i have found out recently that the place we got her from is actually a puppy farming place which has really really upset me. I was very nieve and should have checked out properly. My boss had bought her dog from there and asured me they were ok but i now know different and i will never buy from anywhere without doing the proper checks.

Sophie is only small for a CKCS but shes very beautiful and me and my children love every molting hair on her body!

I do have a worry though and was hoping someone might be able to reasure me.

I've always wanted a CKCS but because of work etc never did. Anyway my husband was home by 10am and was home all day so after family chats etc we decided now was a great time to get a puppy. So we got Sophie and all was well until a few months ago when my husband decided to get a new job that meant he was out all day. So now my poor Sophie is on her own from 8.30am till 3.30pm and i hate leaving her and and revenge she has started chewing EVERYTHING. Now she has lots of toys, balls, bones etc but she seems to want revenge.

Ive considered getting a friend for her but to be honest i dont think i could afford another dog. we thought about selling her but when i started to talking to someone about it i just cried and cried and realised that i couldnt part with my girl for anything.

So my question do u have any ideas for her, or am i worrying far to much about her being on her own in the day.


Thank you and sorry this went on for sooo long


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Leanne and welcome to the board

I wouldn't go and get her a friend to keep her company just because you have to leave her - you could end up with a much worse problem on your hands!

Could one of you not pop home in the middle of the day? If not, how about asking a neighbour if they could pop in and play with her/ walk her for you? Failing that, a dog walking service?

There are plenty of ways around this and it's not as if you went out and bought her to leave her all day, it's a change of circumstances

When I am going to be out most of the day (very rare but it can happen) I usually ask one of my friends or neighbours if they will pop in and spend half and hour with the boys and let them out for a wee. My friends never mind as I look after their houses and animals when they go away and also more often than not, their human kids too :lol:

If none of your friends or neighbours can help then why not put a card in a local shop asking if any elderly person could help out - you might find someone who couldn't manage a dog full time but would more than willingly pop in to yours every day for a bit of extra pocket money :flwr:

Good luck :flwr:

Hi Leanne,
Please do not think it's revenge - it's most certainly separation anxiety! Sophie needed to be slowly trained to get used to being left alone for short periods, followed by increasingly longer periods, before being left for an entire day.
She is not taking revenge, but is so emotionally distraught that she doesn't know what else to do. There are specific steps you can take to help her adjust.

I'll look for some links on 'Separation Anxiety'. Karlin is sure to have lots of helpful information here as well. :flwr:

Here is a recent post on separation anxiety. In Karlin's post there is a link to a dog training website. If you scroll down on that website, you'll see a section about 'leaving your dog home alone'.
http://www.cavaliertalk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2582&highlight=separation+anxiety

Also, leave your dog with Kong toys, the treat dispenser can be filled with kibble, and you can put peanut butter, cheese, etc. inside the regular kong. (I would not fill a marrow bone as suggested in the article, because bones can splinter, crack teeth, or form impactions inside the digestive tract.) Here is a link to Kong toys:
http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html

Think about getting a DAP diffuser as well. This will calm your dog:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/s...79_1&results-process=default?tag2=over-std-20

As has been said, your dog certainly isn't after revenge. Cavaliers are sociable dogs, so it will be separation anxiety. My oldest boy, has always been ok left home alone , but the next oldest certainly can't cope with it. Luckily he doesn't have to , as I now have four dogs, but don'tgo out often ,anyway.

You've mentioned puppy farms. Well, that is where your dog could end up, if sold. Some of these people are very good at giving the impression that they will be offering a warm happy home; far from the truth.

Hi and welcome!

Many people work days and have a cavalier (or three!) so yes, you can work aroudn this but as noted, you should start working her up to being left and also, make plans to help keep her happy and occupied. A midday walk would be a good idea if someone can come home or stop in. Eeven if only a couple of the wordays, this would be good to do.

Also try leaving a radio on in the room where she is stayiong, either talk or someonthing with say classical music, which is calming for dog. Dogs like having the background human npise and calming music.

Also toys to keep her busy would really help, with kongs being one of the best choices. If you stuff them with food and freeze them, it will take her a few hours to work the food out and keep her busy and happy. There are some good links mentioned above.

When I get the chance later I'll look for some other ideas for you.

Hi and welcome! Don't give up just yet, she is just being a normal puppy! I have a Cavalier and a toy Poodle, my Cavalier just turned a year old this past summer, and he still has moments of chewing when I am gone. I'm single and I work full time 40 hours a week, so the dogs must stay home alone quite a lot. They have lots of toys and safe chewy things, but Bentley still does chew occasionally, and when he was younger he chewed a LOT!! I put certain things up out of his way that I don't want him to get.....like lamps, cords, magazines, etc. If possible, could you section off part of your house, say maybe keep her enclosed in just a certain area, where she'd still have room to play and be happy, but be away from things that she likes to chew on? Sometimes the kitchen works out for this. I also keep a radio playing softly for them while I gone, and some of my clothes for them to lay and so they can feel as if I am still around yet, sort of.

Thanks all, i do have a kong but she hid it will either find it or get her some more.

i Dont stress over the chewing i know shes still a baby and if she gets something she shouldnt then its my own fault for not doing a double check around the house b4 i leave.

She's been on her own for a few months now so the breaking in thing isnt a option but might have been had i thought about it.

She knows when we're due home cause shes ALWAYS sat on the window waiting for us but if i nip home in the day shes asleep lol.


Will check back after the weekend got a wedding tomoz. **mother in law is dog sitting**

There are pet sitting places. As well as maybe you could go on Craigslist and find a pet sitter. I always see postings around here for people that pet sit.

I have two doggy day cares both within a few miles of my house. You should see if there are any in your area.

Good luck!

Sometimes it's easier for the dog if she's confined to a room rather than having the run of the house. We put up baby gates in our kitchen, and that's where the dogs stay when we're not home. They have 2 big dog beds and a crate with an open door to sleep in. The kitchen is a cozy place for them. :slp:

Crate or pen- honestly, it's easier. Even with my nearly three and a half year old Cav, I never give her run of the house when I'm out. She's always confined to the kitchen (not much trouble she can get into there), or the living room (more trouble spots, but no problems since she's a comfort bug and just sleeps!). I would not dream of leaving my pup free- she really would chew everything, and I can relax knowing not only that my possessions are safe, but so is the puppy!