Did someone say separation anxiety ?

Miss Kali loves her new family, and right now it may be a little too much.

In the first few weeks here Kali fit right into the routine of the house. Puppies sometimes do not do well in a crate and rotate situation but Kali was pretty much use to it from the lifestyle at the temp rescue shelter. As the weeks went on and Miss Kal got use to the idea of getting attention, she wanted more and more and more.


First it started with her not being able to stay gated in an area of the house as she could jump the 4ft baby gates. If only I could explain to her at the time that it was for her safety that she didnt jump that gate to get to me or play with the other dog, they didnt want to play. I have to be honest in admitting that for a moment I was pleased with her jumping of the gate........it had Dock Dog potential all over it ! But then the realization of the anxiety came as time went on.

As the weeks have gone on the separation anxiety has been ramping up. She can be loured into the crate with treats, so her crate aversion is not too bad, but once in and the door is closed, it sounds like a hyena has been let loose in my house. The vocalizations do not last long but the digging and biting at the bars do.

She is in a room with a DAP diffuser, spray and is wearing a DAP collar to hopefully take the edge off. In the first few weeks when this started to show itself, there was only a little drool in the crate, now we come home to a drenched pup. Kal also is urinating in the crate as well due to her stress. I am pretty sure that this is not just an housebreaking issue as she can hold it just as long while at work with me in a dog run.

We have had our fair share of separation anxiety in this house; Bean eating through walls, breaking out windows, eating out of every crate we put him in etc etc but I have never seen a puppy with this much anxiety of being left alone. Back to the desensitisation of leaving in this household.
When she is out and about, no fear, perfectly sound puppy with a touch of excited urination when new people come over, but once she is out of my sight, she panics. I am attributing it to her lack of true socialization while being held by the courts. She was handled at least once a day as much as she could be by the staff and volunteers but Kal was 1 of 500, and that is the reality of it. Obviously she is one that I took a special interest in and I helped shape her as best I could but she spent her best puppy time in the shelter, sometimes with litter mates, sometimes not.

Our exercise routine has been bumped up, she is able to come to work with me every day until some of this has resolved and she is getting as much attention as we can give without babying her into thinking there is something to be anxious about. We are putting in the work, just waiting for the results.

We are working through this and I dont doubt it will be successful, I just wish I could let the little girl know, she is safe and going to always get the attention she needs and deserves.