puppys behavior

Question
Dear Barb,

We just got a a corgi/black lab mix puppy about 3 weeks ago. He is now 14 weeks old. He is very healthy and energetic but whines/barks a lot when we put him in either play pen or crate. Because both of us work full time, he spends about 8 hours a day by himself although we always come by during the lunch time to check on him. We have reason to believe that he is suffering from separation anxiety and I am wondering if there is any cure for this. Also, I cannot figure out how to get him go in to his crate. He hates his crate it seems. Should I get a bigger crate? How can I make his crate more appealing to him?

Please help....

Answer
Hi Elle.  Congratulations on your new puppy!  You must ignore all barking and whining in the crate.  No eye contact, no conversation, no scolding.  He should only be allowed out of the crate when he is calm and quiet. ANY attention to the dog while he's carrying on will reinforce and increase the frequency of the barking.

I'm glad to hear you're coming home at lunch time to let him out of the crate. Be sure he gets tired out during his mid-day break so he'll want to sleep during the afternoon.  

A dog's crate should be big enough for him to stand up completely and turn around in a circle without difficulty.  I like portable exercise pens for confinement as it gives dogs a bit more room to move around.    

Make the crate and/or pen more appealing by feeding meals in there, dropping treats in there when he's not looking so he can discover them on his own.  Always have a good chew toy or treat in there when you have to confine him before you go to work.  Stuffed Kongs are great for young pups in their crate.  Stuff a Kong with the pup's kibble, wet it a bit, then put some peanut butter or yogurt on the top.  Freeze it, and your pup has a meal will keep him busy for a while.  I always kept a supply of frozen Kongs in the freezer ready to give to my pup whenever she was confined in her pen.  When the food is gone, the pup has a nice chew toy to teethe on.

Watch this video on how to make the crate a good place:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8HNO79bZMY

Puppies that young rarely suffer from separation anxiety, but they do suffer from boredom and will find ways to amuse themselves by chewing and barking.  Rotate toys, save the really favorite ones for crate time, ignore barking/whining, and do some training to make the crate a good place.  Early puppyhood is tough!  It does get better, though, and most dogs come to love their crate and go to it voluntarily when they need to rest.  

Please let me know if you have further questions or need clarification on anything I've suggested.