# Using an expen(QUestions)



## dotndani (Mar 19, 2007)

We put Duncan in his expen in the morning while the girls are getting ready for school and then he comes out and plays a little and then goes back in while I take them to school,which is literally down the block.He is left alone for approx 10-15 minutes and we leave the TV on and the birds keep him company.He yelps/cries when we leave,we do not make a big stink about leaving,but he cries so much.He goes back in when I go to pick them up.So during the day he is not caged up but free to roam around the LR and DR.Should I be putting him in the expen more often during the dat while I'm home so he can get used to it??I think he associated him going in there to us leaving him.How can I go about making him use his expen and decrease the amount of crying/whimpering.Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Dot


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## dotndani (Mar 19, 2007)

Reece,
I agree.They are like having little tikes all over again. I remember using the crying it out method with my daughters and had great success.
Hopefully,Duncan will soon stop crying so much when left alone.Cross your fingers!!


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## LuvMyHavanese (Apr 13, 2007)

I was fully prepared to have them sleep in crates in the bedroom with us. But on our 1st night(we were exhausted!) i decided to let them sleep in their crates in the ex-pen. It worked great! No one cried-ever. So thats where they sleep & go when we are at work. Dreamer never cries.
Now, if Tripp had to be in there by himself or leave him inside when we are outside, well......thats another story. He will cry like he's dying a slow death. He's very dramatic.
But he is ok when Dreamer is in there with him. Fortunately we have not had to split them up.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

I would put Duncan in the xpen while you are in the same room doing things. Let him eat in there too. Then he will know that it can be a happy place too, not just when you are not there. I think that Xpens are the BEST thing going. I used them with all three of mine when they were little. The only reason Logan got out at 4 months was cause he learned to climb over it


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## LuvMyHavanese (Apr 13, 2007)

My dining room has been converted to the dog area. Our ex-pens is where we keep the litter box, water bowl, crates, doggie beds, etc... But since we have an open floor plan, if one wants to go in there they are still near us so they can still see whats going on. I will sometimes go in there to play with them etc...Just like Laurie said, so they dont associate it with you always leaving. ANd never use it for punishment
I had to get the 4ft high ex-pen. They would try & jump over them


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

Once they learn that complaining doesn't work, they will stop. Never get him out when he is barking or whining. Wait till he's quiet. We do the same thing when letting Dusty in from outside. If she barks or scratches at the door, we wait until she is behaving before we go towards the door. If she starts up again, we walk away till she stops. These havanese are smart enough to learn what works pretty quickly. 

I agree about feeding him in the ex-pen or crate also.


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

Everyone already gave you great advice. Once they start to learn that you won't give in they will stop. However, Houston wouldn't give in. He would carry on for 45 minutes. Then it was time to go to phase two. Water bottle in the face while saying Quiet. It only took him two days and he caught on. As soon as he saw the water bottle he would run and lay in his bed. LOL. I am such a mean Mom but you have to have tough love. LOL. Now I just say Quiet with no water bottle and he knows.


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## dotndani (Mar 19, 2007)

A water spray bottle?Does it scare them or do they just not like it.I never heard of that.I will give Duncan a few more days and see what happens.TOday when I came back both times he was quiet and not whining/crying.Maybe it's working slowly.


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## judith (Dec 15, 2006)

i agree about the water bottle. coco's barking was wearing me out, i tried everything. then melissa suggested the WB and it only took 2 days. sometimes i get a little whinning when she is in the pen but i just hold the WB up and she stops!


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## dotndani (Mar 19, 2007)

Well I tried the water bottle things and that doesn't seem to phase Duncan.
He kept barking and even got more intent barking at the water bottle. 
He has no choice but to stay there,so I am hoping he will give in eventually,but this am he was a tyrant and I was waiting for my neighbors to call and tell me to stop his barking. 
Any other tricks that may work??? I have a neighbor that has been really sick for the past few days and I know that Duncan carrying on must definitely bother her but so far she hasn't complained as of yet.
He will eventually catch on,that once I leave I do eventually come back,right??
THanks,,
Dot


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

I agree that you should try to leave Duncan in the x-pen more often even while you are home. Does he get his food in there, his toys, his chew/treats? It might be a good idea to teach him that there are good things that happen when he's in the x-pen. That's how we crate trained Ricky and it worked SO well. He loves his crate! 

I didn't have an x-pen, but will if we ever get another puppy. I think it can be a very good thing for the pup. 

I don't think that a water bottle will 'fix' this, Dot. I think it might make him feel more nervous, stressed and even aggressive. I wouldnt' chance it. I think you are doing the right thing, with leaving a radio/music/t.v. on while you're away and when you get back home, ignore him until there is a break in his whining. Even if it's for a few seconds, THEN you can go to him and greet him. Not easy, I know. 

Maybe if you left him for 10-15 mins. several times during the day... ? Go to some other room, lie down, watch t.v. somewhere that he can't see or hear you move around and hopefully this will 'train' him to realize you will be back and not to stress over it too much. 

Ricky is a barker, a loud and shrill barker and it's a challenge for us too.  Leaving him and Sammy isn't so bad though, but I still "leave" once in a while just for the practice and to show them that it's not so bad when mommy's away. 

Good luck! I feel for you and know how difficult it can be. Vent as much as you have to, we're here.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

The water bottle thing has never worked for me. When I had my big dogs, when they saw the water bottle, they would sit and open their mouths  
I never had to resort to that with Kodi and Shelby, but I might try Binnaca. The trainer said it doesn't harm them, but they hate the taste.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

*"The water bottle thing has never worked for me. When I had my big dogs, when they saw the water bottle, they would sit and open their mouths "*

LMBO ! I can picture it too! lol

I took out a water spray bottle because of Ricky's incessant barking. The 'rewarding the quiet', clicker method hasn't been working as well as I'd like. It's o.k., but takes a lot of effort and I find it's taking forever!!!!! First time I sprayed Ricky (last Friday), it didn't shoot out, it misted... so there he was, enjoying a fine mist of 'rain' and wondering what I was up to!! Oh brother......... lol


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

What I do is I leave the Xpen open a little when I am home so Gucci can come and go out of it as she pleases. I also keep her "toy box' in there and her bones and she will periodically go in there to get a toy or even sleep in her bed sometimes while I am there.

She knows that the xpen is her "little room" and if she is tired of playing with the kids, she will go in there and lay down. Or if she wants to play, she will go get a toy out and bring it to me. 

I only close up the xpen when we leave and she has been doing fine. Her separation anxiety seems to have vanished overnight! Usually when I come home, she'll be either sleeping or playing! 

Kara


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## dotndani (Mar 19, 2007)

Maybe I will put his food and water dish in his expen.He has all his toys/bones in there as well as having his crate in there.He will go into his crate b/c the door is left open.The only time it's closed is at night,but then the crate is in our bedroom and he has no probelm with that.He just doesn't like being closed in the pen.I know I have to be patient and consistent,and I will try. Next time before I go out I will take him out inthe yard to run a bit so he can get rid of his energy.(I sound like Cesar Milan,LOL! )
Wish me luck!
Dot


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