New Dog Problem

If you've found that he's started settling behind the door, he may be getting used to the idea of you leaving. If he isn't too anxious, I wouldn't stress him out too much by forcing him in a crate. If he's not used to being left alone, it will take some time to get used to it.

Making sure he has lots of treats & toys is important. I do agree that a lot of toys shouldn't be given unsupervised, but dogs love to chew and I'd rather give my dog a toy to chew on than him chewing my banister. If he has a specific treat he likes, start giving him this in a morning just before you leave. He'll begin to associate you leaving with a treat and that's positive to him. I give my dogs their morning dentastix before I leave. Something easy and not sharp like that means I'm not worried about a bone sticking in their throat or a jar of peanut butter stuck on their faces, etc.

. If he isn't too anxious, I wouldn't stress him out too much by forcing him in a crate. If he's not used to being left alone, it will take some time to get used to it.

I agree, definitely don't force him into a crate. You need to create positive experiences with a crate and I think you'll find he'll come to like it and at the very least, accept it and it will provide a safe place for you to leave him.

Thanks for all the replies although now (fingers crossed) he appears to be settling down. Much less fretful when my wife returns and doesn't appear to be worked up (although he doesn't like it) when she leaves him. When she returns he is more often than not asleep at the front door.

Having been re homed we are starting to think it was more an insecurity issue rather than separation anxiety itself

Glad to hear he's settling down

I second the crate. My cocker loves it. However my cocker, Alice, cannot be left alone. She is absolutely fine when she is with the other dog but she will howl and get very stressed when she is completely alone.

 

Use the crate as a training tool rather than a 'cage'. Fill it with blankets and toys and put it in a quiet place where it can always be. Leave the door open and let the dog go in and out freely. Reward your dog with treats and praise when it goes in there. Then when your dog is familiar with the crate, lock the door on it for five minutes, praise and open. Build up he length of time your dog is locked in there before you use it to leave the house but I think you will find that your dog loves it.

 

I find dogs only hate crates when they only go in one when they visit the vets or groomers they aren't familiar with etc. As then they associate the crate with negative experiences. Otherwise dogs generally love a crate.

 

Being a cocker though, who are super sociable, needy dogsm you may find that it needs a companion and you will have to decide if you can provide that. Hopefully that wont be necessary,

We have just adopted a dog, and his previous owners said we should get him a crate to sleep in, and it is a lot easier. He doesn't seem to mind it, and sleeps well in there until I wake him in the morning. He is very boisterous and I would be worried if he was left alone downstairs at night unrestrained, especially since he chases the cat around.

He did cry a little last night when we went to bed, which was upsetting, but it didn't last very long. And it all must very strange for him, he is used to living with 4 other dogs. He will spend the daytime with my OH, it's just at night when he is crated, or if we both have to go somewhere where he can't come along.

I would advise giving him a lovely warm and cosy crate as well, covered over with a nice thick blanket to make it dark, warm and secure to retreat to if he feels worried, you could leave him a slept in t shirt in there as well (or anything with your scent on it) crates are brilliant as long as you teach them that it is a lovely bed and not a prison, so don't lock for quite a while then slowly and only for short times while you are there.

Also its best not to fuss or over excite the dog when you're going out or coming back, wait till he's calm, reward only calm behavior, glad to see he is improving, he will get there