# 2 year old cockapoo acting out



## polina (Jul 21, 2010)

Help!! We have a 2 year old cockapoo that acts out _only_ when we aren't home. He's been doing this since he was a puppy. He's completely house broken but when we leave, he'll poop/pee in the house or chew at the door (only sometimes when he's really anxious.) We try punishing him when we get home, but it's already so far after the fact that it doesn't really do anything but make us feel bad. We kept him in a pen for about 1.5 years (trying a couple times to expand his area slowly but he always did something to make us put him back in the pen), which kept most of his issues at bay, but he figured out how to jump over it recently. Now we're stuck because we can't think of any other way to keep him confined (he doesn't do well in crates). He's so well behaved in every other way but I can't stand coming home to poops and smelling pee everywhere. Please please help!!!!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

hey welcome sorry you are having so many problems. 

is we taken out for the toilet right before you go out. 

how long is be beeing left for. 

how many times a day is he fed.

what happens when he is cratted, i.e how long does he cry for, or does he toilet in there. 

have you tried a kong fill with treats and to opening pluged with cheese, peanut butter, pate. then pop it in the freezer so it takes longer for him to work on. 

what kinda toys does he have about. 

does he only toilet in the house when youve been out a long time or can it be even a short trip to the corner shop. 

have you ever tried setting up a cammera to see what it is he is dooing and how long it takes him to get upset that your gone.


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## polina (Jul 21, 2010)

is we taken out for the toilet right before you go out. 
_yes - we take him out 3 times a day... before we leave, when we come home and before bed_
how long is be beeing left for. 
_it varies... anywhere from 5 to 8 hours since we're both at work. the issue isn't that he has problems holding it, because he's been in a pen most of his life and hasn't gone in there._
how many times a day is he fed.
_ we feed him in the morning and at dinner time but leave his food out all day. we were thinking about only feeding him at night but that seems like a last resort_
what happens when he is cratted, i.e how long does he cry for, or does he toilet in there. 
_we havent crated him since he was a puppy because he is really anxious but we kept him in a baby type pen. he never goes in the pen and has a history of being extremely anxious when we leave!_
have you tried a kong fill with treats and to opening pluged with cheese, peanut butter, pate. then pop it in the freezer so it takes longer for him to work on. 
_he doesnt touch toys when we aren't at home... or his food usually_

what kinda toys does he have about. 
_everything from balls to kongs to chew toys_
does he only toilet in the house when youve been out a long time or can it be even a short trip to the corner shop. 
_we usually leave him for longer periods of time when we do go somewhere... he doesnt always go - just when he somehow gets through our barricade to a certain area that he likes... but even if we manage to not let him through, im afraid he'll just start going somewhere else. the peeing isn't localized to one area. he has gone in the house even when we've been gone for a short time though_
have you ever tried setting up a cammera to see what it is he is dooing and how long it takes him to get upset that your gone.
_we tried a while ago but for whatever reason the camera didnt work._
_im really thinking it relates to separation anxiety or hostility towards us leaving. my friend had a male cocker spaniel that she said went in the house his whole life. is this just something that male cocker breeds do??!? thank you soo much for your help!_
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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

ok so does he pee in the house every day, or is it only the times he gets past the baracade. 

feeding him twice a doy or just once is fine, but what i would recomend is that you dont leave his food down all day, this could be part of your problem, if he has acces to food all day it means hee can eat all day so his digestive system is always working and you cant propperly predict when he will nee the toilet. the 15 minuet rule realy does work, pop his food down he he doesnt eat it or has had a nibble then walked away and not returned pick it up and put it away and give it to him next meal time. 

does he pee and poo on the walks before you leave him.

how many times a day dose he poo. 

whats the shortised period of time you havbe been gone that he has pood. 


how many days a week do you work. 

you may need to spend time on him leaving for 5 minuets a couple of times, then coming back, the exstend the time, and keep exstending the time, even just alking to the end of the road and back.


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## breebella10 (Jan 10, 2011)

Polina Im sorry your going thorugh this, I just got BreeBella not to long ago I think she is about 1 too Its been hard for me too She is the cutest thing and dont want to give up on her so Im gonna keep at this its only been 3 weeks and I got alot more in me : ) the 15 min rule works for food the first week she did not want to eat now I mix it up maybe 2 -3 times a week I will through in some wet food and boiled chicken in her dry food and now she eats when I put her food down Good Luck with him


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## j maree (Jan 15, 2011)

chloe does poop in the house sometimes too. funny but it is when i am here.
first i got mad. now i'm trying to ignore her behavior cause it has become a war of wills. this is all part of having a dog. if it is one spot you need to get rid of the smell. i will let everyone know how it goes. one thing doesn't work try another. get creative.


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