Author Topic: Separation anxiety (Read 2465 times)

Hevxxx99 · « **on:** September 18, 2016, 10:59:18 am »

I'm sure this must've been discussed before somewhere but..

Has anyone had much sucess with anything or any technique for separation anxiety?

We have our daughter's partner's dog staying with us for the forseeable due to him being away and unable to have the dog with him. The dog suffers appallingly from separation anxiety. We have to crate him or he will trash the house, but that isn't a problem in itself: he's fed in there and sees it as his bed when we are present.

When we go out, he barks, howls and does everything he can to escape, to the extent of causing himself (minor) injuries. He also poos in the cage and shreds his bedding. He doesn't eat his treats that are left for him and mostly ignores other distractions. He isn't alone: out other 4 dogs are present in the room (not the cage: it's big, but not that big!).

Possibly, a degree of the behaviour is furious frustration at being left, but I'm working on the idea that it is stress related. I'm going to work on short periods of separation and gradually build up and look into calming tablets but intersted to know if anyone has had any success with other methods or can make any recommendations?

Until he is much better, we dare not leave him home alone for the sake of our poor neighbours!

Blondie · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2016, 02:14:07 pm »

I haven't had to deal with anything that bad with our girl, but she did use to cry when left. We started to leave radio 4 on when out and this has helped a lot. The sound of talking seems to reassure her and also slightly blocks out any outside noise.

Might be worth trying the radio, even if it only has a tiny affect!

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2016, 04:43:37 pm »

I usually leave Classic FM on as I've heard classical music is supposed to be calming. Maybe I should try 4 instead. Thanks for that.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2016, 04:49:39 pm »

I did the toy box as per John Cree's book 'Your Problem Dog' and it worked a treat.

Radio 4 also helpful unless John Humphries goes off on one, which used to upset Horace terribly!

sabrina · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2016, 06:53:40 pm »

Just a thought, could his stress maybe the fact he is in a cage and the other dogs are not. My 3 will howl even if I go to work outside and leave them in. As my neighbours are far enough away for it not to bother them I let them howl. Soon give up. Radio is a good idea, a calmer maybe until he settles. Sounds like a very troubled dog so not an easy fix.

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 19, 2016, 07:22:10 am »

Yes, very troubled. He's a rescue dog so no idea of his past but he's been rather spoilt since which probably hasn't helped!

I did wonder if the other dogs being out was part of the problem, so shut the most amenable one in with him: it made no difference sadly.

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 19, 2016, 07:26:27 am »

Sallyinthenorth, what's the toy box? I don't believe anything will distract him once he gets wound up. We've tried chews, toys, bones and various treats but none distract him for more than a few minutes.

We're going for a couple of minutes separation at a time, returning before he gets upset and trying to lengthen the time away slowly. We're doing it after a good walk in the hopes he'll be full of endorphins and tired enough to sleep. Only started this yesterday, so no idea if it'll work.

Some sort of calmer tablet may be useful, I agree, at least until he is a bit less stressed.

And Radio 4

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** September 19, 2016, 08:52:53 am »

Writing quickly as our electric is going off in 12 minutes. So apols for any typos.

Distractions won't work once the dog is already upset. The distraction must be being deployed before the situation arises when the dog is likely to become upset.

The toy box. Start by getting the dog to love having his toy box. It's a big box, full of all kinds of things - his favourite toys, some treats, screwed up newspaper, any and everything, especially things he can chew. Make a big fuss of having it, being excited with him when he gets it and as he finds everything inside it. Do this randomly for a couple of weeks, so that he gets into a frenzy of excited anticipation when you say, "Toy Box!"

Now, occasionally, when you give him his toy box - with all the usual razzamataz - after he's started to get stuck into it, slip out for a couple of minutes.

Build that up. Slowly! And not every time you give him his toy box.

The theory is that he won't notice you go, and once he notices that you're gone, that's a different scenario, not the one that causes the anxiety. And if he does notice that you're gone, well then he has plenty of things to vent his anxiety upon. (Horace used to shred the newspaper.)

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2016, 08:54:33 am »

Oh, and have a few things that he really loves, that he only gets in his toy box, so it's always wonderful

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2016, 08:55:36 am »

Final emphasis - he gets anxious when you leave - so try to have him not notice you go.

BrimwoodFarm · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2016, 09:40:53 am »

Very interesting Sally.

I may try this with mine. Beetle had massive separation anxiety and we stopped it by getting another dog so when she was left alone, there were two of them. However, they had a massive bustup whilst we were out once and so Bo now has to be crated. Though Beetle is a little calmer when we're gone, we know she does still howl and get upset periodically, so a Toy Box might help.

Foobar · « **Reply #11 on:** September 19, 2016, 04:58:29 pm »

You must also be *very strict* with the ignoring him when you come in (or go out) - no eye contact, no fuss, no voice. You need to make it so that he thinks that you coming and going is normal and not something to make a song and dance about.
I would start any exercises when he's already had his exercise too - will make it a bit easier if he has less energy. Little and often.
Try other scenarios too, like leaving him in the garden and go inside or out of the garden where he can't see you.

Jukes Mum · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2016, 01:07:49 pm »

It can be a long road. We have finally creaked it with one of our spaniels but it has taken 5 years. We got him when he was 10 months old and he was terrible. He would break out of his crate, shred the room, poo everywhere etc and the longest he was left for was one hour. The only way to do it is to make sure he is not left until he is able to cope with it, which can be a real challenge in itself. Sally's 'toy box' technique can be fab. Similarly, you can give him a big raw knuckle bone in his crate and after a few times, give him the bone in his crate, leave quietly by the front door and come straight back in the back door without acknowledging him at all. This can be built up very gradually until you can start to go through your normal leaving procedure of changing shoes, finding car key etc and eventually starting the car, driving round the block and coming home. Again, don't acknowledge him when you return. Other dogs as company rarely works as they are panicking about you.
If you can find somewhere he is happy to be left, this can teach him that it is ok to be alone. It turned out that Murphy would sleep soundly on his own in the car/van. Eventually he was fine to be left anywhere in the dog box from the car. We rarely leave our dogs home alone, but he has arthritis now so can't always come out to work. When he is left, he will now stay 'happily' in the house with no dog box, crate etc. Obviously I cannot judge how 'happy' he is to be left, but there is a very distinct small to a distressed dog and we don't have that at all now. He is quiet and doesn't touch anything in the house so we can only assume that he is 'OK'. We still cannot leave him in a kennel for 30 seconds though!
Good luck!