Separation Anxiety

[dab_20]

I have dealt with dogs with separation anxiety, but none as severe as Springens. Since my brother has moved out with him, it's gotten a great deal worse. He has to stay in his kennel while my brother is at work for 6 to 8 hours, as he is very destructive when left alone. When we put him in his kennel, he starts to almost have some sort of a panic attack. He starts panting very loud and fast, whining, and drooling. Sometimes we'll leave for only ten minutes, and he has his four inch thick bed soaked through with drool.

The other day Springen got the bottom latch on his kennel door open, pushed until he bent the door enough to get through, and proceeded to rip all the blinds down on the window and tear them to shreds.

My brother makes sure he gets a long walk and fetch before he leaves and feeds him. We try to avoid making a big deal about leaving and coming home. We tried to associate his kennel with GOOD things, treats and lots of praise. Unfortunately, I do not know what the owners did before we got him, but we do know they did neglect him... so maybe that has something to do with it.

I'm at a loss and don't know what to do to cure this. I've tried many things I've read on the internet and it doesn't seem to be working. Even if he's confined and not destroying anything, I simply hate to think he has to suffer through the day with such worry and anxiety. He's not an anxious or fearful dog otherwise. Any suggestions??

[Freedom]

All I can think of, you may have tried. To "desensitize" him to being left alone.

Put him in the kennel, leave the room, return, let him out. Maybe a treat for reward. Do that a lot.

Next step, leave the house. Just stand outdoors. Return, let him out, treat. Do that a lot.

Next go out, get in the car and start it. Do not move it. Stop it, return, let him out, treat. Repeat a lot.

Next, drive car around the block.
Next, drive car, wait 5 minutes, 10, return.

If at any point you return and he has been in panic mode, then you moved to the next step before he was ready for it. Back up and redo the prior step.

Is there any alternative to him being alone? Anyone in the extended family he can be left with during the day time? Just another thought.

[Freedom]

Another thought.

Does he have to be let IN the kennel? What if you block off one area of the kitchen for him. Put his bed, water bowl, toys, chew sticks. At the start, cover the area with pee pads. Over time, you should be able to put the pads in one section, far from his bed.

[dab_20]

We haven't tried working with him in steps like that. I will have to let my brother know and try it. Unfortunately, he's an hour away from me and my mom now, and they're is no one to leave him with every day.

Well... my brother could definitely try it. He doesn't have any problems with pottying in the house... he's just VERYY destructive when left alone. He is bound to fine something to chew up that is more 'interesting' than his toys lol. I could talk to him about totally puppy proofing a small area somewhere in the house.

[king2005]

How big is his kennel?

Digi use to be bad like that too. She would go INSANE!! Get your brother to leave rock music on, or the radio (loud, but not so loud that it'll upset neighbours).. I used Metal (music) to desensitize Digi from noises. I still leave music playing when I'm not home.

Digi's kennel can fit 3 more Digi's in it as its HUGE. The kennel recommended for her size is so tiny I find it cruel. I use it for traveling as she's not in it very long (only at night, or for a few mins if we go out to get food) as her day kennel is far too large to lug around on a trip & it doesn't fit in my sisters tiny place.

I also have kept her in the bathroom when I have to leave her for long periods of time when traveling. I keep the light off & the bathroom fan ON. Sure the fan is annoying, but if I don't leave the fan on she gets upset with it being too quiet, but the dark also helps keep her calm as it helps her to fall asleep. Not once has she destroyed my sisters bathroom. BUT if I let her loose at home, she'll find something to shred (mostly my mail), or she'll just trash the house (pull plants onto the floor, spread my stuffies all over the house without damaging them, but if she finds plastic she'll chew on it).

Shes nothing like she use to be, & I can leave her for 30 mins & she'll just lay on the floor (as long as I don't lock the door) not too far from the door waiting for me. I've had her since about 6 weeks old (she was abused & neglected before she was thrown at me at 6 weeks of age). She will be 3 Aug 1st.

[dab_20]

We also got a kennel that was supposed to be the size for boxers, but Springen got so tall when he stood up his head would hit the top! So we got a kennel for like double his size and it's nice and roomy for him. Yeah, my brother has music on all the time when he is home so that would help if he left it on!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

That is far too long for him to be in a kennel. Is there anyway that a run of some sort could be attached so he has some sense of being able to go in and out of it during the day?

[bckrazy]

Can your brother afford to take Springen to dog daycare or something of that sort while he SLOWLY works on desensitizing him? Our daycare is less than $20/day. The issue with desensitizing Springen... while having to crate him for 8 hours a day... is that he's still going into that freak-out mode. The goal is to never push him to that point, to very gradually work on kenneling him without him showing any stress signals at all before you start building on the time he's in the crate.

[king2005]

One thing that I have learned about dogs is that their own barking can make them worse.

My ex-friends rottie was NUTS, crazy & aggressive... He was a totally new dog when muzzled. His own barking use to make him madder & madder, but when he couldn't bark, he chilled out.. a lot. THen after several months he didn't need the muzzle.. but for safety we kept it on him during walks, as he could never be fully trusted.

It wouldn't hurt to give it a try. Try to find one that wont allow him to bark, but STILL drink! Also try to find one that wont come off with ease.

Get your brother to put it on him & give him lots of loving. Take it off & give him a treat. Do that for a few days until he sees the muzzle as a happy fun thing. Then get him to leave the house for 5 mins & come back. then 10, 15, 20 & so on (if possible).

Hopefully within the first week, the muzzle will be on him while your brother is at work. Also becuase of the muzzle not allowing him to open his mouth wide, it'll help keep the house in order...

Yes the dog is going to be bored during the day, but it wont be a forever thing. & at least he can run around the house & chase a ball on the floor (leave some balls out).

Hope that helps

[Louie and me]

My RB dog Louie also had extreme separation anxiety when he was first rescued. Not distructive but drooling and panting and peeing when left alone. I followed all the same steps that Freedom has listed and it worked well but it does take time and patience. Fortunately I was not working at the time. After I returned to work full time there were no problems except he was not crated but confined to the kitchen.

[dab_20]

Thank you all for the great suggestions.

bckrazy... Well he doesn't have much money to take him to a day care... but your right. We have been working on some of the steps that Freedom has suggested. But it's not going to work when we are forced to put him in the kennel because my brother still works. So he's gotten two doggy gates and gated off the kitchen in the mean time...(making sure nothings on the counter of course! He's pretty tall). We put his doggy bed in there and a kong filled with peanut butter. He doesn't LIKE to be left alone, but he doesn't go into the freak out mode. He has not destroyed anything so far!

king2005, well Springen doesn't bark, so that's not really the issue. BUT the muzzle thing is an idea to avoid any chewing. Does he need a special one for his short little Boxer nose?

[king2005]

They have different kinds of muzzles for different kinds of dogs, so I'm going to assume yes. Take him to Pet Smart & try some on. Since he doesn't bark there is no need to get the kind that will keep his mouth closed... But it might be the cheapest muzzle. He doesn't need anything fancy as hes not an aggressive dog, but comfort is important too. You don't want him getting nose sores from it rubbing him to harshly.

Have you seen the big stuffy Digi has on her bed? Its bigger then her LOL she loves to cuddle up to it. Maybe a big stuffy friend would help comfort him?

[bckrazy]

I would not recommend EVER muzzling a dog with seperation anxiety. Especially if he's drooling and panting excessively. D: Muzzles are very stressful, even if you desensitize him to wearing a muzzle. I would never leave a muzzle on a dog and leave them alone.

It sounds like an herbal supplement, like Rescue Remedy, could help him a lot. I gave Fozzie RR when I first started working on his SA. It helped a lot, and he doesn't get nearly as worked up as it sounds like poor Springen does.

[dab_20]

I would not recommend EVER muzzling a dog with seperation anxiety. Especially if he's drooling and panting excessively. D: Muzzles are very stressful, even if you desensitize him to wearing a muzzle. I would never leave a muzzle on a dog and leave them alone.

It sounds like an herbal supplement, like Rescue Remedy, could help him a lot. I gave Fozzie RR when I first started working on his SA. It helped a lot, and he doesn't get nearly as worked up as it sounds like poor Springen does.

Thanks. I don't know if I really feel comfortable with muzzling my anxious pup anyway.
So this isn't really a medication? How does it calm them? I will go google it now and read up on it. Thanks for the suggestion, Erica