Separation anxiety, etc.

[stacwase]

I don't know if we're going to come home from the shelter with Aspen today, or if we'll be traveling downstate to meet Essy - but if we do come home with Aspen, I know we'll be dealing with her separation anxiety.

Her last owners brought her back to the shelter because of her destructive behavior.

I have done a search for "separation anxiety" and read a lot of the information already posted on this forum, but I have a few more questions.

If she has separation anxiety and needs to feel safe while I'm away, would it be best to cover the crate with a blanket or something or to leave it open?

Max sleeps beside my bed every night. I have set up the crate downstairs in the dining room. Whichever dog comes to live with me, she's going to be sleeping in the crate at least for a while. Do you think that it would be better to have the crate in my room?

I have a friend who works at the local iron ore docks, all alone in a little office, with long boring hours. He was thinking of bringing my new dog to work with him several days a week to keep him company all day. I would drop her off to him in the morning and he would bring her home to me in the evenings. At work, she would rarely be alone - only for a few minutes at a time, and there isn't anything chewable in the office. Everything in the office is concrete or metal, except for the cushion on one of the chairs (and the doggie bed which I'll put in the office, in the hopes that it won't be chewed to bits!). I'm thinking that if I leave some rawhides etc., she might get used to chewing on toys and leave other things alone when she is at home. What do you think of this idea?

And one more question - should I attempt to exhaust her with a lot of exercise before I crate her and leave? I'm thinking that might hell.

Any opinions are welcome! In 3 1/2 hours we will find out if Aspen is fated to come home with us or if Essy will be making the long trip up here! I'm not even going to suggest Aspen to my son - I'll just take it as a sign if he is drawn in by her personality as much as I am.

[pitc9]

Sierra had seperation anxiety when we adopted her, she would break out of her crate (she's broken teeth) she would pull anything within reach of her crate, into her crate and tear it up.
She would cry and whine like CRAZY when we were leaving the house, etc.
But once we got Buddy, she turned into a different dog!
Just having him next to her all of the time made a WORLD of difference to her.
Even now, after having Buddy for two years, I can not leave her home alone at all! If Buddy has to go to the vets, she comes along!
Once I had to drop Buddy off at the vets in the moring, and leave him there all day long. I took him to the vets, dropped him off before work, and went back home to change my clothes before going to work. Just in the 20 minuets I was gone, she broke herself out of her crate and tore the couch up! I had to call my mom to come over and check on her a few times during the day.
I really don't think taking the new dog to your friends office is a good idea, that just my opinion. I think the new dog, you and max all will need to learn what is going to calm the new dog down and make them feel comfortable.

If you want to coverher crate with something, I would start with something small like a towel, to see if it bothers her that something is on her crate. If she doesn't mind the towel, them put something bigger on, etc...

I would put her crate in your room, this way at night, she knows where both you and Max are. It's all about her feeling safe, and knowing she is not alone.


I used to run around the yard with Sierra before I left for work, before I got Buddy! It can't hurt, that's for sure!!
It may just make you look a little silly running around your yard at 6:00 playing with your dog!! (like it made me look silly!)
I don't have to do that any more, they chase eachother around the yard now!

Good Luck!!
Keep us posted... and don't forget the pictures!!!!!

[stacwase]

Thanks, Ange! I was wondering if having Max around might help. She'd still be with a "pack" then (albeit a small one).

We'll wait a while and see how she does before my friend tries bringing her to work. She'd be getting round-the-clock almost undivided attention if she was with him - she'd probably learn all kinds of tricks. He's very kind-hearted and patient and has lots of time to kill at work. I think we'll just take it as it goes.

Wow - I can't believe Sierra was able to break out of her crate so easily! Good grief! Did you end up giving up on the crate training altogether?

What about TV & radio? Did that help to calm her?

[aly]

Originally posted by stacwase

I have done a search for "separation anxiety" and read a lot of the information already posted on this forum, but I have a few more questions.

If she has separation anxiety and needs to feel safe while I'm away, would it be best to cover the crate with a blanket or something or to leave it open?

Max sleeps beside my bed every night. I have set up the crate downstairs in the dining room. Whichever dog comes to live with me, she's going to be sleeping in the crate at least for a while. Do you think that it would be better to have the crate in my room?

I have a friend who works at the local iron ore docks, all alone in a little office, with long boring hours. He was thinking of bringing my new dog to work with him several days a week to keep him company all day. I would drop her off to him in the morning and he would bring her home to me in the evenings. At work, she would rarely be alone - only for a few minutes at a time, and there isn't anything chewable in the office.
And one more question - should I attempt to exhaust her with a lot of exercise before I crate her and leave? I'm thinking that might hell.

Most of my seperation anxiety dogs and fosters did better with a sheet over the crate. I slowly introduced them to the crate first until they were comfortable with it. When I could start leaving them in the crate, I did throw a sheet over it and play classical music or talk radio. It helped Reece immensely.

I would keep the crate downstairs. It will be better to get her used to being alone and let her know its okay. I'd say have her sleep down there for at least a month. When her seperation anxiety is gone, then she can start sleeping in your room with you and Max. It is better to fix the problem than trying to always manage it. You'll be at your wit's end if you have a dog that you can't leave alone.

For the third question, I wouldn't do it initially. I think its a great deal for a dog, don't get me wrong. But I'd first try to work with her to get rid of the seperation anxiety (same reasoning as the previous question).

Reece had seperation anxiety BAD, and I've had several fosters with it. It took me about a month or a month and a half of work with Reece and then he was totally over it. It was a grueling process but well worth it! If you have any other questions, I could probably answer them. Oh, and I'd be careful about her being outside for the first couple weeks. Since she has seperation anxiety, she may try to get back to an old home or to the shelter. A lot of shelter dogs have done that even when left outside alone for 5 minutes during the first few days they were at the new home. Once she settles in more (probably approx 2 weeks), then she'd be safe outside alone.

[pitc9]

Originally posted by stacwase
Wow - I can't believe Sierra was able to break out of her crate so easily! Good grief! Did you end up giving up on the crate training altogether?

What about TV & radio? Did that help to calm her?

No, she and Buddy both have to be crated when I'm gone. Once in a while I get brave (or stupid... how ever you want to look at it) and I'll leave them gated in my bed room....

well.. these are the things I come home to find....


or this...

(my bed WAS made when I left the house that morning)



So I HAVE to keep them both in crates while I'm gone for more than 2 or 3 hours. The only time she's ever broken out of her crate is when Buddy is not there.

I leave a radio on for them everyday.

[MariaM]

I read a book called The Dog Listener by Jan Fennel and it talked about a lot of things, one of them being Separation Anxiety. It was really really good and made lots of sense, I recommend you get it from the library.

[tikeyas_mom]

Tikeya has sever anxiety... just like her mommy hahahaha

she will scream to the high heavens if left alone...

she needs someone or another dog there with her..

if screaming doesnt make anyone come home to her. she will reck stuff. chew books, go threw the garbage, reck stuffies..

poor baby

[stacwase]

I sincerely appreciate everybody's advice! I can tell Aspen really likes to be around people - so it doesn't surprise me that she has separation anxiety. She whines for a second when anybody leaves the room, even if other people are still there with her.

The pictures put the fear of God into me - thanks a bunch!

I'll try out the different suggestions and let you all know how it works out.

Thanks a bunch!