Tippie Toes

[dixie100]

My 13 year old Pom is so attached to me I don't know what to do. She has a panic attack if I just walk out of the room. I love her so much, and want to cherish every moment we have, but this has really got terrible over the past several months. Any tips or simular folks with this situation would be appreciated.

[mr.chiwawa]

I had a similar issues with my chihuahua. He would cry and scream everytime i left the room. So I bought a cd thats made for sleep you can get them at wallmart or anywhere that sells cds. Anyway I would put him in his playpen before i left and turned the sleep cd on right before i left. he would cry for about 5 minutes then stop and settle right down. Maybe turning on a tv or radio so there is some nosie in the room. And lastly if you have someone else that is there have them hold her/him while you leave and talk in a soothing voice letting the dog know its ok and that you will be back soon.
Thats all I got hope it helps. If all of that fails i know that they sell plug in diffusers that can clam a pets nerves. Heres a link of what i'm talking about hope it all helps thats all i got
chi hugs---
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444181 3360&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302026138&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1169005786727&itemNo=32&In=Dog&N=2026138&Ne=2

[agilityk9trainer]

Is this dog the same as the screamer?

[Canis-Lupess]

This problem arises from allowing dogs to sleep with you and basically be with you all the time from being puppies. You might think it's better for them at the time but then they get to the point where they are unable to cope if left only for a moment and that has to happen sometime. They have developed an over-attached relationship with you and the implications of this can be even more distressing than a dog that spends too much time alone but is more used to it.

Dogs should always sleep downstairs in their own beds from being pups. Having that time to themselves teaches them to not mind spending some time alone plus it cuts down on the possibility of the dog developing dominance troubles by being allowed in such a key area as the master bedroom where they think only the alphas should be.
As she is now getting on, this dependancy is getting even higher and her age makes her less able to cope with these stressful situations.

A tip is to have greetings warm and welcoming and departures kept cool. In your case, you might be having the departures warm where you try to reassure the dog or whatever and maybe have greetings cool and angry where you are annoyed at the dog barking or maybe being destructive in your absence.

Go through some exercises that teach your dog to learn how to spend some time alone. Leave your dog in one room and leave the room, closing the door behind you and stand on the other side for a few seconds or even less. Go back in and praise her before she has a chance to start panicking, maybe giving her a small treat or a big fuss. She'll start to realise that, even though you leave, you always return so she doesn't need to worry. Keep doing this just for a few seconds then start to increase it a little.
After a while, you might just leave her indoors and go outside, maybe walk to the garden gate and then back to the house. Then graduate to having a quick run around the block in the car and, when you return, give her plenty of praise.
Remember not to make a fuss as you leave the room. Ignore her as you walk out.

Also, if she sleeps with you, start to concentrate on having her sleep elsewhere as she gets better. In a dog bed on the landing at first and then move her downstairs later on.

People make the mistake of thinking that loneliness causes this but it is not. Getting another dog for example will not help the behaviour at all. It is people the dogs craves simply because it is not used to being without one in it's presence.

[dixie100]

Is this dog the same as the screamer?

This is the screamer's sister.