Seperation anxiety & Thunderstorm fear

Help my dog hates being left alone. We've had him for 4 years and he's not getting better. I have tried everything. When we leave he howls adn cries the entire time we are gone. We have to crate hime because he'll destroy the house is we don't.

In the past 4 years he has done the following
destroyed 2 human beds
Eaten our sofas
bitten a door knob to the point that it's punctured
escaped out of his crate w/in 10 minutes (we now zip tie it shut)
broke his bottom canine teeth down to the gum line
cracked his upper canines
destroyed his crate w/his teeth and snout
pees in the house if left alone
has now started to poop in his crate
and other things I have blocked out ....

We cannot tie him outside or kennel him outside. He freaks out even worse. If we take him to the park and have to tie him so we can push the kids on teh swing he eats through the leash. We now have a chain leash.

The vet put him on a med but it didn't work.

He is not left alone a lot. If I can take him w/me places I do but he can't go to the pool or in the car on hot/humid days. He's not alone for a long amount of time 4 hours is tops and that only happens on a rare occassion.

Other than the above behavior he's a good dog. He loves my kids and cat. Is good w/everyone he meets but whoever his 2 previous owners were they really messed him up. He travels well in the car. He's super smart. This is his only bad behavior. He was a 2xshelter dog w/in a years time. Humane Society couldn't give us any information on his past family life.

Help please. I'm at my wits end

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He was a 2xshelter dog w/in a years time.

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This is probably the reason for his seperation anxiety. He doesn't want you to go away because he thinks you won't come back.

How is he when you leave a room but he can't follow? Teaching him to except you going across the room without him being able to be right there is the first step in many to help him with his problem.

I've never had to deal with this problem myself, but here is some advice on how to deal with SAD.

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It's not uncommon for rescue dogs to have separation issues.
Crates are not a good idea for a dog with severe SAD and can make it worse. The confinement just increases the panic, as is evidenced by the dog soiling her crate. You need to start working right away on desensitizing her to your pre-departure cues. The dog starts stressing about being left alone long before you put her in the crate or leave the room. She watches your body language, your keys, the shoes you put on, your grooming routine and a whole list of things that I don't know about. You will have to identify them all. These are the pre-departure cues that trigger the stress. It takes a long time and dedicated owners to help SAD dogs but it can be done. Practice getting ready to leave without actually leaving. This is the desensitization. When the dog has stopped stressing over pre-departure (this could take weeks) non-chalantly walk out the door one day without telling the dog you are leaving. And then walk back in. Eventually, you will be able to walk to the driveway or down the sidewalk and back. Eventually you will be able to walk down the block. When you do come back inside, make sure it's when the dog is quiet - even if it's just for a second. Otherwise, you are reinforcing that. You want to reinforce calm, relaxed behavior. That's why you need to take it slow. You want to replace the feelings of anxiety and panic. There are books out. Patricia McConnell has a booklet called "I'll Be Home Soon" that is only around $6 or $7 dollars that addresses preventing and treating SA.

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The following information comes from Dr. Dale Ackler from Michigan

Dogs suffering from separation anxiety become frantic when separated from their family or owner. They become so obsessed with trying to reunite that they often exhibit several destructive behaviors including urinating or defecating inappropriately, constant barking or howling, chewing nd destroying items that smell like the people they are trying to reunite with, scratching and chewing through crates, doors, or walls.

Seperation anxiety is distinguished from other behavior problems because it only occurs when the owner is not present. Often the animal shows over attachment when the owner is present.

Dogs are very social and form very strong bonds with their family. Most dogs do fine with typical daily seperation, but a dog that has developed dysfunctional, over dependant attachment to it's owner will have problems.
Often these are dogs with dysfunctional backgrounds, like dogs/puppies that were abandoned at the pound, puppies adopted from puppy mills or pet stores, puppies weaned from their mother at too young of an age, breeds that are genetically bred to form strong attachements to their owner such as hunting or herding dogs.

The dogs tend to be younger dogs, but can be older dogs who's senses are failing and begin to rely on their owners more.

OFTEN THE DOGS ARE ONES THE OWNERS DOTE OVER.

The first step in treatment of this disorder is to break the cycle of anxiety. You can do this several ways. First off, try to enrich your pets environment. Give them special treats before leaving such as hollow bones/kongs filled with treats, peanut butter, or something else good. You can also hide special treats around them, in their blankets, cage, room, and also feed them their meal in a "buster cube" or "boomer ball" where they have to work to get it out.

Try to teach your pet independence. Start by only giving your pet attention when you initiate it, and then only when he is lying or sitting down quietly. Ignore your dog when it is displaying attention seeking behaviors. Try to encourage your pet to stay in another room than you. This is going to have to be done gradually. Encourage them to sleep in other rooms, DO NOT LET THEM SLEEP WITH YOU, this only forms more dependance.

Try to de-stress departures and arrivals as these are usually the most anxious times for your dog. Do not act differently before leaving. Do not "gush" over pet or over stimulate pet before leaving.

Ignore dog upon return until he is sitting calmly and quietly. The goal is to limit excitement and anxiety as much as possible. Only reward calm behavior.

Try to make departure cues more random. Dogs learn your exit cues such as putting on shoes, picking up keys, putting on jacket, grabbing purse or briefcase. Our goal here is to make these cues random and not so reliable. Put your jacket on but don't leave the house, jingle your keys and go sit on the couch instead of leaving. Put your briefcase in the car the night before, etc.

Do not announce you are leaving, just go out the door.

Enrolling a dog in obedience class helps to instill confidence and independence into dogs. It is important to continue to spend 5-10 minutes each day working on obedience. This helps promote good behaviors... the dog gets rewarded for performing wanted behaviors.

Make sure your dog gets 15-20 minutes of "owner involved" aerobic excercise at least twice a day. Jogging is great, but so is catching a ball, playing frisbee, taking a walk. The goal is to tire them out a little, but make sure that you let them rest 15-20 minutes before you leave them. This allows them to get calmed down again after the excercise.

Some dogs will need drugs, but they will only be helpful if they are used in conjunction with the above behavior modification . Drugs are rarely effective by themselves. Normally dogs only need to use the drugs for 5-6 months and then can be gradually weaned off.

I hope this information helps those of you who are having this issue with your dogs. Good luck

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Hope that helped.

Hi, can you tell me what kind of med your vet put your dog on? I had to try three types of meds to get the one that actually helped my dog with her Separation Anxiety.

Ultimately, I used "clomicalm" (clomipramine is the generic). It really and dramatically improved her behavior, used in conjunction with behavior mod techniques. In the beginning, though, I did have to pair it with a mild tranqulizer for the mania. I used to video tape her, too, when i left. Just to get an idea of what her triggers were. It killed me to watch those tapes.

I, too, tried everything from behavior modification-only to hormonal "scenting" devices. I even tried a doggie chiropractor after a lady told me it might help her relax. (she seemed to love it, but it didn't help at all w/her SAD) Finally, I decided to try the meds.

I am not an expert, but I do know that meds can work if you give them some time and get the right one. And before someone tells you not to medicate your dog, realize that sometimes it is the only option. That was my problem--it became the option of "last resort" so to speak.

My husky had similar destructive tendencies. On top of that, she would also eat and swallow inedible objects, resulting in multiple surgeries for obstructions. Seriously, she ate GLASS and ROCKS. I, too, took her with me everywhere, to avoid the distress of SAD. I even took her to work until I was told I could not bring her any longer. I also tried "doggy day care", but unfortunately, she was booted for too-rough play.

Doggie day care is another idea you could try, if you haven't already.

She is now weaned off the medication, and is doing fine. I still crate her, because she still is moderately destructive left to her own devices. But honestly, I can say that it was the meds that finally made the ultimate difference. I'm glad my vet encouraged me to stay with it.

My vet, by the way, is not a "medicate" type of person. She even found me a "gentle" dog trainer to help with the behavior modifcation...everything I did was under her advice, and she is an exceptional vet. She's never given me bad advice. I absolutely trust her judgement. For what it is worth.

Thank you both for your input.
Believe me it helped :)
My hubby rebuilt the crate placed it in a large closet. Surrounded it w/cardboard. Added some reenforcments.
Since doing this and using a calming spray he has not pooped or peeded in his crate. He still barks but a lot less.
I will contact my vet about getting him on some sort of meds. He needs it. He does follow us everywhere. We have trained him that when he is to excited that he needs to grab a toy until he relaxes. Too bad that doesn't work in the crate. Whenever someone comes in the house he grabs a toy. I have also talked to my hubby about being more on target about what I'm trying to do w/the dog. NO MORE bed, sofa and not rushing to get him out of the crate when we get home. I also have been putting him in (this week) while we are still home but getting ready to leave. It is no longer the last thing I/WE DO. I'm working on him staying where he is while we move around the house. He will follow us everywhere.
My vet has stated before that this dog is lucky. Any other owner would've dumped him at the pound again. I ahve been the one doing 90% work w/the dog.

Thank you! Next step is the vet and new meds. My GF has her dog on a certain pill that works for his fear of loud noises. Montana was on clomicalm DID NOT WORK

Helping Your Dog Overcome the Fear of Thunder and Other Startling Noises
It’s not uncommon for dogs to be frightened of thunder, firecrackers or other loud sounds. These types of fears may develop even though your dog has had no traumatic experiences associated with the sound. Many fear-related problems can be successfully resolved. However, if left untreated, your dog's fearful behavior will probably get worse.
The most common behavior problems associated with fear of loud noises are destruction and escaping. When your dog becomes frightened, she tries to reduce her fear. She may try to escape to a place where the sounds of thunder or firecrackers are less intense. If, by leaving the yard or going into a certain room or area of the house, she feels less afraid, then the escape or destructive behavior is reinforced because it successfully lessens her fear. For some dogs, just the activity or physical exertion associated with one of these behaviors may be an outlet for their anxiety. Unfortunately, escape and/or destructive behavior can be a problem for you and could also result in physical injury to your dog.
Things that are present in the environment whenever your dog hears the startling noise can, from her viewpoint, become associated with the frightening sound. Over a period of time, she may become afraid of other things in the environment that she associates with the noise that frightens her. For example, dogs that are afraid of thunder may later become afraid of the wind, dark clouds and flashes of light that often precede the sound of thunder. Dogs that are afraid of firecrackers may become afraid of the children who have the firecrackers or may become afraid to go in the backyard, if that’s where they usually hear the noise.
What You Can Do To Help
Create A Safe Place: Try to create a safe place for your dog to go to when she hears the noises that frighten her. But remember, this must be a safe location from her perspective, not yours. Notice where she goes, or tries to go, when she’s frightened, and if at all possible, give her access to that place. If she’s trying to get inside the house, consider installing a dog door. If she’s trying to get under your bed, give her access to your bedroom. You can also create a "hidey-hole" that’s dark, small and shielded from the frightening sound as much as possible (a fan or radio playing will help block out the sound). Encourage her to go there when you’re home and the thunder or other noise occurs. Feed her in that location and associate other "good things" happening to her there. She must be able to come and go from this location freely. Confining her in the "hidey-hole" when she doesn’t want to be there will only cause more problems. The "safe place" approach may work with some dogs, but not all. Some dogs are motivated to move and be active when frightened and "hiding out" won’t help them feel less fearful.
Distract Your Dog: This method works best when your dog is just beginning to get anxious. Encourage her to engage in any activity that captures her attention and distracts her from behaving fearfully. Start when she first alerts you to the noise and is not yet showing a lot of fearful behavior, but is only watchful. Immediately try to interest her in doing something that she really enjoys. Get out the tennis ball and play fetch (in an escape-proof area) or practice some commands that she knows. Give her a lot of praise and treats for paying attention to the game or the commands. As the storm or the noise builds, you may not be able to keep her attention on the activity, but it might delay the start of the fearful behavior for longer and longer each time you do it. If you can’t keep her attention and she begins acting afraid, stop the process. If you continue, you may inadvertently reinforce her fearful behavior.
Behavior Modification: Behavior modification techniques are often successful in reducing fears and phobias. The appropriate techniques are called "counter-conditioning" and "desensitization." This means to condition or teach your dog to respond in non-fearful ways to sounds and other stimuli that previously frightened her. This must be done very gradually. Begin by exposing her to an intensity level of noise that doesn’t frighten her and pair it with something pleasant, like a treat or a fun game. Gradually increase the volume as you continue to offer her something pleasant. Through this process, she’ll come to associate "good things" with the previously feared sound.
Example:
Make a tape with firecracker noises on it.
Play the tape at such a low volume that your dog doesn’t respond fearfully. While the tape is playing, feed her dinner, give her a treat or play her favorite game.
In your next session, play the tape a little louder while you feed her or play her favorite game.
Continue increasing the volume through many sessions over a period of several weeks or months. If at any time while the tape is playing, she displays fearful behavior, STOP. Begin your next session at a lower volume - one that doesn’t produce anxiety - and proceed more slowly.
If these techniques aren’t used correctly, they won’t be successful and can even make the problem worse.
For some fears, it can be difficult to recreate the fear stimulus. For example, thunder is accompanied by changes in barometric pressure, lightening and rain, and your dog’s fearful response may be to the combination of these things and not just the thunder. You may need professional assistance to create and implement this kind of behavior modification program.
Consult Your Veterinarian: Medication may be available which can make your dog less anxious for short time periods. Your veterinarian is the only person who is licensed and qualified to prescribe medication for your dog. Don’t attempt to give your dog any over-the-counter or prescription medication without consulting your veterinarian. Animals don’t respond to drugs the same way people do, and a medication that may be safe for humans could be fatal to your dog. Drug therapy, alone, won’t reduce fears and phobias permanently, but in extreme cases, behavior modification and medication used together might be the best approach.
What Not To Do
Attempting to reassure your dog when she’s afraid may reinforce her fearful behavior. If you pet, soothe or give treats to her when she’s behaving fearfully, she may interpret this as a reward for her fearful behavior. Instead, try to behave normally, as if you don’t notice her fearfulness.
Putting your dog in a crate to prevent her from being destructive during a thunderstorm is not recommended. She’ll still be afraid when she’s in the crate and is likely to injure herself, perhaps even severely, while attempting to get out of the crate.
Don’t punish your dog for being afraid. Punishment will only make her more fearful.
Don’t try to force your dog to experience or be close to the sound that frightens her. Making her stay close to a group of children who are lighting firecrackers will only make her more afraid, and could cause her to become aggressive in an attempt to escape from the situation.
Obedience classes won’t make your dog less afraid of thunder or other noises, but could help boost her general confidence.

http://www.sspca.org/Dogs/Thunder.html

Here is the link to teh above article if anyone is interested in looking at the source. That site also has a ton of other helpful advice for training and so on.
Nicole & Sheena & Puppies

The article i posted is from my book "Train Your Dog with ROMANCE" anyone who wants info about obtaining my book can pm me. I have given written permission to a bunch of humane societies and shelters to use several of my articles. so I'm not at all surprised that Nichole found one of them.

Huh----are you the same Romance that wrote that book? I have a copy from a shelter in T.O when I used to work there. So is this for real...it's treally you? That book was so helpful to my girlfriend who had a neurotic husky....lol.

yes it's me but shh i don't normally bring the book up. i don't want people to think I'm a braggart