Sad Dog

My 10mth old jack russell has major separation anxiety, partly bought on by her previous owners, she has never been destructive she jus has a very high pitched bark, and she barks constantly from the point I leave her to the time I return, whether that be 10 mins or a couple of hours. I really want to work with her to overcome this, as I know she is not happy, if only she could speak and tell me what the problem is.

She is quite intelligent and she has picked up most commands very easily, but she jus doesnt seem to pick on on the fact that when i leave I return so no need to bark!

I am at home with her most of the time, only going out occaisionally for the day..does this make it harder?? During the day I try to ignore her attempts at affection and giv her some cuddles...maybe not enoufh, where do you draw the line between ignoring her and giving her attention?

I have been trying to get her used to not havin me around by putting her in the garden or in a room away from me, but she just barks i leave her for a while..how long do you leave them for?? But I cant leave her to long as I live in rented accomodation and the nieghbours have already complained...and I dont want to be chucked out!

AM I giving her mixed signals?? I just dont know where to go with her, how long does it take for a dog to realise they dont need to fret when they are left??

The current plna is to start putting more barriers between us, such as a baby gate so she can see me but cant get to me, and to try to go through doors first and upstairs first..am I doing the right things? What else can i do??

How distressing for you and her. When I first starting to leave Tobey I set him a "challenge" by hiding his favourite treats in his toys so he had to hunt for them while I was gone. It has now got to the stage where he sees me picking up my keys and sits waiting for me to go so he can have some fun! I always use the same phrase "Be good Tobey - I'll be back soon" . I guess it also helps that he has the cat for company and we let them have the run of the stairs, hallway, landing and kitchen while we are out.

Your baby could get confused if she can still see you when you are trying to get her to adjust to being apart from you.

However, this is just from personal experience there are others here who have much more expertise - good luck!

Thanks for that but I dont hink it will work as she doesnt touh food while I am out, i have tried leaving her wi a rawhide bone which normally keep her occupied for a hour,,,but she jus leaves it untouched.

has anyone else got any thougts

There are some PTers who are trainers.....they would be able to help just wish my addled brain could remember their names!

My JRT mix, Millie had mild separation anxiety when we first got her. Our trainer suggested that as we began getting ready, we should drop exeptionally good treats around the house. Not to call her attention to it, just drop one here and there. The idea was that instead of seeing us getting dressed, made up, etc, as a bad thing, that the treats would make it seem like a good thing. :)

I don't know if it would work in your case, but it worked like a charm for Millie. We used the yummiest treats we could find. Actually the first week, we used hot dogs. :o

If you try something like this and it doesn't work, you may need to seek the help of a behaviorist.

Chica has the same problem with her Chi.

I am not sure these suggestions will help.

1:: start leaving her for a few minutes and gradualy increase it to more.
2:: ignore her when you leave.
3:: ignore her for a few minutes when you first get back home.
4:: Try to have a schedule. Dogs get use to a set scedule and
seem not to stress as much. (untill you break it.)

Good luck. I guess if nothing works you can add another
small dog to your household for a companion.

KYS couldn't have worded it any better. That is how I would work with that.

Do you have any other pets that she could play with (kitty, dog, etc.) That would probably not be your most favorite idea, but, as a last resort?

Good luck:) Steph and Jes

As a trainer, I would like to offer a bit of advice. If you would like more, please do let me know...

First off, how long have you had this girl? I'm sure the anxiety problem stemmed from the previous owner HOWEVER it is only getting worse with you. Now that she is out of her old home, which was her comfort zone, she is more insecure. In her mind, she MUST be with you. After all, when her owners left her one time, they left her for good. Dogs do not understand why they are misplaced and this is where many behaviors stem from.

I agree with KYS, also. When you are going to leave, do not say good-bye to her. Just discreetly leave. This way, it is not exciting when you leave. When you come home, do the same. Put all of your stuff down and when she calms down, a few minutes later, calmly pet her. Don't get all excited, just act normal. The more excited you get, the worse her anxiety will be.

Make sure she is getting enough physical and mental stimulation during the day. This can help relax her too.

thats happened to zach before

yah i think that would work. my mom watches oprah, and she had an episode about her cocker spaniel's seperation anxiety. it would howl every time she left. oprah called a pro. trainer. he said leave the house and stand by the door. immidiatly when the dog starts barking open the door and clap and yell NO! do that for a few minutes every day. it seems harsh, but it worked for her dog. but i would suggest the other way first, just ignore her. Good luck.