YOU'D THINK WE WERE KILLING HER WHEN WE LEAVE

[PUPPY POWER]

OUR NEW DOG CAN'T STAND TO BE ALONE BY HER SELF. SHE'S A HOUSE DOG ,AND WHEN WE LEAVE YOU WOULD THINK THE WORLD WAS COMING TO AN END BY THE WAY SHE ACTS . AS LONG AS WE'RE IN SIGHT SHE SCRACHES AT THE DOOR & WALL .IS THER ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ME?

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CRS

[This message has been edited by PUPPY POWER (edited March 05, 2001).]

[Angels3]

We had a sheltie pup who did the same thing when we went out. She always ripped up the same chair cushion in the sunroom. Our uni vet behavioral clinic told us it was called separation anxiety...the stress of being separated from her owner. She was ripping up the same chair because it strongly had my scent on it...it was the chair I sat on. They gave us wonderful tips of how to deal with the problem. One was to let her have her special 'cave' or 'den' place to stay in & to leave something like a towel with her that strongly had my scent on it. I used to put a towel in my dirty clothes basket overnight. Also we had to totally ignore her (no eye contact, turn back if she jumped up) for 15 mins BEFORE leaving home & 15 mins. AFTER returning home. Only when she was quiet would we tell her 'Sit' & then she'd get her pat.
But all the tips are in a great article from the American Dog Trainers Network. Go to http://www.inch.com/~dogs/training.html Then scroll a long way down to the very bottom. There's a green button labelled 'Directory'. Click on that...and the Directory page will come up. Scroll all the way down to the heading PROBLEM SOLVING under which you'll find Separation Anxiety. Click on that & a brilliant article will come up.

[PUPPY POWER]

THANKS CRS


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CRS

[This message has been edited by PUPPY POWER (edited March 05, 2001).]

[buckwi1d]

Originally posted by Angels3:
We had a sheltie pup who did the same thing when we went out. Also we had to totally ignore her for 15 mins BEFORE leaving home & 15 mins. AFTER returning home.

I completely agree that seperation anxiety can be handled by a change in behavior patterns (yours not the dogs so much)! Tide started suffering from SA recently and after only a few days of work, he is drastically improved.

We are ignoring him 10 minutes before we leave (not even making eye contact) and 5-10 minutes after we get home. Not even scolding him for jumping as even negative attention is attention. I also leave the TV on for him so that he has sounds to listen to and I hide treats around the house for him to hunt for while I'm gone (occupy his mind). We also make sure that he gets excercise before we leave.

It take time and effort but is well worth it!!

[tatsxxx11]

My Cody (a BIG husky/shep) was a terrible victim of severe physical and mental abuse before I adopted her at our county rescue shelter. She was deemed unadoptable and after having been sheltered for over 6 months, slated for certain death. I saw her on TV and just couldn't get her out of my mind. "If interested, please refer to Cody file #343l4. A dog...a file number. That was it. I just knew I had to get her out of there and try if I could to help her. After a long period, during which time she FINALLY learned to trust me and my family, she became living velcro! She finally had a forever "den" and family pack, and she was not about to let us go. Or leave her sight. Fortunately, she bonded very closely to our other dog, and leaving them alone together, she was fine. It wasn't until I left her truly alone for the first time, that I came to realize to what lengths she would go to "find us" and join us. After returning home with my other dog from the vets', I heard Cody barking. As I pulled into the driveway, her wailing sounded oddly "close." She was OUTSIDE!!! After much clawing, she had actually pried opened the clasped interior shutters (new, expensive) and squeezed through the screen of the not quite half opened window and was just beginning to scramble over the 6 foot high fence. (She used the wood pile as a "step stool"!) To this day, she cannot be left alone without trying to get out of a window or door. She absolutely will not tolerate even the thought of being crated! Even now, if I go outside with my other dog, and Cody does not want to go, she will sit on the porch and "locks onto" the driveway to make sure we don't make a secret getaway in the car! She either has to be with her doggie sister, day boarded at my kennel or goes with me! Her emotional scars are just too deep. I know trainers and obedience experts would disagree; that this is unacceptable behavior. But she has been through so much in her life, I am willing to make some minor concessions in my life to allow her some peace of mind. In every other way she is a doll and very well behaved. The replys posted previously offer some excellent advice and references for dealing with separation anxiety properly!! Best of luck. It's a tough issue and very emotional!

[This message has been edited by tatsxxx11 (edited March 15, 2001).]