Help! Extreme Separation Anxiety

[borzoimom]

Well muzzles can catch the paws if left on with out supervision, but the racing muzzle allows them to drink etc. What is your reaction when you come home to this mess? Please be specific.. You come home, walk into the room .. and.. ( take it from there..) ...

[dukedogsmom]

I yelled at him and told him what a bad dog he was. He has no clue. Sits there and wags his tail. I also told him to get away from me. I'm not going to be giving lots of treats like I have been, either. I just don't know what to do.

He seems to have a nervous habit of licking his front legs a lot, too. I'm wondering if a little dog medication would help him.

[borzoimom]

I yelled at him and told him what a bad dog he was. He has no clue. Sits there and wags his tail. I also told him to get away from me. I'm not going to be giving lots of treats like I have been, either. I just don't know what to do.

He seems to have a nervous habit of licking his front legs a lot, too. I'm wondering if a little dog medication would help him.

THAT IS WHY this is getting worse. See yelling at him to you makes sense- to the dog- the dog is afraid of your arrival of getting in trouble and becomes more anxious. What you need to do, hard as it is, make the dog as safe as possible, but keep your reunions low key, calm etc. Just let the dog out, walk calm, wait a few minutes take the dog out- then clean the mess.
You coming in like gang busters is worrying the dog that is smart enough to know "HOLY CRAP I AM GOING TO GET YELLED AT WHEN THEY COME BACK- OH NO - OH NO.. OH NO.." .. Unless you catch the dog in the act, saying anything is useless, and only makes the dog more nervous.
Its the same training you do with submissive urination.. Calm let out and reunion.... walking past the dog ignoring the situation in the dogs pressence ( work on your body language not just your words- low relaxed shoulders- slow walk with easy foot steps not stomping... And little by little the dog will relaxed when left knowing they are not going to be in trouble when you get home... And calm down and stop this..

[borzoimom]

and licking the inside of the leg is a stress reliever. Femka does that once in a while, but use to do it all the time when we first got her. Being in a relaxed environment changes that. Femka only does it if she had a stressful day- like going to the vet..

[shais_mom]

Yelling at him definitely doesn't work. My greyhound had S.A when I first got her but crating her helped IMMENSELY and she never tried to get out of it or destroy it. I came home from work one nite and she had ripped the trim off the bathroom door and pulled the controllers off the heater. I couldn't yell at her b/c I was too shocked. I was speechless.
But Yelling at him just gives him negative attention and besides that they have no sense of time and what he did was hours earlier and yelling at him - he has no clue why.
I would try to get the Comfort Zone plug in's - that might help.
I'd be very careful with a muzzle b/c if he gets his paw or nail or something stuck in it you might come home to a bigger mess and a more panicked dog.
I'd say if all else fails - try contacting Nancy to talk to him.