Canine separation anxiety ...
Anyone got a magic cure? After four weeks of apparently being perfectly happy to be left, Champ has suddenly developed severe separation anxiety. Not only is he clawing the door to shreds; he's whining, and howling, for at least 40 minutes after being left. (I've left a tape running a couple of times, so I would know what was going on.)
The radio is left on for him for company; I kept him fairly hungry today and left him with a stuffed Kong (with peanut butter) and a pig's ear (neither of which were touched); I just don't know what to do - I can't just drop everything, although I am going to have to cancel tomorrow morning's squash game. But equally I can't inflict that on the neighbours.
I'm going to try to find a dog sitter - someone retired ideally who is always at home, but it is not going to be easy.
Valium ....? (At least for me.)
posted by Natalie Bennett at 2/01/2006 11:19:00 pm
5 Comments:
Re Canine anxiety, the occasional dog-sitter can help, as can the veterinary version of Prozac (a couple of my canine acquaintances here in remarkably relaxed Arkansas benefit from this therapy). Other things that can help include not making a big deal when you leave--that is, if Champ knows that you're sending heightened emotional signals when you leave for the day, then he'll be anxious, possibly destructive, and certainly distressed. A canine behaviourist here (yes, we have 'em!) tells me that a good approach is to on one hand vary the dog's daily routine, while soft-pedalling the Big Emotional Moments. Also, going through a round or two of basic obedience training has seemed to help our erratic Airedale; she's reassured that we care enough about her to always come back for her. It's early days with Champ, so don't be downhearted: dog-proof your flat, put your best shoes in cupboard or closet, and carve out more time for canine roadwork.
Thanks very much folks. I've always been careful not to make a big production about going out (although since I'm usually going out with a bicycle it is not easy to "sneak" out), and I do it at irregular times. I also don't make a fuss immediately when I come home, even though he's always got excited.
That's what makes this frustrating - I feel like I've done most things right; but of course with a rescue dog you don't know what other owners have done in the past ...
We had one dog who did something similar so after a million attempts at other stuff, we put hot spicy sauce on the edges of the doors to send the message that doors taste nasty. which would have worked apart from the fact she thought it was delicious! That's the thing about dogs - just as soon as you've got them figured out, they change what they're doing to keep you on your toes!
In the end, what worked best were dog training classes and putting her outside in the kennel. She was able to distinguish between being in the kennel (her on her own) and being in the house (her with her humans) and that made things a lot calmer.
One other solutions (which you may not like as much, or just may not be feasible) include providing company for your dog - a cat, or another dog. Two dogs are not a whole lot more work than one.
I was my dog's fourth person, and he used to get pretty anxious when I left, especially when I first got him, and then later as his eyesight began to fail.
As others have suggested, doing some basic obedience seems to be useful. It worked for us, I think because we developed a pack relationship and he gained confidence in me as the leader.
As his eyesight failed, I found that leaving lights on as it got dark helped.
I hope you can work things out well and soon.
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