separation anxiety

[Magz]

OK here's one for you all, Kasey certainly does have separation anxiety which will be getting worked on starting today although I have not told her that yet

just really wanna pick all your brains for loads of ideas to try so I have a list of ammo to work with.

she will go into her crate and is happy to have the door shut. but gets edgy if you are not in the room for a while and gives a quiet whine but think that may build up to a full on husky howl if we were actually out the house.

Now she does like the company of other dogs but at the moment the girls are still getting used to one another so i wouldn't chance leaving the 2 of them alone un crated without supervision.

ok so i can do the leave the room and build it up to longer periods of time and come back and praise and treat.
try putting in a kong or perhaps something to chew on.

leave music or the tv on.


ohh and obviously exercise her to tire her out ( she is a husky) made myself laugh there.

ok if anyone else has any gems of wisdom feel free to share PLEASE.

[linsey]

ok, you might feel like a mentalist*, but this really REALLY worked with Leon and he had very bad separation anxiety.

Make a tape recording of your voice, (or on your PC or whatever and make an audio CD)

The first 10-20 seconds should just be silent to give you time to get out.... Then just talk away in a nice calm voice for as long as you can bear!!! I did a couple of 15-20 minute bursts of me reading random nonsense - the 442 Magazine, Recipes, anything really - and that give me a full hours worth

Then when I went out, I put Leon in his crate, and started playing the recording in the next room. Just remember to put it on loop / repeat.



* especially when you bring friends back and they walk in to a recording of you going "now mix the milk and flour into the mixture until you have a smooth consistency..."
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Dogs are the leaders of the planet.
If you saw two living creatures, one of them does a poo and the other carries it for him, who would YOU think was in charge?
- Laurence Billi

[Nikki]

Does sound mad could imagine peoples faces hearing that as they walk in but a great idea!!!

Nikki
xx
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When a dog wags her tail and barks at the same time, how do you know which end to believe?

[marcella]

weirdo alert!

[Suzanne H]

You have to fight the whine and only return to the crate if you genuinely believe they are in distress or needing a pee, not just wanting out. And when you do return, don't do it when they're whining, wait for a lull.

But as you say, build up to it....but you will have to endure the most pitiful whining. They don't want to be alone, but they do have to get used to it. Fortunately we live in a detached house!!

A kong worked for us....filled with stuff that's hard to get out so the crate becomes a good thing and he doesn't get it to play with it any other time.

We also go through the exact same routine...pee, he watches me prepare the kong and is then told "in your bed" and off he goes.

At night, he doesn't get a kong anymore....he just knows the night time routine. He whines to get out at half 6/7am.

We also have a blanket over it, so it's his wee den, and he goes in there when we eat with the door open...(was closed at first!)

It's not easy, but worth the perseverance - he just sleeps in it. I can leave him a chew and he doesn't touch it, just nods right off.

[kerry]

Well Koda is fine at being left on his own, but for the 1st min or two he whines and it does develop into that husky howl, i can hear him outside, but that is only for a min or two then it stops, he has always done that. I once read that due to them being pack orientated that they will always find the need to communicate with you when you leave. we ignore him, praise him when he stops but he has never stoped completely he has only ever been quiet when he is left with another dog for company.
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We are forever responsible for what we have tamed

[Magz]

ohh Linsey that is just insane enough it could work

Kerry Kiera is the exact same as Koda she does whine when left alone for a few minutes then she settles and goes to sleep.
scarily kasey has managed to escape her crate hopefully it was just my fault and I hadn't locked it properly. but she certainly is an escape artist

[Suzanne H]

The kong takes Otto's mind off us leaving - his body language shows he knows its coming (even at night), but the minute I pick up the kong he runs in their and waits for it and it too busy munching it to even care I'm leaving.

At night, he's curled up and asleep before I get the light off.

He deserves an Oscar for "oh no, not the crate" acting though.

[kerry]

[Gaelle]

One of Cuthbert's half brothers can undo his crate from the inside and open the front door by the handle, here's hoping it's not genetic!!
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Happiness is watching my dog chase leaves dancing in the breeze.

[Magz]

she has got on well in the crate, put a kong in beside her when i was pottering about around the house, the girls had a wee bark and howl when I went to get stu from school but when I came back 10 minutes later they were both sleeping. tomorrow I am going to leave the camcorder running to see what actual happens when I am out, obviously in a secure space should she manage to escape. She is able to open doors. so all door are locked at all times.

she is still a big lazy bum in the house unless a hint of food is on the go. all goes too quiet you turn round and there she is sleeping again. will get the vet to check her over before she gets booked in to get dressed.

[Magz]

set up the camcorder to record the dogs when i went out a few times, plus i left my tv on, ok now we see who makes the most noise and was just as i thought Kiera kasey stopped within a minute and Kiera was the 3 minute mark and that was when I was still within the house really. I am really surprised at this. you can see her watching the tv for a while then going to sleep. there was a bit were she had what looked like a chat with kiera as she had a howl whilst the two of them were looking at one another and her tail was giving a little flick. will do this for a few days just out of sheer interest more than anything else as it is nice to see what they get up too when you are not at home.

[John Thomson]

Strong pack order is the most effective thing to combat separation anxiety.........if your dog feels that it is responsible for your well being then it is natural for them to fret when you leave.

It is really important to totally ignore them just before and as you leave...if you fuss over them they will think that 'something is going to happen' and the result is they get stressed.

I hope that made sense?
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk