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Separation Anxiety ?
Ok so, I’ve had this issue for a long time and have been trying many different ways to try and help. They all just don’t seem to work. So my dog Daisy is a very social dog. She would prefer to be around people then by herself anyway. But of course we don’t want her to rely on us forever. When they were five months we really started seeing this is an issue with her. He would leave the room for a minute or go out of sight and she would start crying. For a while we would try to make the leaving the room a good experience by giving her a special bone or a special treat. But after a while she stopped taking the treats. I’m at a loss as to how to help her further… they’re OK if they’re in their crates and relieve as long as you put some kind of noise on so they can’t hear every single noise in the house. But especially just leaving the room or going out of site freaks are out. I included a short video to show you today. I had just ran to the bathroom for a few mins and heard this.
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2 Replies
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So I am not totally convinced that this is separation anxiety. You know your dog better then I do but from the video it seems like the dog is getting frustrated because he knows you are around the corner even though he can’t see you , he can definitely smell you. Also the X-pen is creating a barrier which also might be adding to the frustration. I’m not ruling out separation anxiety but I would have to have more information. You mentioned that you have tried alot of different things. Have you tried using Adaptil. This is a pheromone spray or collar that can take the edge off. It sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. One of the things I do for separation anxiety is have the dog go on a platform or dog bed and start walking away. Reward when dog stays on platform . Start small and gradually disappear into a different room like you were doing in video. Vary the rooms and never call the dog off the bed or platform. We want the dog to learn that when you walk away, good things happen when he stays in her special place. Hope this helps
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@ruthabigailparadisepaws
Wow. I agree the dog is distressed when you leave. Learning how to be alone is a great skill for all dogs to learn. Have you seen Malena De Martini’s new Separation Anxiety book? She’s also got a super online course. Even if this isn’t actually separation anxiety, her protocol is likely to help with the behavior. The key is to work with the pup actually under threshold – not exhibiting the behavior at all – and to do that, you have to start really, really slowly and commit to NOT LEAVING THE DOG while you are working through the protocol. For many folks this is difficult and takes strategic planning before beginning.
But it’s worth it!
I also agree with @bmacwatt about the Adaptil – it can be a great product for some dogs. And is worthless with others. It comes in a collar, too – so the dog can wear that.
If you decide to work on this behavior, it may be well worth your while to work 1-1 with a certified behavior counselor or veterinary behaviorist to get the protocol that works best for your situation. This type of distress can be a complex package of behaviors which have many, many factors.
Keep us posted!
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