Loner puppy is now showing signs of seperation anxiety??
Do you all have any good ideas for helping with Dad leaving for work anxiety. The funny thing is she knows the clothes he wears for work and she has started barking at him in those clothes. She also has started to get frustrated at his work coffee mug. She totally knows how the morning goes. WOW  . This puppy is SO smart!
One website said to put her in her crate when someone leaves. Is that what you would recommend? |
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| I think it gets better w/age. Mine absolutely goes nuts when I come from downstairs (he's not supposed to go upstairs) ...and moans and makes bear noises for the longest time. I've always heard it's good to not make a big deal of returns and departures. Just go or come in and go about your business the first few minutes. I think once the pup knows daddy WILL return ...they will get used to it. Most of us will tell you that our dogs sit by the door/window waiting, pacing, and going in circles until their best friend comes home. I'm home all day yet our female waits by the door for daddy and races whenever she hears ANY beep of a cardoor. |
| oh ok. Thanks. I feel better. Can you tell that I'm such a nervous nelly?
I was reading some older posts and it sounds like this isn't separation anxiety like others are describing. When we return home we can hear that she isn't barking. We've waiting outside (when it's only been like 30 minutes) to wait and hear if she's barking in our absence and it would seem like she isn't. The trigger seems to be the door. So I'm going to start to work on opening the front door and closing it without getting a reaction. So far all we've accomplished is rump on the floor while I touch the doorknob with one finger  But hopefully within a few days we can work up to opening and quickly closing the door with the rump on the floor. |
| Mrs J is right. Behaviourists all say do not make a fuss about coming AND going. It should just be part of a normal routinue. So no petting and fussing when anyone leaves, put them in their crate or bed or where ever and then just pick up your bag and leave. And then when you get home do something first, like get changed or start dinner then let them out and pet them, but your stuff first.
Both mine know the difference between work clothes, gym clothes and casual clothes. And they know my winter dog walking shoes, hence when I'm leaving for work or the gym they're totally hohum but when I put casual clothes on or more especially the right shoes  they go nuts and run around and bark and generally drive me nuts. Try putting leads on two crazy beasts who are running up and down the kitchen, always in opposite directions for some reason. They will come and sit but then the other one runs past and they're off again. We're working on it and at this stage I'm still just hoping as Dalmo's are very busy dogs and that sets Tiggy right off, as she is extremely movement reactive.  |
| I think we have identical puppies, albeit the age difference. Winnie still goes crazy nuts, throwing herself at the door when hubby leaves for work. She'll start the craziness as soon as he picks up keys, etc. She'll do the same to me if I so much as pick up my purse. (The purse is a total go insane trigger. )
How we deal with it in the morning is that when he's going to leave, I take her for a walk in the neighborhood, or downstairs for training (sit, stay, bed, here, etc). He leaves quietly and when we return from the walk or back upstairs from training she doesn't even notice that he's gone. We tried all the other things like coming and going casually, but she would hurl herself at the door (made a more difficult issue by the fact that she figured out how to unlatch the door  ), bark and go insane.
If hubby is gone and I have to go, I crate her with a Kong and leave quietly. She naps until I return. |
| I take it, that in the past you haven't over fussed on departure?
I can say "bye" to my boy give him a rub on the chin etc "see you later" and he barely moves from his spot where ever he is that time on the kitchen floor. He does however meet and greet when we come home, which I don't mind at all and really look forward to! |
| It has taken a while for us to get to this point, but now when I can't take the girls with me, I tell them in a very relaxed voice "I have to go to the store and you have to stay home." When I do that, no madness begins. They just look at me and go about their business. When they know they can go, as soon as I touch my purse there is a mad dash of three dogs to the door for the garage. Ya gotta love 'em. |
We got to talk to the trainer about this new anxiety. She recommended that we avoid the confrontation so as not to set up a bad habit. She also made us think of what had changed and it was true that the anxiety started after being in the house with us for about 5/6 days. Hubby and I both had the flu while we had 10 inches of snow. So we were all in the house  When he went back to work she was missing him terribly. The problem seems to have calmed way down. She still doesn't like keys or the front door but we are working on it 
She also started to hate getting a bath. She was snarling and barking. But the vet solved that issue. I hadn't realized that the only time I pick Chiquita up is to put her in the bath. What can I say? She's HUGE So, I've been picking her ut and rewarding her. And today we practiced getting in and out of the tub for CHEESE  We practiced turning on the water and not getting a bath ALL FOR CHEESE It went ok. No snarling just some fear and resistance. But cheeeessseee lovely cheese was an excellent motivator. So the vet said she only gets that very lovely treat in the bathtub. It did seem to work. |
| You guys are doing great with your furbaby. I'm so impressed at all the effort you're putting in with her.
I'm going to try cheese with Tiggy for her next bath! She ran away and lay right at the top of our bed on the pillows on Friday when I went to bath her. Not even a smacko treat helped, she was too smart to be suckered by that, NO WAY. So I picked up the 31kg lump and carried her there, no way was she winning the battle of the bath. Once she's in she's OK, doesnt like it but just sits and looks miserable. But cheese now that might work.  |
Mim wrote: You guys are doing great with your furbaby. I'm so impressed at all the effort you're putting in with her.
Thank you sooooo much!!! |
| Well moon ray will be 2 in July and it hasn't calm down at all. He also knows when I have to go to work. When I start packing my lunch he starts so I tried to do it at different times but he knows when I gab my bag to pack it i'm leaving for the day without him. So what I finally started to do is stuff a beef bone he had chewd with some treats and I don't put them down till i leave and he has to get on the couch and I kiss him good bye and talk to him in a very soft loving voice and let him know I will be home after work. Then I put his treats down and hide them in his toy box and tell him to wait till I leave. Sometimes he waits on the couch till I get to my car and sometimes he watches me and as I leave he goes to his toy box and tears it up. When I come home I make him get back on the couch for a much needed hug and then take him for a walk. He hasn't tore up anything but his toy box and a few rugs out of place but he isn't barking at the door any more and when I come home he now jumps on the couch for his hug. It seems to be ok with him. but jeez don't let me forget that treats in the morning cuz man he can throw a fit. Good luck. |
I'm glad to report that chiquita got a bath today with no snarling, barking or anxiety. CHEEEESSSSSEEEE! It did the trick quiet nicely. Except that now she is trying to get in the tub all the time. She barks at the tub to get more cheese.  heheheheh. One problem solved and another created. |
DannyboyStephjoy's OES wrote: I'm glad to report that chiquita got a bath today with no snarling, barking or anxiety. CHEEEESSSSSEEEE! It did the trick quiet nicely. Except that now she is trying to get in the tub all the time. She barks at the tub to get more cheese.
heheheheh. One problem solved and another created. Oh my they are just too smart sometimes. Yummy cheese!! |
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