Separation anxiety
Discussion
I've had to take in my sisters collie/terrier as she cna no longer look after him, he's 5 years old and a lovely dog, but he seems to be suffering seperation anxiety and isn't keen on being alone. At night the barking and whining is constant unles he can see one of us. He also follows me around like a shadow unless I'm running the bath (then he becomes very hard to find indeed!)
There seem to be quite a few teqniques to try, anyone know what works best? He really does get worked up if left alone. He was a rescue dog before my sister had him for the last two years.
There seem to be quite a few teqniques to try, anyone know what works best? He really does get worked up if left alone. He was a rescue dog before my sister had him for the last two years.
SplatSpeed said:
we had this
just take time and for him to know you are coming back!
don't give into him or this will reinforce the barking.
we used a treat ball (ball with treats in) to keep him occupied when away.
The second line is the telltale with this one. The dog has been, in his eyes, abandoned twice, and doesn't like it, doesn't want it to happen again. He is trying to make sure you don't abandon him too. Stuff like a treat ball would make him think you're coming back, so will reassure him.just take time and for him to know you are coming back!
don't give into him or this will reinforce the barking.
we used a treat ball (ball with treats in) to keep him occupied when away.
I'll try a treat ball, but he isn't that bothered by food generally (which is just weird). For example he eats really slowly taking a couple of bits of food at a time out of the bowl an eating them rather than wolfing the lot.
This may calm down with time (it's only been a couple of days) but I'd like to do everything I can to help him to be happier in the longer term. I'd also really like an unbroken nights sleep!
Another thing is that he flinches if you move your hand suddenly, this makes me think that some b
d has been cruel to him in the past. This was much worse when my sister first got him.
This may calm down with time (it's only been a couple of days) but I'd like to do everything I can to help him to be happier in the longer term. I'd also really like an unbroken nights sleep!
Another thing is that he flinches if you move your hand suddenly, this makes me think that some b
d has been cruel to him in the past. This was much worse when my sister first got him.Edited by Speed addicted on Friday 19th November 21:11
Aw how cute is he!
Ok, what you can do, but it takes time.
Give some treats, then leave the house for 5 mins. Come back and ignore him until he is relaxed.
Give some treats, then leave the house for 8 mins. Come back and ignore him until he is relaxed.
Repeat daily but increase the time you leave him alone for.....Ideally, take him for a walk first then leave him alone. He should learn that you will return to him.
But one thing to also bear in mind is that he is pack animal so if he wasn't used to being alone as a puppy it might be a lot harder to wean him. Thought about getting him a friend?
Ok, what you can do, but it takes time.
Give some treats, then leave the house for 5 mins. Come back and ignore him until he is relaxed.
Give some treats, then leave the house for 8 mins. Come back and ignore him until he is relaxed.
Repeat daily but increase the time you leave him alone for.....Ideally, take him for a walk first then leave him alone. He should learn that you will return to him.
But one thing to also bear in mind is that he is pack animal so if he wasn't used to being alone as a puppy it might be a lot harder to wean him. Thought about getting him a friend?
So it turns out he has no interest in treats and won't get bored of barking. He'll also attempt to dig through the kitchen door if left long enough!
I'm now putting him in the kitchen for gradually longer times and banging the door when he barks. He's a fast learner and so far in the last two hours we're up to 15 mins unsupervised. That's in three tries!
I've tried to give him treats when he's quiet but he's just not interested.
We have a very strange dog!
I'm now putting him in the kitchen for gradually longer times and banging the door when he barks. He's a fast learner and so far in the last two hours we're up to 15 mins unsupervised. That's in three tries!
I've tried to give him treats when he's quiet but he's just not interested.
We have a very strange dog!
He sounds more scared and insecure to me 
Banging the door may stop him barking for the present, but will not change her underlying emotional response Shutting him away could have the opposite result to the one you are looking for and not a route I would be taking.
I'd be looking to make him feel more secure right now and the rest should follow in time.
ETA - the no interest in treats is a pretty sure sign of stress
Banging the door may stop him barking for the present, but will not change her underlying emotional response
Shutting him away could have the opposite result to the one you are looking for and not a route I would be taking.I'd be looking to make him feel more secure right now and the rest should follow in time.
ETA - the no interest in treats is a pretty sure sign of stress
Edited by Mrs Grumpy on Saturday 20th November 14:32
Mrs Grumpy said:
He sounds more scared and insecure to me
Banging the door may stop him barking for the present, but will not change her underlying emotional response Shutting him away could have the opposite result to the one you are looking for and not a route I would be taking.
I'd be looking to make him feel more secure right now and the rest should follow in time.
ETA - the no interest in treats is a pretty sure sign of stress
+1Banging the door may stop him barking for the present, but will not change her underlying emotional response
Shutting him away could have the opposite result to the one you are looking for and not a route I would be taking.I'd be looking to make him feel more secure right now and the rest should follow in time.
ETA - the no interest in treats is a pretty sure sign of stress
Edited by Mrs Grumpy on Saturday 20th November 14:32
More time not less with him.
Speed addicted said:
So should we just let him sleep in the bedroom untill he's calmed down generally?
I would, yes. Has he got his own bed ? make sure he sleeps on that and not yours.Let him get to know that little area is safe for him, and slowly start to move it out of the room over a week or so.My two terriers now sleep soundly on the landing, on their bed with no fuss at all, but we do have to have the bedroom door open.
Speed addicted said:
I'm now putting him in the kitchen for gradually longer times and banging the door when he barks.
Please don't bang on the door, he's a nervous pooch as it stands, I think this might make him worse. I don't know if you can stand to ignore him when barking and praise him when not....... But if so I think that would be better.
Also, what treats are you offering? Might I suggest Liver Cake?
Have you tried using a crate?
Our pup had terrible seperation anxiety and it took a few months to fully get her over it, but we did it.
We had a crate for her, and started by putting her in it with blankets and treats and sitting with her. Then after a few times we shut the door. Then we started leaving the room for a few minutes at a time. And so on. It will be hard, especially as he's older and has possibly been hurt in the past but there's a lot of help out there. If he was a rescue, contact the rescue charity he was from, they might be able to offer courses or suggest someone who does. Seems a shame your sister had to give him up, it's just messed him up even more.
Our pup had terrible seperation anxiety and it took a few months to fully get her over it, but we did it.
We had a crate for her, and started by putting her in it with blankets and treats and sitting with her. Then after a few times we shut the door. Then we started leaving the room for a few minutes at a time. And so on. It will be hard, especially as he's older and has possibly been hurt in the past but there's a lot of help out there. If he was a rescue, contact the rescue charity he was from, they might be able to offer courses or suggest someone who does. Seems a shame your sister had to give him up, it's just messed him up even more.
I should mention that for the first 3 week, one or both of us slept on the living room floor in front of the crate so she could see and smell us. After those 3 weeks, we graduated to the couch! Barky puppy in a flat is very hard work, but she's a total star now. Sleeps on her own bed in the living room, comes to visit when she wants and hides under our bed when she's clingy, tired or just plain feels like it.
There is a very good factsheet from the Dogs Trust here: [url]DOG BEHAVIOUR
PROBLEMS: Why do they do it and what can you do?|http://dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/factsheets09/factsheetbehaviouralproblems10.pdf[/url]
http://dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/facts...
It may not totally address the problems you are facing, but may help you understand dog a little more
PROBLEMS: Why do they do it and what can you do?|http://dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/factsheets09/factsheetbehaviouralproblems10.pdf[/url]
http://dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/facts...
It may not totally address the problems you are facing, but may help you understand dog a little more
No idea why my formatting won't work :shrug:
Edited by Mrs Grumpy on Saturday 20th November 21:08
One of our Labs used to cower when anything came over the top of him, hands, newspapers, even chocolates if they were thrown over his head. It was so sad to see, we learnt to always approach him from the front and not make any sudden movements towards him. We had him from the age of three until he was fifteen and he never 'forgot' so don't be suprised if its something you can't 'cure' its nothing you're doing wrong,
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