Separation anxiety? Dog won't eat!

Cherry Blossom Girl

Hey everyone,
So we have a Border Collie, approx. 8 years old. We all give her attention, play with her, etc. but my dad would be her main caregiver, for want of a better word (he feeds her usually, and is the one who usually walks her).
The problem is, if my dad is away for more than 2 days, the dog will eat barely anything! She will eat the first day he is gone, but after that will only barely pick at her food. She still drinks normally. She will eat if very hungry but this seems to be a rare occurrence. Is this separation anxiety?
It's not so bad if he is only away for a day or 2 as she is not going to starve then, but in December we are all going away for 2 weeks and the dog will be staying with my cousins.
Does anyone have any tips or advice, so that we don't come home to a starving doggie :eek:
Thanks in advance!

Sigma Force

It does sound like it especially if it's happened more than once.
One idea if possible would be to bring the dog to your cousins for a few hours a couple of times before you go and perhaps a trial stay over night.

Even taking the dog to different houses and get the dog used to being in new places will help.

My parents dog has no problem eating but she can sulk for Ireland and used to just spend the first couple of days sulking on the bed or couch. She's came down a few times at regular intervals (bit tricky as they live 80 miles away) and when she was down the last time she stayed for a few weeks with not a bother on her. She was delighted to see them when I brought her back but no sulking at the gate or anything last time round.

Poor pooch, it's so hard when you can't explain to them how long you'll be gone. My collie is just happy to see me after a few hours but she knows if I've been away for more than 2 days when I come back she does a little cry/whine as if she's so relieved. Collies are great at making you feel guilty.

If she's not eating though that would be more of a worry, so perhaps have the cousins come over if you can't get the dog to them, maybe get them to play with the dog and take her out for walkies etc.

Cherry Blossom Girl

Sigma Force wrote: »

It does sound like it especially if it's happened more than once.
One idea if possible would be to bring the dog to your cousins for a few hours a couple of times before you go and perhaps a trial stay over night.

Even taking the dog to different houses and get the dog used to being in new places will help.

My parents dog has no problem eating but she can sulk for Ireland and used to just spend the first couple of days sulking on the bed or couch. She's came down a few times at regular intervals (bit tricky as they live 80 miles away) and when she was down the last time she stayed for a few weeks with not a bother on her. She was delighted to see them when I brought her back but no sulking at the gate or anything last time round.

Poor pooch, it's so hard when you can't explain to them how long you'll be gone. My collie is just happy to see me after a few hours but she knows if I've been away for more than 2 days when I come back she does a little cry/whine as if she's so relieved. Collies are great at making you feel guilty.

If she's not eating though that would be more of a worry, so perhaps have the cousins come over if you can't get the dog to them, maybe get them to play with the dog and take her out for walkies etc.

Thanks for that I will try it out and see how it goes. Poor thing, she is so sensitive anyway, I hate having to leave her for so long. Mine does that cry/whine thing too if any of us have been gone for a few days!