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Seperation anxiety

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  • 10-01-2017 2:39pm
    #1
    hairyslug
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭


    From what I have read online (i know its a dangerous thing) it sounds like brendan has seperation anxiety.
    He follows us everywhere around the house, its very difficult for him to stay asleep, as soon as I or my wife move, hes up following us, once he hits a dead end (we go out a door) he goes back to his bed or window ledge and he rests again. This is fine if we are out of the room for a short period of time, we have started leaving him in the house a little bit longer than normal and he seems to be coping ok.
    The problem seems to increase at night. At the moment hes crated at night, we have a kennel attached to the crate so he has a bed aswell but is contained.
    Last night for example, the barking went on from 11pm till 3 (thats when I get up), we went down a few times to try and settle him but it did no good. Every time, he also soils his crate, without fail, even if he as pooped just before bedtime. For the nights that I would fall asleep on the couch, he would sleep through aswell, no accidents, he may just go for a walk to stretch his legs.
    Im in the process of cornering off a section of 1 room with access to outside at night but I still feel that it wont help his anxiety.

    Is there anything we can do (Im not allowed let him sleep upstairs) before we go for medication from the vet, to help him stay calm at night. The lack of sleep is doing me and him no good at all.


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    #2
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,024 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    Is he crate trained? Like can you leave him in the crate during the day without him getting upset? One of my has SA and it's a tough one to deal with. The canned response is usually a frozen kong and more exercise but when your dog is busy pooing himself or throwing himself against the door he doesn't want a kong(!)


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    #3
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,729 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    I can't tell from your post op, but at night time, is the set-up you have him in the only time he is very enclosed during the course of the day?
    Or, what's different about your absence at night vs your absence during the day?
    Has this been going on since you got him?

    Be aware, any medication used for separation anxiety is of limited efficacy unless the problem itself is actively addressed. In addition, depending upon what medication your vet is proposing, most drugs used for the treatment of anxiety-related issues can take some weeks to kick in.


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    #4
    hairyslug
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭hairyslug


    Nighttime would probably be the only time he is in there.
    During the day, he may be outside, inside with free run of the house or very rarely crated.
    We could walk for hours and it wouldnt tire him out, however, if we go somewhere new (we are running out of new places to go), he uses his brain a lot more and that tires him out, or short sprints work but where we live, Im not prepared quite yet to let him of the leash.

    When we got him, for the 1st few weeks (maybe month) he was happy in the crate. I cant pinpoint when it started but its gone from him running into his crate at night, to going in after a treat and we are now at a stage where he realises its bedtime and is quite sheepish about even going for a wee.

    If im up early and moving around the house, he will follow until he realises there's nothing fun happening and will go back to bed but I dont think its a deep sleep he gets himself into.
    In the evening time, if we are on the couch, he is passed out, nothing will wake him but he makes sure he is stuck inbetween the 2 of us, I presume so that he feels secure.


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    #5
    Ms Doubtfire1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭Ms Doubtfire1


    Hm...Would it be possible just to bring his bed into or near your bedroom where he can see you for starters and move it slowly away?


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    #6
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,729 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    He may just be worried about the confinement... I've met quite a few dogs who showed many symptoms of separation anxiety when in x room at night or when the owner is at work... Given the run of the downstairs/living area, the problem disappeared. Your lad doesn't seem to mind being alone *too* much... But by dog, he does not like the crate and is screaming this at you!
    Now, I know this is going to take a leap of faith op! Have you a webcam you could keep an eye on him if you let him sleep in a more open area?


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    #7
    hairyslug
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭hairyslug


    The powers that be (my wife) doesn't want him sleeping him upstairs.
    My wife isn't used to dogs and the last time he had a night in the kitchen he did a bit of damage, granted, he was very young then
    We are going to get a doggy door and close of part of our utility room for him so he has a decent space to roam and door for pooping so fingers crossed that fixes it.


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    #8
    sillysmiles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭sillysmiles


    What age is he? If you are going to bed at 11 and up at 3 (is that right? you must be wrecked?) he should surely be able to hold and not dirty inside for 4 hours. I like the easy life and I'd leave him whereever it settles during the day and let him there.


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    #9
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,729 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    sillysmiles wrote: »
    What age is he? If you are going to bed at 11 and up at 3 (is that right? you must be wrecked?) he should surely be able to hold and not dirty inside for 4 hours. I like the easy life and I'd leave him whereever it settles during the day and let him there.

    I'm thinking that it's stress that's causing the toileting in the crate... Stress-induced pooping generally bears no relation to when the dog last went to the loo... And I'm with you on leaving him where he's happy during the day. If it's not broken, don't fix it :)


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    #10
    hairyslug
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭hairyslug


    Nearly sure he poops out of stress, we could bring him out at 11, he'd poop and I could be down at 3 and poop would be there, during the day, he could go 6/8 hours. If I'm downstairs for the night, there's not a bother on him. He does however like to stretch his legs around 2am, which obviously, he can't do in a crate
    The time doesn't really bother me that much and my wife is coming around to the idea of giving him a bit more freedom in the house.


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    #11
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,024 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    TMI :p but for us the stress poop was MESSY compared to his raw fed nuggets - like he'd need his britches washed afterwards.


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    #12
    sillysmiles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭sillysmiles


    DBB wrote: »
    I'm thinking that it's stress that's causing the toileting in the crate... Stress-induced pooping generally bears no relation to when the dog last went to the loo... And I'm with you on leaving him where he's happy during the day. If it's not broken, don't fix it :)


    I wasn't clear - I meant in terms that there shouldn't really be need to have a dog door to let him out during the night. That once the stress pooping is sorted out he shouldn't need access to outside constantly if he is been taken out regularly.


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