Dog separation anxiety

RobAMerc

We have a 3 year old fiesty doodle type dog.

She is VERY attached to me, to the point where she is not at all well behaved when with my wife and kids and is doing things she wouldnt do when I am home, like getting on couch, going up stairs, not settling at all and generally being a total pain.

This becomes way worse when we all go out and no one is left with her(this is max once a week). We had left her out the back of the house but our neighbour came and told us she is howling and sounds distressed.

We then started to leave her indoors and she is pacing round and howling and scratching at the door too.

She is quite active, so I take her for a good long walk firs thing daily and another 2 sometimes 3 times a day, and always a long one to wear her out before we ever go out in order to tire her out but I check on her with a camera and I can see her pacing and howling.

We are home most of the time, only ever leaving her alone out or in for at most 3 hrs , she has food, water, toys and light.

I dont know what to do. She is always over excitable but we put up with that, I dont know if we can put up with us not being able to go out without constantly worrying about her now too.

Any tips?

DBB

Would you consider getting a behaviourist in to give you some help? Of all the behavioural problems, separation distress is one of the toughest to deal with, but in your case, the fact that you're there a lot could work to your advantage.

Indeed, in a kind of a way, the problem may be somewhat as a result of you being there most of the time! It's really important, but often overlooked, to get pups used to very short but ever increasing absences. If you're there a lot of the time, but sporadically leave for periods the dog hasn't got used to, it can be pretty stressful for the dog.

In many cases of separation distress, the treatment involves pretty much going back as if she were a pup, and starting out with tiny absences, gradually building the duration as she adjusts... many owners of dogs with separation distress really struggle to be able to do this because they have to go to work, or they have to leave the dog for longer than the dog can cope with at that time... but it sounds like you guys might be in a position to build her up in stages?

A behaviourist should be able to help you with a few other tips and guidelines that may help you. If you let us know roughly what part of the counter you're in, we might be able to recommend somebody!

hamburgham

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting on the couch or going upstairs. Not exactly destructive behaviour. Does the dog get any attention from anyone when you’re not there?

RobAMerc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121390054#Comment_121390054

thank you, South Dublin

RobAMerc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121390064#Comment_121390064

thank you but we dont allow her on the couch or upstairs and she normally obeys

yes, she does get plenty of attention always, she demands it really

NSAman

I have 2 dogs, one is my permanent shadow. Totally attached and has separation anxiety when left without me. His brother has no issues and the two are always kept safe.if I go out to dinner I have started leaving the music playing which seems to calm him down. He is not destructive, he just pulls all the pillows off the couch.

he used to get so upset it would take 30 minutes to calm down once I came back. With the music in now, he is still upset but not as severe.

funny thing is, if left in the car he is fine.

Victor

"yes, she does get plenty of attention always, she demands it really" - might this be an issue. If a dog demands attention and gets it immediately, the dog can become quite self-centred.

Could you get other members of the household to feed / play with / walk her?

Buddy Bubs

If it's possible and suits your lifestyle, looking into a 2nd dog could help. Not saying it will solve all the problems, but it might

DBB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121390217#Comment_121390217

Oh good! Some excellent people cover that area, so you'll have a pick of them!

Emmaline Duffy-Fallon of www.citizencanineireland.com is a legend, and recommended by many others over the years in this forum. She's based in Wicklow but I think covers South Dublin.

Stephen O'Keeffe of www.dogslifetraining.ie is in Dun Laoghaire and is highly qualified and experienced. Does one-to-one home visits too.

Éamon Dempsey of www.bestdog.ie is in Bray, a really excellent trainer who also does home visits.

All three are certified and use an ethical, research-led approach to behavioural issues

Just for the record, the idea of getting another dog always seems a good one, but it has been researched, and found that in only about 25% of cases does it help relieve the first dog's anxiety. As you say, it's you she's looking for (and it's usually the absence of the owner that causes separation distress), so another dog is unlikely to soothe her, particularly given that she's not particularly calmed even when other family members are present while you're out.

RobAMerc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121390267#Comment_121390267

considered it but thought we might be doubling the problem

tk123

Speaking from experience a 2nd dog didn’t help my SA boy.. in our case it was 2 different 2nd dogs (as one died).