HELP! SEPARATION ANXIETY RESCUE WEIM NEED KENNEL ADVICE NOW

HeyJude

Ok everyone, I am getting a little desperate here. Let me explain the situation, My mom rescued a 1 1/2 year old Weim a week ago. Her name is Maggie. She is the calmest Weim I have ever seen, but she is heartworm positive so that may change months down the road. My mom had no clue when she brought her home that she would even attempt to jump the fence or have severe separation anxiety. She can't handle being confined to a crate, house, or car. She has caused considerable damage to all three during the past week. My mom is confined now too because she can't go anywhere without her. She is more attached to my mom than me by a long shot. My mom spent the first four days with her while I was gone out of town. She will even try climb and bite the blinds, claws the doors, bites the window sills, paces and howls even when my mom has left her with me. You would think that she would be happy as long as someone was around, but not true at all. She gets along with Jude and Lucy for the most part. She doesn't play with them, but I think that is because she is so sick. She sleeps a lot of the time inside. When she goes outside, she does her business and comes right back. If my mom stays out there with her and the other dogs, she may lay down for a bit in the sun. She jumped the fence the first two days, but hasn't jumped since. She kind of has thought about it to go visit another dog behind us, but if my mom calls her, she comes to her. My mom has been working with her by putting hot dogs in the crate. She tip toes in there, but you can tell she is scared to death. My mom has also talked to the vet and to a specialized dog trainer that deals with bad behaviors. She is trying everything she has been told, but so far nothing has worked. Now this is what I need advice about. Since my mom and I can't be there 24/7 with her, our last resort was to get a big outdoor kennel. Luckily, the neighbors just got one and didn't need theirs anymore since they put up a stockade fence. My mom doesn't want to put up a stockade fence due to the huge expense and that she doesn't think it is fair for Jude and Lucy where they can't go visit the other neighbor dogs. She also feels that Maggie will figure out how to jump it since you climbed a 7 ft tall chainlink door fence that is on the back garage door. Anyway, the neighbors were kind enough to bring the kennel over and to put a tarp tightly on the top with zip ties. Tonight, she left the kennel door open and went outside with the dogs. All the dogs went inside, yes that is right, including Maggie. My mom is going to go get some special meats to lure Maggie in. She is going to let Maggie go in and out without locking her in so Maggie will feel comfortable. Then my mom is going to try to go in and out of sight while the dogs are in the backyard or she might even just do it with Maggie. I guess the next step is that my mom would actually lock her in the kennel and leave her for little periods of time and get out of sight to see how Maggie reacts. Does this seem like the correct way to handle the situation so far? Also, she the other two Weims be left in the outdoor kennel with Maggie or do you think Maggie may harm them if she has an anxiety attack and does whatever she can to try to get out??? Also, if Maggie did try to climb the kennel, would the other dogs get the same idea and learn how to jump the fence or kennel? The tarp is stretched tightly on top. We are hoping that Maggie doesn't try to chew through it. I am just trying to make sure that we are going about this the right way. We are hoping that this is the right solution until my mom is able to work with Maggie more introducing her to the indoor crate. Any more ideas would be deeply appreciated. I know my mom will do whatever she can to make this work. She already has incurred thousands of dollars worth of damage, vet bills and prescriptions. The vet put Maggie on Reconcile, but that takes a while to work. That is $65 a month by itself! Her heartworm treatments starts October 13th and Maggie has to be confined and resting quietly from what I understand for two months. We have to make this outdoor kennel work. Of course, Maggie will be inside when my mom is home. Thanks everyone for reading this and your suggestions. I know that some of you may have had to deal with this situation before.

hoochmamas · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:13 am Post subject:

OMG!!!

bless both of you for being so kind and patient with this baby girl..
i have no advice other than seek the experts here, and maybe a behaviorist. i will keep you in my thoughts..

Zeiks-Dad · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:26 am Post subject:

Zeik was hard to crate train, but we got it done. I would practice with him, i would tell him "crate" when he would go in, i would reward him with a treat, claps and praise. Soon all i had to do was say "crate" and he would go in.

By giving in when they trow a tantrum only supports the bad behavior, any attention at all at this point I have found is bad. ignore their tantrums, I know it is so hard but when Maggie is crated, she has to learn that it's a safe place and she has to be there for her own good as well as the house and furnishings' well being.
Good Luck!

I know this is a very demanding breed, and looks as you are quite familiar with the breed. I learn with my hooligans everyday. I had to go back to crating because since we adopted Jasmine, they had Puppy Parties while we were at work and school. We have lost waste cans, tons of Luke's toys, a bentwood rocker, 1 of each of Luke and Dylan's Crocs, about a bit over half of our garden, our back lawn is riddled with holes, the list goes on but we have 2 fine Weims.

NenaGunther · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:24 pm Post subject:

I would definitely consult with a good dog behaviorist, because I don't believe that severe SA can be solved by just medication alone, behavior modification should be done also.

kcolsey · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject: good luck

Sorry that I don't have any advice or suggestions; I have not had to deal with separation anxiety. Hopefully others on the site will have some good advice. Just want to wish good luck to you and your mom; It may take some time but I hope everything works out.