separation anxiety.

missmolly · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:02 pm Post subject: separation anxiety.

soo our new Oliver is doing amazing! He and Molly are getting along wonderfully now...i even caught them cuddling in one crate the other day! right now they are both wiped out from the dog park!

His recall is great, he is calm and gentle but when we leave for the day it is crazy! Infact on friday he was left for 4 hours and we came home to a pile of foam, shredding i 2 inch pieces and his crate was 10 ft from where it started.

we are going to rearrange so that the two crates can be side by side to see if that helps and it was suggested that we ignore him 20 mins before we leave and20 mins after we get home.

does anyone have any other ideas of how we could make the time away from us easier for him?

Asarra · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject:

Does he get enough exercise? Try to wear him out before crating. Pack him a kong to keep him busy! Just some suggestions! Good luck!

missmolly · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:42 pm Post subject:

nope he has tones of exercise. today we came home to the plastic pan at the bottom of the crate torn to pieces! he had an hour and a half walk before. molly was placed in her crate right infront of him. we dont know what to do. we are calling a behaviour trainer to see if she can help i think

silverdiesel · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:13 am Post subject:

my weim did the same thing to his plastic crate tray! I was shocked that he had the strength to do that let alone that he was that upset over me being gone. I dont know what to do about it either. I try to exercise him but he just doesn't like me leaving him as far as the kong goes I will stuff it full of treats and he wont touch it. As soon as I am home and he is let out, he will then go get his kong out of the crate and play with it. If there is ANYTHING touching his crate or on top that he can pull through he will and tears it up. I am thinking along the lines of behaviorist therapy too....just dont know what else to do. I dont want him to have those feelings and I DONT want him barking like that either. Just know you are not alone.

karen9497 · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:24 am Post subject:

Sign me up on that list too...Pepper is a NUT when we crate her....she barks, howls, cries, and she too moves her crate. I exercise her and give her a frozen marrow bone before we leave,, and she could care less....she drools and just flat out panics!

Jager08 · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:55 am Post subject:

Fill your Kongs full of peanut butter and freeze them. That the only thing that will get my puppies in their crates quietly.

peppernaei · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:54 am Post subject:

I agree with the idea of minimizing your departures and arrivals.

How is he if you crate him in another room when you are home? If this needs work too I would start there. Just like you do with a new puppy - short periods first and then lengthen them. Feed him in his crate too.

You can also try rescue remedy. It works for some. You can give it to him directly and/or spray it in the crate. You can get it at most health stores - definitely The Stone Store downtown.

Also I know my vet (Campus Estates on Gordon St) carries dog appeasing pheromone in a diffuser that looks like a Glade plug in. They are supposed to be calming for some dogs.

Some find a radio or tv help.

Good luck! I hope the behaviourist can help.

missmolly · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

thanks for your ideas. I purchased vit. B today the time release version as well as Rescue relief. we will see how that goes. i am also downloading some calm music to play throughout the morning. really he is only alone for 4 hours a day its not a long time....(right now he is under the desk i am working at....not sure why exactly haha). today he decided to poo all over his crate and then stomp in it and mash it into the unfinished hardwood floors! it was mashed into the floors because he destroyed the bottom of the crate and i hadn't replaced it yet!

man i wish i could spy on them! i want to see how the day goes.... Molly is so good in ther crate but does she egg it on? does she try to tell him to stop or is she acting crazy now too..i wish i knew!

missmolly · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject:

we are not sure what to do. he is hurting himself in his crate now. his foot is all sore and is keeps it up alot and yesturday he was in his crate for 20 mins and he banged up his nose so that it was bleeding. i am off for the next week so hopefully i can work on it in small increments of time...