Desperate advice - Seperation anxiety

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dangermouse64

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If there's another thread on this I'll gladly be redirected, I couldn't find one myself.

I've had my dog for around 6 years, he was an RSPCA rescue and they didn't really tell me alot about his history (I discovered very quickly he didn't know how to go downstairs) He's always seemed fairly nervous if you raise your voice or make a sudden movement but overall he was a very happy mut.

However, I moved out a couple of years ago (moved back in with parents not long after) and our neighbours said he barked constantly whenever we left him, so to save being evicted I moved him back to my mums.

He's always had a companion with us so I put it down to that and thought no more of it really.

My mums neighbours told me that he still barked despite having another dog to keep him company so I went through the motions of leaving the radio on for him, leaving him for short periods of time and gradually extending them, exercising him as much as is humanly possible and none of it made a difference.

Luckily our neighbours hav noisy guard dogs anyway so don't mind the barking, but unless I fix the problem or save enough for a detatched house I fear I'll be trapped at my mums til he passes (he's only 8)

He's a german shepherd cross border collie and sooo sweet, I don't know what else to do.

Any suggestions gladly accepted.

Thank you for having the patience to read this far.
 
Have you thought about crate training him? He might be more settled in a confined space that is his own??? Good luck hope you manage to get something sorted?
 
not really much to add cept what you are doing however i make my dog a cheesy bone, low fat cheese spread put it in all the cracks of a bone or big chew, was recommended to me by dog trainer, keeps him amused when we leave, we do the walking, tv on , etc aswell. if you really put it in the cracks it works for quite a while. Was also told to ignore the dog before and after you leave and return, same as a pack leader would do. Found my dog was worse when tried a crate
frown.gif
 
I think that kongs are fantastic for distracting dogs when you go out.
Don't make a big deal of it when you come home, (by this I mean the whole 'helloooooo, have you missed meeeee' thing that people often do.
I would try the crate, and without going anywhere, give him timeouts, he has to go in a crate in another room while you sit in the next room watching tv or cleaning (whatever you want) start with short periods and extend it, then start leaving him while you walk to end of street and back and gradually extend the time.
 
Is there someone at home most days and does he usually attach himslef to u when u are home or is he happy to go and lie on his own at times? where does he sleep at night?
 
Thank you for your replies

A crate doesn't work, he stresses himself out and hurts himself even when there are no distractions so I vowed never to put him through that again if possible and even locked in a room he howls constantly so we let him have the run of the house with the other dog (the other dog can't be locked in a single room as he's destructive when bored)

The kongs are amazing, they get one each when we're home but if I left him one during the day his only entertainment would be watching the big dog eat it infront of him (he's part gannet I think lol)

He doesn't really fuss when I get in, they both go in the garden and then he lays down and ignores me while I get on with things, so there's no helloooo (apart from to the youngest cat but it's impossible not to do that lol)

He's left from 8am until around 12pm when he's let out for a stretch and the loo and then I'm home from work at 4, he was left for longer a few years ago as everybody worked long days and couldn't get home. Even when I was off work for a year I'd make a point of ignoring him through the day other than at dinner and he does just curl up on the rug and go to sleep.

At night he sleeps on the landing with the big dog, even when invited he wont sleep in a room. It seems like he panics when we go out but when we're in he knows where we are and isn't bothered with any of us.

I think he just does it to confuse me, he'll be sat giggling to himself now lol.
 
I would maybe introduce a baby gate or dog gate(they are taller and more sturdy) to the kitchen and start to get them used to being in there when u are in the house rather than having the free roam of the house, this way u can atleast try and nip the behaviour in the bud and send them back on their beds whilst u are in, the baby gate can be good for dogs who hate to be closed in, as they can still see through the gate but it contains them, use the radio in the room and when u are in potter around the house go in and out of the kitchen and ignore them, maybe start by putting the gate on and leaving it open, and going in there yourself to maybe sit at the table and read and encourage them in with u and give them their kong each in their beds where u can supervise and leave the radio on when u are in there with them, then start wondering out of the room until u can gradually close the gate and sit in the room next door so they can still see u but again ignore them, then gradually take yourself off around the house, if they do paw or jump at the gate as opposed to ignoring which is what is done when knowone is there, try giving a firm GET DOWN and BED, and nothing more, so they know there is a reprimand.
Use this room to feed them and settle them after a walk, so they can assosiate it with a positive, also maybe try to get them to sleep in there at night.
This way u are creating a routine for them when u are there so u can stick to the same routine when u are not, with some dogs the sheer space to roam around and get themselves stressed and anxious is a main factor in making the problem worse, and they feel alot more secure when left in a smaller space hence the suggestion s for the crate, then eventually the space can be increased if need be, it's always better to start small and gradually increase than the other way around.
Ask everyone in the hosue to help u with the new routine, also when u return home, as u do no fuss, let them out for their business and then leave them in the kitchen for a while still b4 u let them spend anytime in the main/other rooms of the house and I would maybe stick to the down stairs for now and maybe give a time limit as the amount of time they spend out of the room whilst u introduce the routine, this way when someone comes home they don't assosiate it with being released and getting access to the rest of the house and yourself, otherwise they will anticipate your return.
 
Thanks CAYLA, I'll definately give that a try, only problem will be my mums dog chewing things but I suppose that may force people to put things away (I hope)

I'll let you know how we get on, wish us luck and thanks again.
 
I wish you all the luck in the world trying to solve it - I have been trying to solve it with my dog for 14 years - and I have only one solution - leave him outside. I have tried crates, I have tried leaving him in rooms, I have tried Kongs, diffusers, huge meaty bones. I have bought him a companion who is fabulous on her own and in the crate and being left and no luck. i was referred to a dog behaviour expert about 5 years ago by my vet and they failed miserably. Like yours mine was a rescue case. He had been thrown out on a city streets as a 4 month old pup - then confined to a cage by the rescue people. When I collected him he was mine immediately - I could walk him without a lead from day 1. He would not eat without me in view and he was not relaxed until I was there. I started him crate training with devastating results. He smashed up his face and front legs, ripping his claws out. So I tried leaving him loose in the house. He climbed out through the cat flap - a physical impossibility but he managed it. He ate a UPVc window frame and pushed the glass out. But once he was outside he would just sit and wait for me to return. So he had some sort of claustrophobia as well. Now I can leave him in my car, or outside my house. He will happily spend all day at home outside wandering around the yard, snoozing in the barn with the doof open and sitting on my front doorstep waiting for me. Luckily we have a large farmhouse down a long private drive so he is safe there. He is happy cos he knows we will come home and he is not contained so no panicing or the delightful yodelling he can continue for 12/15 hours at a time. I know we have failed to stop the problem but we have finally got a solution that works.

Good luck - just a thought have you got a large enclosed garden and what is he like left in there?
 
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