Help please! Separation anxiety

[susielavery]

I'm so upset!

I rescued a lurcher just shy of 2 years ago, I was living with my partner and SS at the time. We have since moved into separate houses and I took the dog as i was the only one who looked after him and the dog had bonded with me.

The dog was left for up to 4 hours at a time during the week due to work. In March i was furloughed and the dog and I have become inseparable.

I was aware this wasn't sustainable so i started to leave him on his own a little. All went ok but then i left him for an hour and he chewed a door ? thought this was a one off but he did the same again next time.

I bought a cage and built him up very slowly in that, going in with him, using it to sleep in on a night, eventually brought it downstairs, he actively chooses to sleep in there sometimes as the radiator is right next to it ? again started locking him in while i was there, built up the time in there. I left him for an hour today after walking him, with a Kong, his dinner and a chew and the tv on with gentle music, came home to his bed shredded and the bars bent and bloodied.

Help,please!

Sorry for the epic post, just wanted to show what I have done

 

[misst]

I am sure someone more knowledgable will reply soon but it may be worth contacting a behavourist. CC on here, I think, used to do an advice sheet on crate training.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Not I, Cayla had the guide but hasn't posted for a long time.

It's a lot of change for the dog in a relatively short space of time. You should probably get a trainer or behaviourist out as you may be doing something and not realising it.

Too late for you but if anyone is on furlough/working from home...I know it sounds harsh but **please** try and keep everything the same, as much as possible.

 

[misst]

Sorry CC one C too many! I knew it was someone beginning with C!

 

[paisley]

I'm so upset!

I rescued a lurcher just shy of 2 years ago, I was living with my partner and SS at the time. We have since moved into separate houses and I took the dog as i was the only one who looked after him and the dog had bonded with me.

The dog was left for up to 4 hours at a time during the week due to work. In March i was furloughed and the dog and I have become inseparable.

I was aware this wasn't sustainable so i started to leave him on his own a little. All went ok but then i left him for an hour and he chewed a door ? thought this was a one off but he did the same again next time.

I bought a cage and built him up very slowly in that, going in with him, using it to sleep in on a night, eventually brought it downstairs, he actively chooses to sleep in there sometimes as the radiator is right next to it ? again started locking him in while i was there, built up the time in there. I left him for an hour today after walking him, with a Kong, his dinner and a chew and the tv on with gentle music, came home to his bed shredded and the bars bent and bloodied.

Help,please!

Sorry for the epic post, just wanted to show what I have done

Could I also suggest (as well as behaviour consult) that you look into getting a pet camera, so you can monitor him on your phone? It might be at this stage your dog can only cope for very small periods of time (eg 5mins), so it could help with seeing whats going on when you leave.
I have used my tablet before, and put on the video function (only does 1hr though), and my dog gets up after 5mins, and checks I'm really not coming back before resuming sleeping (whippet!). It was more peace of mind for me.