Not sure what to do? Advice needed pretty please?

gumpatrump

gumpatrump

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I have had my great dane for nearly two years now and have been self employed running my own livery yard. She has come to work with me all day everyday and spends the whole day outside being very active.

My big worry now is that I have had to shut the business down as it was no longer working and will now have to go back to full time employment and it is most likely to be a job where she won't be able to come with me. Im really worried what to do for the best for my girlie. She suffers from separation anxiety issues and I'm not sure how she will cope with a big change in her routine and lifestyle.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do for the best to make this transition from being out all day with me to being home alone whilst I am at work any easier for her? I really don't think she will adapt very well and don't know what to do for best.

Any suggestions much appreciated, thanks.
 
I can't offer any words of advice but I am very interested in replies as one of the pups we sold is in exactly the same situation and her owners are tearing their hair out!
Is there a doggy day care near you?
 
This is my nightmare scenario as well
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I would start getting her used to being away from you now, for short but increasing periods so it is not such a shock to the system, and start researching local daycare and dog walking services straight away. Also invest heavily in Kongs and so on to occupy her.
 
This is the main cause of seperation anxiety, spending lots of time with the dog then taking it away.........you need to begin to create a routine, if you have time left at the place you are now, creat a small area that she resides in when you are working, ware her out first, leave her a kong, and when you go home create the same type of area, they key is she spends time in the area when u are at home aswell(doing house work e,t,c) as when u go out, make the area out of view of the entrance/exit if you can and leave the radio on, do the same at your present work place, u need to now introduce a routine where she is not attatched to your side, but she alo does not always assosiate the area with you dissapearing this should be tackled gradually, until you can leave her for a descent amount of time, get a mahussiveeee crate
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or use a baby gate if you can....GD tend not be be the best of jumpers and you can get doggi gates which are taller.
She will more than likely not take the treats, (kong filled with her dry meal mixed with tuna) whilst u are gone, as she will be anxious at first but she will take them in your presence, leave her for 5, then 10 then 15 exetera mins to begin with and increase with radio on when u are in and out, so use exercise to tire her before putting her in her space and try and make it so she cannot hear u come and go, when u gradually begin to do this.
You can use a dap diffuser to plug in, but again this will probably only take effect as an extra measure once she is settled.
Each time you return to her NO huge fuss, when u have not left her long, jsut get on with what u where doing, when u have left her a descent time, then release her to the toilet, no greeting or exciting praise (this will make her more anxious for your return)
Gd do commonly suffer seperation problems, so do it gradually.
If you cannot get home for dinner, then a dog walker will be a must, make sure they are exercising her and not jsut driving her around in a van
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Ditto what Spudlet said, especially the part about a Kong, stuff it with something eatable and put in the freezer and then give it to her frozen when you need to leave her.


Besides all the usual tips about how to train a dog to accept being alone or finding and putting her in a dog day care, also talk to your veterinarian. You can buy a D.A.P. diffuser, it is not a miracle cure but it often takes away the extremes of the behaviour, also if there is really big troubles, maybe the vet knows some mild calming pill that you can try to use in the beginning, to help her not get too upset. Then as she hopefully realises that there is nothing in the situation to get that upset about, you stop using the pills.


Also make sure you've exercised her brain before you train being alone, everything from simple things like not feeding in a bowl without spreading it out over the floor and letting her work to find it, hide a favourite toy and let her find it, begin to train a new trick or if you want some brain-exercising toys (boredom breakers) I have some of Nina Ottosson's, my dogs favourite is Dog Tornado Wood.
They are sold in UK e.g. http://www.petplanet.co.uk/category.asp?dept_id=724 , http://www.mutleyandmog.co.uk/dog/dog-accessories/dog-toys/nina-ottosson-training-toys/ and http://www.swellpets.co.uk/dog/dog-toys-715/boredom-dog-toys-944.html .

As I recall, Prose's Stella enjoys this boredom breaker http://www.boston-terrier-challenge.com/tests/busy-buddy-twist-treat.html .


Good luck.
 
Follow all the above excellent advice (it will work honest). I work shifts and my JRT has to alternate between being with me 24/7 to being crated and only let out at lunchtimes. Good luck.
 
Look for someone that does dog daycare/walking. I do this and take 2 dogs from 8.30-5.30 5 days a week whilst owners are at work. The have a blast with my two and I have several others that I have to walk during the week sometimes split into two or three long walks a day so the daycare dogs are out with me and my two for about 5 hrs and go home very happy and tired. IMO that's the best option if you're going to be out of the house for long periods, she'll be having so much fun and you can relax knowing she is happy. Good luck
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Not disagreeing with anything that's been said, but could you afford another dog to keep your original one company? I have 3 and when we were having a lot of building work done, the builder just could not believe that all of them just slept all day, occasionally moving sofas and did not once try to escape even when there were no walls! He said he had never been anywhere where the dogs could just be left with no problems. They wake up when we come home and come down to do the horses with us - we now have our own land, 11 acres of it - and they go out in the morning as well when we put the horses out, but between times they seem quite happy to just sleep. I work at home from time to time and even when I'm at home, they do the same. I get up to go out and say (yes, I know they can't talk!) "Do you want to come out?" but quite honestly what I get is a raised head and a sort of " naaah, we're not that bothered, thanks". The dogs are greyhound, lurcher and JRT, all bitches, but GD's might be different.
 
my sister in law did this and ended up with two very bored, naughty dogs instead of one! Even if you get another dog, you will still be out of the house for long periods and whilst it might help with the seperation anxiety, you might find that they start to get into all kinds of mischief together!
 
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