Separation Anxiety - Not sure what else to do!!

[Katikins]

Basically asking for any advice or 'light at the end of the tunnel' stories with regard to our 1yr (August) male whippet. Here goes:

For the first 7 months of Colin being home (from 10 weeks old) I wasn't working so was home all the time. However, during this time I did make sure that I left him and maintained the usual structure that I do with my older whippet (nearly 4 years old now). So no fuss when leaving or arriving, making sure he is left alone building up the time for it, always leave bones/chews when I'm out etc. We also have a dog door so both dogs have 24hr access to the secure back garden and we are in a very quiet neighbourhood with very little disturbance/noise.

Once I started work again we got a dog walker to come each day. She is brilliant and takes them both out for a minimum of 2.5-3 hours a day so although we both work now they are never left for more than 3-4 hours. He was completely fine with this to begin with... then the chaos started! So for about the last 1.5-2 months he's started with ripping up the couch. Not that big a deal, we just restuffed the cushions and we have now sealed it all up with masking tape which seems to have stopped that - our couch looks so classy now!! However, for the last few weeks he has now started peeing but not just when we are out, also overnight. Generally up the table legs but also on the door frame and walls sometimes. We have an enzyme based cleaner that is meant to be the best of the market to clean up to ensure we get the smell out as well. This seems to have reduced the peeing quite a bit and we have had a few days/nights with nothing. Then about 5-6 days ago the pooing started! Usually one during the day and one at night. Yesterday we came home and he'd done a sloppy one (no medical issues, he just gets loser when he's stressed) and then stepped it all over the hall and through part of the living room. However no wees (yay, we take the wins we can get). Then this morning... 3 poos and 2 wees!!!

The other major factor in all of this is that I am now pregnant (18 weeks gone) and both dogs have got a bit cuddlier since I've hit my second trimester. I know that this can have an impact on them so realise this may be a factor, but not sure what I can do about this. Colin has always been much more attached to me and is a total mummies boy, probably due to the fact that I was the one at home for those first 7 months.

So far what we have/are going to try is:
- filled kongs are left out every day when we leave (plus chews/treats for the dog walker to leave them when she gets back)
- other toys such as sealed cardboard boxes with sausage in for him to destroy/play with
- left a jumper of mine I've worn for a few days for him to cuddle
- at his yearly vaccinations on Wednesday we opted for the chemical castration implant to see if that will help calm him (but that won't come into effect for another 4-6 weeks). I'm loath to take his balls off without a very very good reason so this seemed like a good half way solution
- we will also get the pheromone plug-in this weekend to try

The only thing we haven't tried is the crate (I know this will be the first thing suggested). Mainly because a) we cut a massive hole in our back door for a dog door which is completely useless if they are going to be crated when we aren't there and b) due to this we didn't crate train as a puppy and trying to crate train now that we are both working is going to be a logistical nightmare (Freya is crate trained so at least it would only be one of them).

We also need to take my pregnancy into account as I am having quite a lot of back/hip/rib pain so I am a LOT less mobile than I was. My partner is travelling from Sunday for two weeks for work and I am dreading all the clean up etc without him there to help (bending down is not a pleasant experience right now).

Does anyone have any ideas that might be worth a try, or perhaps how to do crate training when we can't do the 'build up' from 10 minutes etc due to work? Although right now also knowing anyone else has been through this and came out of the other side would be a massive consolation.

He is an adorable dog, he just has to love me less!!

Sorry for the long post!! Here are some pictures of the little monster

 

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Yep sorry I am going to say use a crate - none of my dogs have ever been 'crate trained' they have just been popped in there, it has never been a problem? I must admit I would have resorted to one a long time ago if I had been in your position, you have been very patient with him

I also have to say that he is just gorgeous, I love whippets so much!!!

 

[jumbyjack]

The only thing that strikes me is that he can tell you are pregnant and it is unsettling him in some way. When you think how many things dogs can be trained to detect it wouldn't be surprising if he can smell the hormone changes. What the heck you would do about it if this is the case I don't know. I'm sure there will be someone on here will have some more helpful ideas. Eeeek at your sofa!

 

[Katikins]

Woohoo, just got home and no destruction, poos or wees!!! Nice start to the weekend

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Yep sorry I am going to say use a crate - none of my dogs have ever been 'crate trained' they have just been popped in there, it has never been a problem? I must admit I would have resorted to one a long time ago if I had been in your position, you have been very patient with him

I also have to say that he is just gorgeous, I love whippets so much!!!

ditto this

our first dog and 2nd inuit used to be terrible when left, we have a chain by his kennel so he can move about but limited, when we muck out the back stable he used to whine and bark, even when mucking out the stables near his kennel he barked. Eventually he saw when we disappeared we always returned and I deliberately moved about in the stable while mucking out so he saw me.

At first we had a crate on the yard- now a year on still have the crate her at night as she is very destructive and still on a chain mostly. Due to her dissapearing with anyone coming on the yard which can put her in danger around the horses. AH the bliss of puppy training.

Also there are many useful you tube videos on this - but crate her with bone to chew on then walk out the room count to 10 and walk back and gradually increase it.

 

[EQUIDAE]

Why are you reluctant to castrate?

 

[Katikins]

I think we may have to bite the bullet with the crate and see how we go. Although yesterday and last night have been incident free!

Equidae; my reluctance is based on current veterinary research showing that castration increases the risk of a whole host of cancers in male dogs and he doesn't show any dominant or aggressive tendancies whatsoever. Also, the veterinary profession over here actually recommends not castrating males unless there is a medical reason to do so (seems to be very different from the 'whip them off' mentality in the UK). But we have opted for the chemical castration to see if this does have any effect... if it doesn't then we know there is no point putting him through unnecessary surgery, if it does then we will be having a long chat with our vet.

 

[Katikins]

The only thing that strikes me is that he can tell you are pregnant and it is unsettling him in some way. When you think how many things dogs can be trained to detect it wouldn't be surprising if he can smell the hormone changes. What the heck you would do about it if this is the case I don't know. I'm sure there will be someone on here will have some more helpful ideas. Eeeek at your sofa!

There has definitely been a change in behaviour in both dogs since my second trimester. I've read up and its not uncommon for dogs to get more clingy and/or protective when you're pregnant. Very sweet but not helping the current situation

 

[gunnergundog]

I would confine the dogs to the kitchen area or utility- wherever your dog flap is situated. That way at least any mess will be restricted to one area and not plastered around the entire house. (It may be a good time to start this bearing in mind that in a couple of years you will have a toddler and may need to restrict the access of the dogs anyway, so get them used to it now without the added stress of a little person too!)

I would set up two dog crates and pad them well with a duvet and vetbed to make them like caves. Leave the doors open at all times but feed them in there, put their treats/kongs/toys in there. Make them a good place to be.

I would ask your vet about Zyklene or anything similar in your country.

I would try and make sure they get 3 x 1 hour walks a day - am, lunch and evening - rather than just one big 3 hour outing with the dog walker a day.

I would freeze their kongs to make them last longer.

I would leave a radio on, on a station that is a 'chat show' - so people talking as opposed to music.

When you next have a week/fortnights vacation I would then start with the 10 mins in the crate training with door shut and build from there.

I personally wouldn't have gone down the chemical castration route, but what's done is done.

Make sure you ignore the dogs when you are home too for odd periods; conversely, also spend quality time doing things like clicker training one on one but only at your behest and not if they are attention seeking.

Also, just check out what your dog walker does when he/she leaves the dogs. A camera may give some useful insights if you can rig one up as to their behaviour too.

Good luck!