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Separation Anxiety Vs Naughtiness


Guest RobinAZ

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How do you tell the difference? I've had GreyCee a year now and no problems. I've had Layla for a month and things are getting chewed up and destroyed. When I'm home she's quiet (she's a spooky girl and has 2 safe places - couch and bed). I know she and GreyCee get playing hard sometimes, but the latest was the sheets were pulled off the bed and the memory foam topper (separate piece) was torn to shreds. So now they are muzzled when we are gone and so far no problems. Layla has been fostered before I took her and there was no mention of SA. So I am not sure if that's what it is, or just naughtiness with the 2 of them. Thanks for any help.

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Guest rachel2025

A couple additional signs of separation anxiety we look for: excessive drooling, red eyes, over-excitement when we get home...

 

If they are doing fine with muzzles, sounds like you are in good shape!

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LOL you guys!! That's what I was thinking. They are brats! But I love them to pieces. Muzzles solves the problem so that's how it'll be for awhile. Seems to only be when we go to work. If we go out to dinner or shopping or whatever there's no problem. Silly girls. You know, I love watching Layla come out of her shell. She was actually playing with me a little today :)

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Guest TexasGreytMom

I was going to start a new topic until I saw your post! Our Shelby has been fine and other than her paper fetish (she shreds and eats any that's left within her reach), she's perfect. But, last weekend DH and I were working in the garage most of the day (we came inside every now and then for water, etc. and to check on the pups and let them out). Later that evening, (took us that long to notice it), we discovered that a corner of our coffee table had been chewed on. We knew it was Shelby because Dora is comatose when we're not inside. She'd never done that before. She shows no signs of separation anxiety.

 

We wondered if she was just bored - they have tons of toys, but maybe we need to rotate them so they seem new.

 

The chewed corner of the table really bugged us, so we spent one evening shopping for a new set - glass top, metal legs - nothing to entice chewing. When we got home with the new set, we noticed that ANOTHER corner of the old table was chewed again!

 

Now that she can't chew on the tables, if we notice that another furniture item has been used as a chew toy, we're going to start muzzling her when we're not home.

 

It's just odd to us that she would start this out of nowhere and with no change in environment or routine. Oh well, probably something we'll never understand or know the reason for. :) Regardless, she's a keeper and she's stuck with us! :)

Edited by TexasGreytMom
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Yeah, if it was SA I would look for signs that the dog was trying to get to you, or anybody. Chewed crate, chewed baby gate, chewed/ scratched doorway. I also think there'd be crying/ howling, urination even after short periods of time.

 

Our girl is similar. There are some rooms in the house where she just gets into trouble (shredding paper, chewing things, reorganizing the decor, etc.), so we close them off when we're not home. No problem otherwise.

 

TexasGreytMom - interesting you mention the chewing of the table, we had something similar happen recently. Never chewed a piece of furniture for 6 months, then did a little corner on our coffee table. When we're gone we've been leaving her a bully stick to help redirect her chewing. So far so good.

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Guest TexasGreytMom

Yeah, if it was SA I would look for signs that the dog was trying to get to you, or anybody. Chewed crate, chewed baby gate, chewed/ scratched doorway. I also think there'd be crying/ howling, urination even after short periods of time.

 

Our girl is similar. There are some rooms in the house where she just gets into trouble (shredding paper, chewing things, reorganizing the decor, etc.), so we close them off when we're not home. No problem otherwise.

 

TexasGreytMom - interesting you mention the chewing of the table, we had something similar happen recently. Never chewed a piece of furniture for 6 months, then did a little corner on our coffee table. When we're gone we've been leaving her a bully stick to help redirect her chewing. So far so good.

 

Please forgive me - I didn't mean to hijack this thread, but my situation is so very similar. Hope you don't mind, Robin!

 

When we leave, the girls have access to a toy box full of all kinds of pup toys - stuffies, rawhides (which they aren't fond of), balls, etc. We were thinking of maybe freezing peanut butter in their Kongs and leaving those as well. Talked to the vet today and he thinks that since Shelby hasn't shown any other signs of separation anxiety, that she was just bored.

 

Our new coffee table set is glass with metal legs, but has a bottom shelf on each table that is topped with wood. We're having glass cut and sanded smooth on the edges to cover the shelves. My fear is that if she sees she can no longer chew on the tables, she may try to on other furniture. That would be a nightmare.

 

Today while we were working in our garage, I did muzzle her and she wasn't pleased about that - spent a good deal of time rubbing the muzzle on the furniture. But, it gave me piece of mind.

 

Robin - Layla reminds me a lot of a sweet girl we had about ten years ago who was also a spook. She loved to spend most of her time on her bed in our master bedroom closet. DH and I thought we'd never get her to socialize. But, one day we learned from our children (who were all teens at the time), that when DH and I weren't home, Sandy would walk into the living room while the kids were watching TV, and quietly get up on the sofa and stay there the entire time until we got back home! We couldn't believe it! The kids thought we knew that Sandy did that, so they hadn't said anything for quite a while.

 

These pups are so unique - they're so different from any other breed, and yet, they're also uniquely individual. Amazing!

Edited by TexasGreytMom
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TexasGreytMom, one of mine (I think it's Layla) chewed the corners on my coffee table too. Also they chewed the two bottom corners of my box spring. I now have bones all over the house for them.

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Have any of you tried a kong dispenser? They're freaky expensive (TOO expensive for a simple plastic device, if you ask me!) but maybe worth it if your dogs are bored every day. We managed to find one at an Orvis clearance sale for about half price and it was great for training Capri to be good while we're at work. You can set it to dispense a kong either once an hour or every other hour, and they usually contain 4 kongs.

Sharon, Loki, Freyja, Capri (bridge angel and most beloved heart dog), Ajax (bridge angel) and Sweetie Pie (cat)

Visit Hound-Safe.com by Something Special Pet Supplies for muzzles and other dog safety products

:gh_bow

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Guest LindsaySF

Yeah, if it was SA I would look for signs that the dog was trying to get to you, or anybody. Chewed crate, chewed baby gate, chewed/ scratched doorway. I also think there'd be crying/ howling, urination even after short periods of time.

Agreed.

 

The chewing/shredding sounds like boredom to me.

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Guest Sunset123

Have any of you tried a kong dispenser? They're freaky expensive (TOO expensive for a simple plastic device, if you ask me!) but maybe worth it if your dogs are bored every day. We managed to find one at an Orvis clearance sale for about half price and it was great for training Capri to be good while we're at work. You can set it to dispense a kong either once an hour or every other hour, and they usually contain 4 kongs.

 

They stopped making the Kong Time, unfortunately. That's why the only ones you can really find are super-expensive.

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