Renewed Separation Anxiety

[Guest yorglow]

We adopted our first greyhound, Theo, in mid-April. The third time he was left alone (the first two times he was perfectly fine), he shredded and pulled down some venetian blinds and drooled all over the house. We spent the next six weeks or so crating him when we left him alone, but he clearly hated the crate, and after he destroyed the mat and the water bowl we bolted to the crate door for him, we cautiously tried some alone training. Wonder of wonders, he was completely fine. We've spent the last two months able to leave him alone, and he's always been perfectly fine - no destruction, no stress, happy to see us when we got home but no apparent anxiety. We always left out the back door when we were leaving him, since that's a door he never goes out, but I had no idea if that was something that helped him or just something that made us feel better.

 

Last week, we left through the front door a couple times, once on our way to the airport for our first overnight trip away from him. Between the time we left and the friend who was staying with him showed up, he'd pushed open a latched door, bent several sets of venetian blinds trying to see out the windows, and knocked over a few stacks of paper and books. "Oops," we thought, "guess going out the back door does matter after all."

 

But apparently it's too late. Yesterday he apparently figured out how to open our front door (I have no idea how - it opens in, so he can't push it open, and the knob isn't easy to turn) and greeted each of us in the front foyer when we got home. Today I put the chain on the door so that if he got it open again he wouldn't be able to get out. He did indeed open the door, and proceeded to completely shred the inside edge of the door trying to get out - and somehow got out of his collar, as well.

 

I'm very concerned about him hurting himself (or destroying more of the apartment!) but loathe to pull the crate back out, since he hated it so much. He's starting to get anxious when I just look like I'm leaving - I picked my purse up a few minutes ago to get something out of it, and he ran over to me whimpering. Has anybody else had a dog develop SA after having been fine? Could it be because we went away overnight? The friend who stayed with him overnight says he was fine with her, but he's definitely been clingy since we got back.

 

I have "I'll Be Home Soon" and will be rereading and starting over on alone training, and I actually don't have anything I have to leave him alone for for the next several weeks, so I can take it as slowly as I need to. But any advice or insight would be hugely appreciated.

[Guest Gemma]

It seems likely that he was nervous alone from the start but could handle it until you stayed away overnight, which was probably just too much for him. Our last foster was like this: we knew she had SA but she seemed fine until summer rolled around and our neighbourhood became more noisy. That small thing was just too much and she started having issues.

 

Aside from going back to alone training, I'd also get him checked by your vet to make sure there isn't an underlying medical issue. In the mean time, I recommend stuffing a kong with food and freezing it so that, when you leave, there is something to distract him. I'd also consider muzzling him to prevent further damage to your property (and potentially his mouth).

[Batmom]

Can't give much advice but I'm sure others will be along to help. Yes, unfortunately they can be fine for some time and then be not fine.

 

Only two things I might suggest:

 

1. Ex-pen or similar to keep him from opening the front door (assuming you leave and come home by the back door).

2. Practice leaving a LOT. As in, leave for 3 minutes, come back for 5, leave for 3 minutes, come back for 5 ... 7-8 times in a row if you can, once or twice a day as many days as you can manage. For some pups, this procedure helps them cross the line from "OMG! They're gone!" to "This is really boring, I think I'll take a nap."

 

Hugs and best luck.

[lupe2121]

How about trying to muzzle him while you are gone? At least till he gets used to the routine.

 

Wendy

[seeh2o]

I would try muzzling him. It worked wonders for Carl, and still does. I felt horrible doing it at first, but when I put it on him the first time I could see him physically relax. He has been wearing a muzzle now for 4 years when ever I leave the house.

[krissy]

Most of the anxiety and destruction wit SA happens in the first 30 minutes, so practice many departures of 30 minutes and less throughout the day. The other thing I think helped with our foster boy was making him spend time alone while we were home. He was crated whenever we were gone and did fine with that, but he cried a bit when we would leave him. So I would crate him when I had a short day and I would sit in a different room and study. If he made too much noise I would give a correction from where I was. In general you shouldn't acknowledge any negative behaviours, but I was told that if you are somewhere where the dog can't see you that it's okay because it's just a disembodied voice to the dog. Not sure if that's true or not, but it worked for us.

 

Edited for spelling.

Edited August 4, 2011 by krissy

[NeylasMom]

Most of the anxiety and destruction wit SA happens in the first 30 minutes

This is true and why proper alone training involves working up to leaving the dog alone for htat length of time. Typically when you've gotten to teh point where you can go through your whole routine (put on shoes, coat, pick up purse and keys) and leave for 30 minutes (even start the car and drive away) then you should be good to go for the day. But, you need to work up to that gradually, starting with only moving away a distance that doesn't cause any stress. That might mean not even leaving the room initially, it might even mean moving only one step away. So take a step away, click, return and feed. Repeat ad naseum. Then do the same thing, but when you step away, wait a few seconds before clicking. Repeate ad nauseam. Then take 2 steps away, click immediately, return and feed. Every once in a while, throw in an "easy" one so you don't become predictable. Pat Miller just said something great to me recently: "If you think you're moving too slowly, move slower". In other words, before you increase any criteria (how far you walk away or for how long), make sure he is not stressed at all by teh level you are at. And be certain not to do both (increase distance and duration) at the same time.

 

With your schedule and ability to be home all of the time right now, you should be able to make good progress just doing alone training, but if you're struggling or finding you do need to leave him alone some of the time and he's still being destructive, you might want to consider finding a sitter for those times or using medication. If you're trips away are short and/or infrequent, you might be able to use something like Xanax or Valium instead of a longer-acting anti-anxiety drug.

 

ETA: Oops, forgot to mention taht I would also separately desensitize him to triggers like picking up your purse or keys. So at another time when you're not doing the alone training, maybe in the evening when you are watching TV, pick up your purse, then sit back down on the couch. Repeat ad nauseum until he no longer associates you picking up your purse with leaving. Then move on to doing the same thing with your keys, etc.

Edited August 4, 2011 by NeylasMom

[Guest yorglow]

It seems likely that he was nervous alone from the start but could handle it until you stayed away overnight, which was probably just too much for him. Our last foster was like this: we knew she had SA but she seemed fine until summer rolled around and our neighbourhood became more noisy. That small thing was just too much and she started having issues.

 

Aside from going back to alone training, I'd also get him checked by your vet to make sure there isn't an underlying medical issue. In the mean time, I recommend stuffing a kong with food and freezing it so that, when you leave, there is something to distract him. I'd also consider muzzling him to prevent further damage to your property (and potentially his mouth).

 

I used a kong when we were originally putting him in a crate, but stopped once it seemed like he was fine out in the house - I'll definitely go back to that. I'm also ordering a muzzle now. Thank you!

[Guest yorglow]

Can't give much advice but I'm sure others will be along to help. Yes, unfortunately they can be fine for some time and then be not fine.

 

Only two things I might suggest:

 

1. Ex-pen or similar to keep him from opening the front door (assuming you leave and come home by the back door).

2. Practice leaving a LOT. As in, leave for 3 minutes, come back for 5, leave for 3 minutes, come back for 5 ... 7-8 times in a row if you can, once or twice a day as many days as you can manage. For some pups, this procedure helps them cross the line from "OMG! They're gone!" to "This is really boring, I think I'll take a nap."

 

Hugs and best luck.

 

We'd like to gate off the front door somehow, but unfortunately the door is down a flight of stairs with a railing and there's nowhere to put up a baby gate or anything like that. I'm not overly familiar with ex-pens - I've been trying to look into them today, but all the pictures I'm seeing are of them set up in a ring. Theo's used to being able to go up and down from our main floor to the second floor, and has actually recently been seeming to go upstairs when he gets stressed as a sort of self-treatment, so I'd hate to confine him to a small area on the main floor. Would an ex-pen be stable if it were put flat across the top of the stairs down to the door to block him from going down?

 

And I'm going back to leaving cue desensitization for the next few days, but definitely planning to start the brief repeated leaving next week. Thank you!

[Batmom]

Ex-pen at top of stairs might be kinda dangerous -- wouldn't want him to try to jump there. I was thinking more of something you could put right in front of the front door, even just inches away, that would keep him from getting at the doorknob / lock so that at least he couldn't open it ..... Where's an engineer when we need one?

[Guest yorglow]

Ex-pen at top of stairs might be kinda dangerous -- wouldn't want him to try to jump there. I was thinking more of something you could put right in front of the front door, even just inches away, that would keep him from getting at the doorknob / lock so that at least he couldn't open it ..... Where's an engineer when we need one?

 

I've ordered a muzzle - if that works, I guess he won't be able to open the door or chew on anything, so I'm hoping blocking him away from it won't be necessary! I guess we'll see.

[lupe2121]

Ex-pen at top of stairs might be kinda dangerous -- wouldn't want him to try to jump there. I was thinking more of something you could put right in front of the front door, even just inches away, that would keep him from getting at the doorknob / lock so that at least he couldn't open it ..... Where's an engineer when we need one?

 

I've ordered a muzzle - if that works, I guess he won't be able to open the door or chew on anything, so I'm hoping blocking him away from it won't be necessary! I guess we'll see.

 

I would call the rescue and see if they will give you a muzzle. They should of sent you home with one and they should of fit it to him. I am sure they have plenty there since all they dogs come there with one. Just a thought!! Good luck I hope it works out for him!!

 

Wendy

[Guest Gemma]

It seems likely that he was nervous alone from the start but could handle it until you stayed away overnight, which was probably just too much for him. Our last foster was like this: we knew she had SA but she seemed fine until summer rolled around and our neighbourhood became more noisy. That small thing was just too much and she started having issues.

 

Aside from going back to alone training, I'd also get him checked by your vet to make sure there isn't an underlying medical issue. In the mean time, I recommend stuffing a kong with food and freezing it so that, when you leave, there is something to distract him. I'd also consider muzzling him to prevent further damage to your property (and potentially his mouth).

 

I used a kong when we were originally putting him in a crate, but stopped once it seemed like he was fine out in the house - I'll definitely go back to that. I'm also ordering a muzzle now. Thank you!

 

Our boy came to us with moderate SA and we still give him a kong whenever we are leaving for more than an hour or two. I find it helps him relax and gives him something to do while we are gone. It has also changed his opinion of us leaving; now he gets SO excited when he sees us getting ready to leave for work each morning because he knows he gets a yummy kong.

[krissy]

I've ordered a muzzle - if that works, I guess he won't be able to open the door or chew on anything, so I'm hoping blocking him away from it won't be necessary! I guess we'll see.

 

Don't be so sure. My boy has opened a door with his muzzle on before. Maybe it was a fluke, but I wouldn't rule out what a dog can do with his front feet and his nose (even covered by a muzzle).

[seeh2o]

Ex-pen at top of stairs might be kinda dangerous -- wouldn't want him to try to jump there. I was thinking more of something you could put right in front of the front door, even just inches away, that would keep him from getting at the doorknob / lock so that at least he couldn't open it ..... Where's an engineer when we need one?

 

I've ordered a muzzle - if that works, I guess he won't be able to open the door or chew on anything, so I'm hoping blocking him away from it won't be necessary! I guess we'll see.

 

I would call the rescue and see if they will give you a muzzle. They should of sent you home with one and they should of fit it to him. I am sure they have plenty there since all they dogs come there with one. Just a thought!! Good luck I hope it works out for him!!

 

Wendy

That's what I did. I couldn't wait for one to arrive, so I borrowed one from a rescue group while I was waiting for the new one to arrived. It was a GODSEND!

[NeylasMom]

I've ordered a muzzle - if that works, I guess he won't be able to open the door or chew on anything, so I'm hoping blocking him away from it won't be necessary! I guess we'll see.

 

Don't be so sure. My boy has opened a door with his muzzle on before. Maybe it was a fluke, but I wouldn't rule out what a dog can do with his front feet and his nose (even covered by a muzzle).

not to mention that it won't do anything to address how he feels so while it *may* keep him safe it's not a permanent solution.

[cometdust1]

My grey Sargent has SA.He is on 20mg of prozac which has helped a lot. We could not step outside without him barking nonstop and breaking the blinds and jumping on the dining room table to see out all the windows and doors.If we went out he would frantically bark the whole time we were gone.My mother-in-law has her own apt. on our house,thats how I know what he does. Occasionally, he'll still bark a lot if my husband and I go out together. He's fine when we go to work during the week,It's only at other times that he barks. I recently got an anxiety wrap for him and put it on him about an hour before we leave and my M-I-L said he's been quiet and sleeps while we are gone.I want to start weaning him off the prozac and try just using the wrap and see how it goes.We also just tried the wrap on our other grey,Jax,for his thunderstorm fear tonight and it worked great! He usually darts around the house panting and whining but with the wrap he laid down and was aware of the thunder but didn't even pant at all.I am pleasantly surprised at just how effective the wrap is for them. I really wasn't expecting much from it.It's definatly worth a try.

[Guest Apollo_Dog]

Our boy had a problem with SA in the beginning and hated the crate ... Once we got past the potty is for outside bit, we have kept him in our bedroom with a muzzle on and the door closed. He doesn't get run of the house at all & we only just recently removed his muzzle for all day b/c he has proven himself trustworthy. He mustly lies in our bed and sleeps, we do get the barking when he knows we just got home and haven't opened the door for him yet. You might want to keep him contained to a single room instead of the entire house & keep him in a muzzle, it's not mean and it keeps him safe and contained so the whole house isn't destroyed.

[gracegirl]

One thing I found with Fenway was that his muzzle became his "time out", "safety blanket" or "chill pill". Basically, once he was used to the routine of me putting the muzzle on, getting him a treat, and leaving...it was the muzzle that became his signal to be calm. If I forgot his muzzle, I'd come home to a wound up dog and some sort of destruction. I was also taping him while I was away....again muzzle = calm and quiet dog while no muzzle = whiney, distressed dog.

 

He's gotten over it and aside from a few instances of general bad behavior, he's quite a good boy now. (bad behavior = shredding things when he's POed or bored. I can now almost predict when it's going to happen. And it's usually my fault - skipping a walk, coming home and leaving again right away, etc. Fen is a creature of habit and routine.)

[Guest LindsaySF]

Lots and lots of alone training, and desensitizing him to cues that you're leaving.

 

Get him used to being crated/ex-penned while you're home. If you only use it when you leave, he'll pick up on that. Start feeding and giving bones/chews in crate/pen to make it a positive place.

 

Take a long walk before leaving the house. Tired doggy = good doggy.

 

Make sure you leave the house enough. You said you don't "need" to leave him alone for the next several weeks, but make sure that you do. If you're home too much, or give him too much attention when you're home, he'll flip out when you finally do leave.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

~Lindsay~