Zero - Separation Anxiety

[greydad92]

Hi All,

 

This past weekend I went to visit my mother in Pennsylvania. I went down Saturday and came back today. Sunday, Mom & I went to church. I put Zero in his very large metal wire crate in my bedroom with his bed, a Kong & water. Air conditioning was on and talk radio was playing softly in the background. I shut my bedroom door and proceeded to go to church with my mother. We returned two hours later. When she unlocked her front door, Zero was standing there with paint chips on his face, obviously shaken up. I went up stairs and found that he chewed and broke up 1/3 of the plastic bottom of the crate and he managed to squeeze his way through the bottom front of the crate to get out. He then proceeded to chew the molding on the side of the bedroom door to bits and somehow managed to open the door. There was probably 1/2 cup of drool on the floor.

 

Zero is lucky he didn’t rip himself open and kill himself getting out of that crate, but he had no injuries thank God. He obviously has extreme separation anxiety. When he’s home and has access to my bedroom and guest room 10-hours-a-day he’s fine. However, if I leave him in his crate and I go outside to mow the lawn or do yard work he barks non-stop and I find him drooling all over himself. I’ve run into issues with him before leaving him alone in my mothers house. The last time I was there he was uncrated and left in my bedroom with the door shut. He chewed the molding by the door up pretty badly.

 

I’m very upset by all this. I’m going to work as hard as I can to resolve this. I would appreciate sharing any information you have have about this.

 

Sincerely,

Aryon92

[krissy]

You may have better luck with a baby gate. Many dogs that are fine being alone in a room are NOT fine being alone in that same room with the door closed.

 

Also, just because he's fine at home with the run of a room doesn't mean it'll translate to another house. Summit gets baby gated into our bedroom here. I did the same with him this summer when we stayed with someone for 2 months and he chewed a hole in their molding. I made some adjustments to find what worked for him and things resolved. When we visit my BF's family he has to stay in a crate and he's definitely a little less settled when we leave him. Not because of the crate but because of the strange environment and that we're walking out the door. At home he knows we're coming back, but he's not so sure when we go somewhere different.

 

I'd go back to basics and do some alone training. I also wouldn't ever use a crate with him. Muzzle him and put up a baby gate. See if that works for him. It may or it may not. I tried that over the summer with Summit after his chewing incident and he knocked down the baby gate the first day and the next day he jumped it. Had his muzzle on the whole time though so at least he couldn't get any more woodchuck ideas.

[Busderpuddle]

Oh wow...........Been there. Ruby has severe SA too and we tried all kinds of medications and tranquilizers with not much help. What has been working for us is leaving her in the back fenced yard. I don't know what we will do when winter hits again and I can't leave her outdoors. Good luck to you. I hope you find a good solution for Zero. It is so stressful for all involved.

[GeorgeofNE]

Sounds like crate anxiety to me. And most dogs hate being in a closed room. Have you tried just letting him be loose? You've had him for a while by now. He should be pretty well adapted to being in a house.

 

I can't even imagine what George would do confined in a crate, in bedroom, with the door closed. That would be his idea of torture.

 

Left to his own devices, he sleeps on my bed, or his bed. No issues whatsoever.

[MaryJane]

I'm sorry to hear this.

 

As already stated in a previous post, he might be a greyhound that doesn't crate - both of my greyhounds are like that - they are so bad that they would hurt themselves to get out of the crate.

 

You might need to work on leaving him baby gated in one room at your mother's house and going out for 10 minutes and coming back and then increasing the time gradually so that he knows that you will come back.

 

One note, way back when I was working on this with Larry he was able to use his mouth to open my back door - it sounds like Zero may also have this "skill" so make sure that you take appropriate safeguards with the main door out of the house.

[45MPHK9]

I can't even imagine what George would do confined in a crate, in bedroom, with the door closed. That would be his idea of torture.

 

I could not agree more. My Murray would lose his mind locked in a room inside a crate with the door closed.

[greydad92]

Sounds like crate anxiety to me. And most dogs hate being in a closed room. Have you tried just letting him be loose? You've had him for a while by now. He should be pretty well adapted to being in a house.

 

I can't even imagine what George would do confined in a crate, in bedroom, with the door closed. That would be his idea of torture.

 

Left to his own devices, he sleeps on my bed, or his bed. No issues whatsoever.

 

Zero actually sleeps in his crate on his bed every night, with the crate door open of course. My mom has a six bedroom six bathroom house with antiques. There is a lot to get into. I don't think I'd feel comfortable letting him have run of the house with no one home

 

I'm sorry to hear this.

 

As already stated in a previous post, he might be a greyhound that doesn't crate - both of my greyhounds are like that - they are so bad that they would hurt themselves to get out of the crate.

 

You might need to work on leaving him baby gated in one room at your mother's house and going out for 10 minutes and coming back and then increasing the time gradually so that he knows that you will come back.

 

One note, way back when I was working on this with Larry he was able to use his mouth to open my back door - it sounds like Zero may also have this "skill" so make sure that you take appropriate safeguards with the main door out of the house.

 

Hi MaryJane,

 

Thanks for the advise Zero actually sleeps in his crate every night, with the door open of course. Thanks again.

 

I can't even imagine what George would do confined in a crate, in bedroom, with the door closed. That would be his idea of torture.

 

I could not agree more. My Murray would lose his mind locked in a room inside a crate with the door closed.

 

Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for your response

[45MPHK9]

Murray has only one canine tooth left. The other three were taken out during his first dental with us. Those three, deep-rooted canine teeth were broken nubs that were cracked to the roots from crate chewing in his years before we adopted him. No crates for Murray.

[Batmom]

Baby gate!

 

To protect your mom's belongings, might need to be a tall gate. I make the tall ones out of 2" wide finish lumber, corner brackets, heavy plastic garden mesh, and cheap hinges.

 

My Joseph does not like to be closed behind a solid door. Behind a baby gate, he might fuss and chew a little (plastic basket muzzle will prevent that), but usually he's quite content.

 

Glad Zero is OK after his "adventure"! Usually I tell people not to crate dogs if they've escaped the once but I think you already figured out that part.

[Gryffenne]

There is a a HUGE difference between sleeping in the crate at night with the door open (especially if it is your bedroom, so you're in there as well) vs. locked in it and alone in a closed bedroom. With the door open, it is his choice to be in there and doesn't feel trapped in there.

[seeh2o]

Carl can't be crated either. I had him in a big wire crate, dog bed and blankets and water. Came home to him waiting at the front door - also with paint chips on his head. He had broken the soldering on the crate, my downstairs neighbor described the sound as someone lifting the crate up about 6" and dropping it - over and over again. I was lucky, he didn't destroy his teeth and only had superficial cuts. The crate and the door sustained terrible damage.

 

I did lots of alone training with him, took an obedience class, tried a DAP diffuser, all sorts of music and herbal concoctions, but ultimately there were four things that helped him turn the corner. Medication, chlomipramine hydrochloride sometimes in conjunction with diazapam (which he was on for 4 - 5 months), intense alone training while he was on the medication, using my home phone and cell phone as a long distance baby monitor and wearing a muzzle while I'm gone (which to this day he still wears even when I'm going to be gone for a short trip). Baby gates - torn down. This boy will not be contained.

 

I was freaked out by the muzzle, but it was recommended by two groups independent of each other. They assured me that he was no stranger to muzzles having been a racer, that it wasn't considered a punishment, and that he would be able to eat, drink, play and even, godforebid, throw up safely while wearing it. The first time I put it on him I could see him physically relax, his body just went from very very tense to relaxed.

 

I'd get a muzzle, maybe at your mom's house you could set up a couple of rooms that he could be in using an ex pen...while wearing the muzzle.

 

Best of luck to you and Zero. He can get through this, but really needs your help and dedication to whatever it takes to learn new coping behaviors while you are gone.

[greydad92]

Carl can't be crated either. I had him in a big wire crate, dog bed and blankets and water. Came home to him waiting at the front door - also with paint chips on his head. He had broken the soldering on the crate, my downstairs neighbor described the sound as someone lifting the crate up about 6" and dropping it - over and over again. I was lucky, he didn't destroy his teeth and only had superficial cuts. The crate and the door sustained terrible damage.

 

I did lots of alone training with him, took an obedience class, tried a DAP diffuser, all sorts of music and herbal concoctions, but ultimately there were four things that helped him turn the corner. Medication, chlomipramine hydrochloride sometimes in conjunction with diazapam (which he was on for 4 - 5 months), intense alone training while he was on the medication, using my home phone and cell phone as a long distance baby monitor and wearing a muzzle while I'm gone (which to this day he still wears even when I'm going to be gone for a short trip). Baby gates - torn down. This boy will not be contained.

 

I was freaked out by the muzzle, but it was recommended by two groups independent of each other. They assured me that he was no stranger to muzzles having been a racer, that it wasn't considered a punishment, and that he would be able to eat, drink, play and even, godforebid, throw up safely while wearing it. The first time I put it on him I could see him physically relax, his body just went from very very tense to relaxed.

 

I'd get a muzzle, maybe at your mom's house you could set up a couple of rooms that he could be in using an ex pen...while wearing the muzzle.

 

Best of luck to you and Zero. He can get through this, but really needs your help and dedication to whatever it takes to learn new coping behaviors while you are gone.

 

Medication will be an absolute last resort. I'd rather him not be on one because he is fine most of the time. Would I have to have him on meds all the time or is this as a need to use basis? I will do whatever it takes to help my boy. I should have known better about leaving him in that crate.

[GeorgeofNE]

I think what you're seeing is a general feeling this isn't separation anxiety, per se. He didn't freak out because you left. He freaked out because you locked him in his cage (and sleeping in a cage at night, at home, with the door open isn't the same thing AT ALL), and shut the door to the room. He can't see anything that might be going on.

 

If your mother insists on him being crated (for what it's worth, almost everything I own is an antique, and absolutely everything my mother owns is an antique--things don't last hundreds of years if they're so delicate they can't withstand a dog walking around the house), perhaps you could put him out in the main living area?

 

Better still, what about baby gating him into, say, the kitchen?

 

Give him a Kong, turn on the radio, and I bet he'd be just fine!

[greydad92]

I think what you're seeing is a general feeling this isn't separation anxiety, per se. He didn't freak out because you left. He freaked out because you locked him in his cage (and sleeping in a cage at night, at home, with the door open isn't the same thing AT ALL), and shut the door to the room. He can't see anything that might be going on.

 

If your mother insists on him being crated (for what it's worth, almost everything I own is an antique, and absolutely everything my mother owns is an antique--things don't last hundreds of years if they're so delicate they can't withstand a dog walking around the house), perhaps you could put him out in the main living area?

 

Better still, what about baby gating him into, say, the kitchen?

 

Give him a Kong, turn on the radio, and I bet he'd be just fine!

 

Hi George,

Thanks for your response. Even if Zero is home in or out of his crate and I'm out doing yard work, mowing the lawn or anything right outside the house, he freaks as well. He's chewed up a window sill, drools all over and pants. However, when I go to work and leave him for ten hours a day he's fine.

 

 

The next time I go to Mom's house I'll try the baby gate thing. I'll also do the 'leave him for 5 minutes, check, 10 minutes, check, 20 minutes, check, etc.' so he gets used to it.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Tony, how you and Zero getting along ?? You know my Boy Morty would to freak totaly out ,if I lock him into a Room( not to mention a Crate and Room ) . He needs to see ,that his World around him is ok and trusts you to come back for him. Would Mom be ok , if you confine him to a smaller Area with a Babygate (that you have in your Car visiting People ) . Zero is such a good Boy and Companion . I am glad ,he did not get hurt more seriosly . Give him hugs from me

[greydad92]

Tony, how you and Zero getting along ?? You know my Boy Morty would to freak totaly out ,if I lock him into a Room( not to mention a Crate and Room ) . He needs to see ,that his World around him is ok and trusts you to come back for him. Would Mom be ok , if you confine him to a smaller Area with a Babygate (that you have in your Car visiting People ) . Zero is such a good Boy and Companion . I am glad ,he did not get hurt more seriosly . Give him hugs from me

 

I'll totally give him a hug for you. He is a very good boy. Mom would totally be fine if I confine him with a baby gate. Luckily she has friends in the area that can stay with him at her house if we go out to dinner or something like that for short periods of time. It looks like that may be the best answer to this, but I would like him to be abble to stay relaxed when left alone though in those situations.

[BootsyCollins]

He freaks out because he can see you / hear you and he wants to be with you. When you leave, you're gone. I am in agreement that babygating him in the kitchen with a bed, toys, etc., may be just what he needs.

[Guest Liz_in_PA]

We never crated Dash because he wasn't happy in the crate. The vet says that he has some damage to his canines from chewing something hard, like a crate.

 

After we'd had him for 6 months with free run of the house, we found out that he'd been bounced from a previous home for eating a door frame. He's never eaten woodwork in our house, but we've never closed him in a room other than our bedroom with us at night. When we have to shut him in, we have baby gates handy in the house.

 

I'm sorry you learned this about Zero the expensive way.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Tony , yes when I cut Grass or work in the Yard ,my Boy is right there with me. He does not get scared by the Lawn Mower and just follows me around. Your Boy is very clingy to . Some more Hugs from me for Zero

Edited September 6, 2011 by IrskasMom

[greydad92]

Tony , yes when I cut Grass or work in the Yard ,my Boy is right there with me. He does not get scared by the Lawn Mower and just follows me around. Your Boy is very clingy to . Some more Hugs from me for Zero

 

Do you have a fenced in yard? I don't which makes it hard.

[fsugrad]

Robin is another that cannot be crated. He has free run of the house and is a perfect gentleman (ie no destruction, no potty accidents, no furniture jumping).

I am so sorry this happened.

[seeh2o]

Medication was my last resort, too. I look at it as a temporary tool to help them get from one place to another. When Carl was up to a therapeutic level of medication in his blood stream (took a few weeks of gradually increasing the dosage) the medication lowered his anxiety, gave us some breathing room for the alone training to help him develop new coping skills and for the new behavior to "take".

 

Eventually, between the reduced anxiety and the increased alone training he learned that it was ok to be home without me. Then, that became part of his behavioral repertoire, a habit. I continued the alone training as he was gradually weaned off the meds, reinforcing his new coping skills. All the time, he wore a muzzle when I would leave the house.

 

In retrospect, if I had to do it all over again, I'd have left him on the meds for 2 more months just to make sure the new coping skills/habits were really ingrained. There was a little bit of regression after he was off the meds, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. There was some regression when I brought Claire to live with us, but that went away within a couple of weeks. There was no regression when I lost my beloved Sheila last October. It was the right thing for Carl, he was suffering and so was I. He's a very very happy boy now and has almost no back sliding now when his routine changes. In fact, he's fine at my s/o's house and other people's homes. We still use the muzzle because he does get naughty and snoops in the kitchen. Home alone (with other dogs), Carl is a AAA counter surfer!

 

FYI, the meds did not change his personality or make him dopey. Just reduced his anxiety enough that he could learn.

 

I'm still voting for the muzzle rather than the baby gate!

Edited September 6, 2011 by seeh2o

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

""Zero actually sleeps in his crate on his bed every night, with the crate door open of course. My mom has a six bedroom six bathroom house with antiques. There is a lot to get into. I don't think I'd feel comfortable letting him have run of the house with no one home""

 

This is why people are suggesting the muzzle. Very simple solution, free run and muzzle. If you are going to do the alone training (which is where you should start), you cant go straight to 5 minutes. More like 5 seconds, then 20 seconds,ect. If at any time you hear whining, or barking, you have been gone too long and need to make the duration shorter.

 

Chad

[greydad92]

""Zero actually sleeps in his crate on his bed every night, with the crate door open of course. My mom has a six bedroom six bathroom house with antiques. There is a lot to get into. I don't think I'd feel comfortable letting him have run of the house with no one home""

 

This is why people are suggesting the muzzle. Very simple solution, free run and muzzle. If you are going to do the alone training (which is where you should start), you cant go straight to 5 minutes. More like 5 seconds, then 20 seconds,ect. If at any time you hear whining, or barking, you have been gone too long and need to make the duration shorter.

 

Chad

 

Thanks for the suggestion Chad. I'll do the 5 sec, 20 sec. thing.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

What about the muzzle for his own safety? If he is chewing inappropriate things, than a muzzle could be a life saver.