Severe Separation Anxiety

[greydad92]

Hi All,

 

Zero's Daddy here. First off, I'm a single guy, live with Zero, no wife or kids.

 

Zero is home 10 hours a day Monday through Friday when I'm at work. He's baby-gated between my bedroom & guest room. He does great during that time.

 

If I am home, but separated from Zero, like outside doing yard work or snow blowing, he goes nuts. He barks, drools and tries to chew through my window cills, frame, etc. This has been going on for years and is getting worse. At this point I'd say he's done a several hundred dollars worth of damage. Lately he chewed through a power cord that was unplugged because I take every precaution to make his environment safe. The cord was near the window, I thought he might go for it so I unplugged it. He recently cut his paw (top side) and put a pretty good gash in it. I'm guessing he did that pawing at the baby gates.

 

Things I've tried (none of which have worked):

-Putting generous amount of Sour Apple spray on windows cills & frame. Sometimes it works, but more often it doesn't.

-Closing shades so he can't see me through windows

-Tried leaving the house exactly how I leave for work, not making a big deal or anything, calm & relaxed. I leave him with his Kongs with peanut butter and cookies inside.

-Tried bringing him outside with me, but he just barks, pants and drools like crazy outside. I live right next to a golf course and I don't want him to bother the golfers by barking loudly the entire time I'm mowing my lawn. Plus, can't do that in Winter.

-Took him for a long walk & tried tiring him out before working outside.

 

Unfortunately I'm at the point where I will probably have to resort to anti-anxiety meds because I'm honestly out of ideas. I don't know if even they will work. I just don't want Zero to hurt himself.

 

Help help help.

 

Sincerely,

Tony

[FountainLady]

A muzzle worn indoors should help stop the chewing when you are out of the house. With Zero being alone for so much time each day - and him being fine when you are gone - can you blame him for being upset that he wants to spend time with you when you are home?

 

It sounds like Zero is frustrated that you are finally home with him ... and then you are within his sight and unavailable! He knows the difference between you being gone to work and you being home and away from him.

 

You have your job, you have your friends, your family .... Zero has only YOU. You are the high point of his day - he LIVES to be with you. With you being gone so much of the time I'm sure he misses you terribly (when he isn't sleeping ... LOL).

 

I would suggest fostering so he would have company of another dog, but I don't know if a group will give you a dog to foster if you are out of the home for ten hours a day at work - unless you would have a dog walker come out mid-day.

[greydad92]

anybody else?

[Guest HHHounds]

Could you hire a sitter to be with him when you are outside? A teenager who he really likes could sit with him and keep him company? Just a thought....

[greytpups]

Do you have any idea why he's anxious when outside? Is he always anxious outside? Has something happened when he was outside to scare him? My first thought is that if he wants to be you, let him if it isn't a big deal. Ben will whine if we are outside because he wants to be with us, so for us it isn't a big deal to let him out because he just lays down in the grass.

 

I was wondering if he's anxious outside if perhaps setting up an xpen while you're outside will help, but it depends on the cause of the anxiety.

[Guest kess]

maybe he needs a doggie compantion

[Feisty49]

No real suggestion but just wondering if his barking, which you rightfully have a concern might bother the golfers, is louder than your lawn mower? Not that you want him upset and barking barking barking, but in the summer at least, maybe an xpen would work with a kong tossed in for fun while you mow the lawn.

[Guest KsFrets]

I'm with Kess, have you tried another dog as a companion? I only offer this from personal experience with Magnus, who came to us as a bounce... because of SA. With me being retired we could spent the time needed to be his people. He was the same way... freeking out anytime we left... shredding beds, blankets, and worse was the indoor peeing... only when left alone. We tried everything in vane for 30 days, and began to understand why no one else wanted him. Nothing (kongs, blankets, lights, TV/radio, alone training, crate, laundry, anything we could dream up) made any difference. We thought about drugs, but didn't want to go there. Then we adopted Maggie... dog #2. From the moment she walked in the door Magnus changed. The SA disappeared and has never returned. We can leave anytime, anywhere, any way, and for as long as we want, and as long as he has company, he's fine. That was 4 1/2 years ago, and there's never been a problem, accident, or damage since. I might also add that he's not picky about who his company is. We fostered a non-grey little rat terrier for 6 months, and he was fine with her as well. We could take our other two greyhounds to local events, and Magnus would be fine with the little terrier. We used to call her his little baby-sitter.

[Scooby172]

This was Jack when I first got him and I was mowing the side yard, so I understand. My solution was to give him a marrow bone when I mow the side yard to keep him occupied, he is much happier now still barks some but not like before. I have another dog who is in the yard with him but it does not seem to matter. And being an avid golfer, dogs barking around the golf course does not bother me, there are lots of distractions out there, it's part of the game, unless you are a pro...

Linda, Jack and Keeva

[greydad92]

Do you have any idea why he's anxious when outside? Is he always anxious outside? Has something happened when he was outside to scare him? My first thought is that if he wants to be you, let him if it isn't a big deal. Ben will whine if we are outside because he wants to be with us, so for us it isn't a big deal to let him out because he just lays down in the grass.

 

I was wondering if he's anxious outside if perhaps setting up an xpen while you're outside will help, but it depends on the cause of the anxiety.

 

I think he just knows I'm out there and wants to be with me. As I said, I tried bringing him outside with me while I was mowing the lawn and he just panted, drooled and barked. I guess that's better than destroying my house. I was considering an xpen as well.

Edited September 10, 2012 by aryon92

[Batmom]

Might try something different in the Kong, like a little Cheez Whiz, to attract his attention.

 

Gidget barks when Gidget is inside and grammy is out in the front yard. Doesn't matter that Joseph is inside with Gidget. She'll stop if someone (me ) is there to tell her Shhh.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

muzzle. Its a safety device, and MUCH better than medication...

[Wonder]

Not sure what type of x-pen people have but the one I have can get tipped over in a heart beat. I'd be worried he would get hurt trying to get out of an x-pen.

[Guest zombrie]

I didn't read the responses, so forgive me if I repeat what was already said!

I had a similar but less severe issue with Minerva. She was horrible when I left. She barked howled and chewed. I rent an apartment and she chewed my windowsills..

I discovered that when I left, she watched me leave and stayed at the window, chewing. I tried the bitteryuck spray and all, it didn't make a difference to her. I then started to close the shades when I left. The chewing stopped.

It didn't solve the problem obviously because she was worried, but at least she stopped the chewing. In addition to closing the shades, I give her treat dispenser toys and chews to keep her brain occupied. If those don't work... muzzles are your friend

I hate to say the only thing that has brought her peace was bringing her brother here.

[muddgirl]

Batman gets a very minor form of this - he's fine when we're at work, but if one of us is outside he gets anxious and whiny. IME, having a babysitter or a second dog isn't going to help because he's not lonely - he just wants you.

 

With that in mind I think regular separation anxiety advice might work - do short burts of alone traning.

[Guest alannamac]

Have you always baby gated when you go out to work in the yard? If so, just a thought that this might symbolize to him that you're going away again for a long time...he can see you and hear you and it's supposed to be "his" weekend of time with you. If that's the case, you might try him with just a muzzle and no baby gates coming in and out of the house over and over again in 3 or 4 minute cycles. You're both going to get tired of it (hopefully he will first) but do it as long as you can stand it......if things are going ok then the next time try a little longer and alway some sort of really high reward treat when you're doing this...even if he's naughty.....something really awesome, like a squirt of whipped cream. Eventually he may come to like it when you go outside.

Also there is the option of getting someone else to mow the grass so you can spend more time together..........

[Maddiesmom]

Maddie had SA when I first got her almost 7 years ago, after 2 months I learned it was because she hated her crate. She did go on clomicalm too as a last resort and we slowly weaned her off it, she has free rein of the first floor of my house when I am gone.

 

I have the same problem if I am in the garage and she can't see me or if I take too long getting in from the car, she whines. that is the only time she does this.

 

Can you tell us is this only happening when you are out mowing the lawn or does it other times when you are out of his vision ? You did not say if he is able to see you or not. Talk to your vet about putting him on the meds (I did it as a last resort) and I muzzled Maddie when I was at work for the first few weeks.

I can totally understand what you are going through as I have been there myself. It is just Maddie and myself here. Hang in there.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Maddiesmom