Just Adjusting Or Potential Separation Anxiety?

[Guest jonesyvoor]

I had a similar experience. What I did which was helpful was use my laptop as a "Nanny Cam". Most smart phones have an app that allows you to monitor the cam remotely. Thus I could see and hear her while I was at work and found that she would howl and cry at times during the day in my absence. I tried many of the previously mentioned methods - giving her frozen kong treats, covering her crate to make it dark, leaving the TV on, hiring a walker, etc and nothing worked.

 

Finally after two weeks I got a baby gate and kept her gated upstairs with access to my bedroom, the hallway and my spare room (which I put her crate and toys in). I then utilized the camera and realized there was very little to no crying or howling whatsoever! Of course the camera also served the purpose of making sure to monitor her activity to ensure she didn't try to destroy anything in my room - which she never did. What I found is that she would walk around looking for me and then would get bored and take a nap in my bed. Repeat every couple of hours.

 

So it turns out in my case that this crying and howling was her way of telling me that she wanted more freedom and was done with the crate. I'd highly suggest trying that. I'd start by leaving her alone for a half hour and see if you can monitor her behavior via web cam and then extend the absences. If he or she can withstand a few hours then he should be good for the whole day.

[Guest sprocketta]

We're definitely struggling. The vet is supposed to check in with us tomorrow. Can't recall if I mentioned this, but the vet has a greyhound of her own with SA, so she very much wants to get Joy as happy and healthy as possible.

 

The landlord unfortunately was in the building and heard her today. He just told me I need to address it and I made it clear that we are doing so. He wished me luck and mentioned he was a dog lover. Hoping we can get this under control before complaints happen.

 

I tried her out of the crate again in my bedroom, but she started crying right away when I left. I think she feels safer in the crate.

 

I am trying to get the cam to my phone figured out. If nothing else, I can now record her using the webcam even if I can't stream it to my phone (hopefully I can sort that out).

 

The new plan is to do as much alone training as possible over the two holiday weekends. It's hard because she cries at differing intervals through the day and it never seems consistent. I'm going to try two kongs in the crate as well as some more interactive toys. I asked for a lot of that as Christmas presents. I may just try to take a week off work for intensive alone training when it will bother fewer neighbors. The weekends are more difficult because she

 

I'm also trying to get some greyhound-specific obedience training to build her confidence.

 

Has anyone tried the dog toys with the "beating heart" inside? I saw one of those in a pet store and was wondering if it was worth a shot.

[FountainLady]

You need to bake cookies and take plate of homemade cookies to each your neighbors.

That will help greatly in good neighbor relations & send positive Holiday wishes!

[Guest KTTN]

I'm really happy to read from your post that you are making progress! but also sad to hear you are struggling.

 

sounds like you are doing absolutely everything you possibly can, it will probably just take time. Your landlord sounds understanding, hopefully people in your apartment understand that its not just going to happen overnight.

 

you mentioned she went from crying all the time to about 10 minutes every hour, that's pretty great I think, considering what you started with. I'm pretty much in the same situation as you. I stayed home sick Monday and Tuesday of this week and used that time to work on the alone training. I can make her think I've left and go hide in my bedroom. She was good for 2.5 hours then started whining. Whines for like 20 seconds, lays down or turns around, quiet for 10-20 minutes, then same thing for about 2 hours. At this point I think she is adjusting to being lonely, which after spending her entire life around others, is going to take some time. Its not nearly as bad as I was thinking it was, but still distressing. She also likes to relax more in her kennel when I'm home now, it seems to be her preferred resting place, so that's progress too.

 

how is your girl with being in the kennel when you are home? I think that even though they spend a good part of time in a kennel at the track and its their little apartment, doesn't mean they are always going to feel great about being in a kennel once they get to your house. Almost like to have to " retrain" them. granted its probably a million times easier than a dog that's never spent any time in a kennel.

 

Are the neighbours in your apartment at least understanding? Bring the dog by so they can see how adorable she is and tell them what her life was like. You rescued a life, so hopefully they can be decent while she gets adjusted. My landlord LOVES my dog, so that makes me feel a little better when I hear she's been crying. Besides, when you live in an apartment, its not going to be silence 100% of the time. People are allowed to have lives!including you If someone's dog barks once in a while during the day, not the end of the world. Lots of things can be an opportunity to work on alone training, taking the garbage out, going to get coffee, getting some groceries, things like that. She will see that you always come back!

 

sorry to carry on! one thing if you are having trouble setting up some sort of monitoring system with your phone and computer, because sometimes apps designed for that are somewhat unstable, I would suggest the following that Ive found works usually without fail;

 

Set up a Skype account for your dog, log that one in on your computer at home

Set up one for yourself, and log into it on your mobile device with the Skype app.

 

Add yourself as a contact on your dogs account. Have the dogs account auto answer calls from you. there are instructions on Google how to do that, its pretty easy, in the settings somewhere I just cant remember the exact details. then when you leave, log your dog in on your pc, turn screen savers and all that junk off, then you can just call from your Skype on your mobile whenever you want, anywhere there is service. preferably on WiFi so your data doesn't go through the roof

 

 

best of luck you sound like you are doing everything right. hang in there!!

[Guest sprocketta]

Cookies are a great idea. I have already baked cookies for the neighbors across the hall who have had issues. Tried to talk to the neighbors upstairs but they never seem to be home when I am (I think they're out of town for the holidays). The neighbors on the other side of my apartment won't answer their door when I knock. Trying to build good relationships. Hopefully

 

2) Thank you KTTN for the help with the skype info.

 

Some days are better than other. I tried once more out of the crate today and Joy had a meltdown when I left. Before I could leave, I heard my neighbors across the hall have a meltdown as well. Not sure what they were saying but it was a lot of loud, angry russian. The one girl I spoke to was nice, but their english is not great so they do not really understand my explanations about her being a greyhound and separation anxiety and adjustment. There's a lot of pressure on us to get Joy acclimated. They absolutely do not understand that I cannot fix this overnight.

 

We had a lot of rain and wind today so we couldn't do our longer, faster morning walk. Joy was so unhappy in the rain that it took a really long time to get her to go to the bathroom and by then we were out of time. When I came home from work, she had damaged one of the crate latches and when I gave her a rawhide I noticed a tiny bit of blood on it. Couldn't find any bleeding spot in her mouth but her teeth look even more damaged today.

 

My adoption group cautioned me strongly against going straight to medication if my dog has SA and I have been trying desperately to do everything I can to avoid it. I can't leave her out of the crate because she panics more and she is hurting herself while in the crate, so I have to consider it. I hate the idea, but the vet had mentioned it once and I pushed it off before. Seeing the crate damage and blood today scared me.

 

Can anyone relate experience with anti-anxiety meds for dogs? The vet suggested clomipramine.

[Guest snoopycomehome]

We had this same problem with Dragon. Getting Gypsy 3 months later solved it, and we haven't had anymore issues in almost 2 years.

[Guest itsagreytlife]

Teddi went through a period of "almost-SA". He's since become perfect when I leave, but those first few weeks were hard! He pulled my comforter into his crate and ate it, ruined 2 mini-blinds, scratched up my door, peed in the bed, just everything you could imagine. Once I was able to trust him, though, and give him full reign of the house without a muzzle on, all of his problems vanished. I think sometimes dogs do better out of the crates and enclosed areas. Good luck! I also taught Teddi to "go to his bed" quickly, and made him do that everytime I left instead of a cage.

 

Unfortunately this did not work for me. While our big guy started out not liking his crate, he eventually has learned to enjoy spending time in there even while we are home. I would love to give the dogs "full reign of the house" but everytime I do, we end up with a big pee-pee somewhere (no damaging behavior, thank goodnes). It has to be stress-related since we always let him out beforehand and I don't leave them alone longer than 4 hrs at a time. I have done alone-training and give Kongs, etc. but the pee-pee always returns. Since I don't work outside the house, they are not stuck in their crates all day, but I wish I could just let them roam around when I am gone (and get rid of those gigantic crates!). Even putting up baby-gates wasn't good--seemed to increase his anxiety, strangely enough. So, crates it is...

 

ETA: I am keeping you in my prayers Sprocketta. You are such a trooper and doing everything & more to get this to work!!! We are all pulling for you and your pup!!!!

Edited December 26, 2012 by itsagreytlife

[Guest KTTN]

wondering how things are going for you Sprocketta?

[Guest sprocketta]

KTTN, improving but still struggling. We've added medication and started working with a trainer. I am concerned my home is the wrong one for her. See my newer post on this topic. I detail everything we've done. I am going to update my adoption group with our progress and get their opinion. I'm not sure how much goodwill I have left with my neighbors, to be honest.