Nervous New Mom Or Separation Anxiety?

[PNWGrey]

Hi all,

 

I've perused the many threads on separation anxiety but haven't found exactly the answer I'm looking for. I adopted my first greyhound about 2.5 weeks ago. From the beginning, I have left him alone for some amount of time every day (hugely variable -- short outings and a few longer outings up to 6 hours. I am a college professor so my summer schedule is variable but I've been forcing myself to leave enough to teach him a work day schedule). He is gated to stay in about half the house and wears his muzzle when alone because I still don't trust him 100% with the cat (who can come and go in the whole house and to the fenced yard). So far no accidents, incidents with the cat, etc. Often he follows me to the door when I leave, but not always.

 

I have a video camera to check on him when I am away and I see that while he spends most of his day sleeping on various pieces of living room furniture, he also gets up a few times a day to check the front and garage doors (I leave out of both) and whines for maybe 30 seconds (occasionally a little longer). Then he settles himself back to sleep on a couch.

 

Here's my question: is the intermittent whining/door checking indicative of something starting with separation anxiety? Or am I just being a nervous new mom? Will he simply adapt to my being gone and whine less? I don't mind the whining/checking in theory, but I want to be sure he is doing ok!

[Guest k9soul]

From what you describe it sounds to me like he's actually doing really well. It could be he hears someone go by or hears a car door perhaps and whimpers maybe thinking you might be coming back. He is probably just learning what to expect and with your variable times being gone maybe feels some confusion about when to expect you back. I really think it sounds like he is adjusting quickly though and probably will only settle and relax more as more time goes by and he becomes used to your routines.

[greysmom]

He's fine! You're fine! It's all good!

[XTRAWLD]

Sounds like he's got a normal reaction to me. He's still getting used to routine and being left alone if you ask me Keep it up!

[Time4ANap]

If you think he's hearing noises from outside that are disruptive, leave a radio or TV playing so that every little noise from the street isn't heard. Music or TV is played in most of the racing kennels for that reason, so it's something he is most likely used to. If you come home and he's changed the station, then you need to have a talk with him.

[PNWGrey]

Thank you all for the reassurance! Maybe I'm the one with separation anxiety

[Guest braun]

I don't know if you saw my thread but this is pretty much exactly what happened to us and now about 4 weeks after adoption we can leave him at home up to 9hrs (longest we've had too so far) without so much as a peep. I think your anxiousness is perfectly normal and I think your hound is doing very, very well.

[XTRAWLD]

My Kasey would whine for about 10 mins after i left in the morning to go back to work after a week vacation. Took him a couple days but he settled. This happened every year. Don't worry, he'll be all good. They just want their humans!

[sobesmom]

It's totally great that you worry, and wonderful that you're asking questions! Welcome to GT and congrats on your new family member.

 

This is NOT SA. Lucky you!!!!! This is normal "settling in" behavior. Whatever you're doing - keep doing it exactly the same. Your dog is FINE. FINE. Chill. You got really lucky here. Leave a tv or radio on - leave chew toys - it might change the "very minor" checking he does. If not - STILL FINE. There's nothing wrong with your dog. Your dog is NOT in distress. He's just "checking" for you occasionally - and that's FINE - because he's not obsessed with it. Don't make a big deal when you leave, or come home. Don't make him needy. You have a perfect dog right now.

 

Raise a strong, independent dog. That's a GOOD thing.

 

That said - you should know that many (not all) dogs' behavior changes after a month or so. Be ready for that. It's called "after the honeymoon". But you're asking questions, and obviously caring, so if/when that happens, just ask and we'll help you.

[GeorgeofNE]

Just a warning from a fellow greyhound and cat owner: aside from the inherent dangers of letting your cat outside, your dog may be perfectly accepting and even loving of the cat inside. And he may see the exact same cat as prey outside.

 

I would urge you not to let the cat outside in the same area as the dog. Actually I would urge you to stop letting the cat out at all, but I assume you have already made up your mind about that!

[PNWGrey]

GeorgeofNE I certainly appreciate your concern. The cat can only go into the fenced yard which I can best describe as a bunker. The fencing is high and completely solid. So, I feel safe letting her do that. I have blocked the pet door to be way too small for the grey to get out during the day and otherwise they are not out together unsupervised (though so far I have been impressed with how sweet he has been to the cat even outside).

 

Thank you all for the vote of confidence. I think I'm being a bit paranoid because my last dog was a giant schnauzer/standard poodle cross with extreme SA that didn't ever improve much with all the professional and medical intervention in the world. He passed on a bit ago and I still miss him, but I can't deny some relief in not fighting the SA battle every day (for his sake more than anything). He came with SA so I don't have much experience with SA-in-development and am trying to be extremely cautious not to create that issue with my grey.

[GeorgeofNE]

My first greyhound had SA and bladder problems, and I TOTALLY understand loving a dog, but feeling some relief when they pass.

 

Seven years of cleaning up pee was more than enough for me. And seven years of having to consider the consequences any time I left my condo...