Separation Anxiety W/ Random Eating

[Guest Tknk98]

Hello fellow grey parents,

We've recently brought home our second grey, Bitsy. She'll be 3 the end of September, she was a foster with a lovely couple and another grey, Cooper and never had these issues. Since coming home with us she's definitely sowing her oats.

I personally feel she's suffering from a little separation anxiety, but she's surely taking it and running with it. Don't get me wrong...I'm by no means a push over!! But she surely tries EVERYTHING to push me! I am home all day, everyday with her and i am in the process of alone training on 1,2 & 3.

 

1. Constant whining/howling/pacing

2. Not listening to commands

3. Won't crate

 

***This is the newest and worst!!

4. Won't eat where she's supposed to! She was doing fine when she came home, then it started with just breakfast she wouldn't eat without a fight and now it's both meals. I stand there with her and it doesn't matter anymore.

 

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thank you! ?

[palmettobug]

Johnny sometimes doesn't eat his breakfast, but will eat dinner. A lot of greyhounds have stomach upsets if they go too long before eating, and a bedtime "cookie" can help mitigate the upset.

[NeylasMom]

First off, if she truly had anxiety of some sort she isn't doing anything to "push you". Anxiety is a physiological and emotional response, not something she can control.

 

Second, is the whining, pacing, etc when you're home? It so, that's not separation anxiety.

 

There's really not enough detail in your post to know what's going on, but my first guess is maybe you're just asking for too much and need to take a step back and let her settle in. You don't say how long you've had her, but it takes time to teach a dog cues well enough that they can respond to them in a variety of situations. So that right there gives me some indication that either it hasn't been long enough or she's just stressed. Regarding eating, have you tried just leaving her alone? Or why not try moving her food bowl and then leave her alone? Checking for any potential medical issues and making sure she doesn't have any stomach upset would also be a good idea. Are you feeding what she got in her foster home?

Edited August 19, 2016 by NeylasMom

[Guest Tknk98]

Thank you so much for responding! We've had Bitsy for 8 weeks now, and the reason I was thinking it may be anxiety was bc she was fostering with another grey and now she is alone. Just a thought.

I was feeding her the same food she was eating with the Kennel and foster and the Veterinarian recommended that I change it. She began eating and then stopped again. It's not constant, just random. Sometimes breakfast, sometimes never, yesterday both! The Vet said she's in perfect health just nervous. But I don't want her to continue not eating.

Yes, I have left and she just follows me and lays down with me.

The first time it happened she went and laid in the living room and I felt bad so I brought the bowl in there bc she wouldn't come eat. She did lay and eat it on the living room floor.

 

As for the whining and howling, Im disabled, so i am home all day. She does it when my husband leaves for work, if my mother in law doesn't sit in the room with us or if I leave the room or step outside even to get the mail.