Alone Training Sticky?

[Roo]

I know there have been tons of threads about this, but all my search turns up is 4 pages of people asking about separation anxiety and being told to search the forums

 

Is is possible for someone who knows a lot about alone training to write a good, informative post (or dig up an old one) that can be stickied in the T&B forum, since this is a question that's asked routinely?

 

[greysmom]

There are a lot of things I'd like to have stikied in this forum! The biggest issue is that everyone thinks their problem is unique and they don't look for solutions that have already been given. One time a few months ago there were literally 5 posts on the same topic (sleep startle, I think, or space guarding) posted within days of each other. I think that's why we fall back on the "search the forum" routine.

 

For separation anixety, look for posts from Batmom. She has the most succinct, easiest to understand formula.

[GeorgeofNE]

Don't we already have a "sticky post" of sorts called, "I'll Be Home Soon" by Cynthia Brannigan? Which should be hand delivered to every new adopter a week before finalizing their adoption!

[rsieg]

I am on another (non-greyhound) forum that uses stickies a lot to provide beginner advice. The usual approach is that the sticky is a single (locked) post that contains a set of links to "best of" forum posts. For example, someone knowledgeable could search the GT forums for the best SA posts and put up a single sticky post with links to those (maybe sorted or annotated in some way), then a moderator locks it. Kind of makes sense, that way someone knowledgeable does the search and can curate the links, but does not need to take the time of re-inventing the wheel by writing up a new post.

 

One downside, in the mentioned forum some of those stickies are quite old (10+ years) and many of the links are broken. Not sure if GT posts ever expire (and of course if you include links outside of GT you don't control when/if they expire).

[Roo]

There are a lot of things I'd like to have stikied in this forum! The biggest issue is that everyone thinks their problem is unique and they don't look for solutions that have already been given. One time a few months ago there were literally 5 posts on the same topic (sleep startle, I think, or space guarding) posted within days of each other. I think that's why we fall back on the "search the forum" routine.

 

For separation anixety, look for posts from Batmom. She has the most succinct, easiest to understand formula.

 

I'll try looking for posts from Batmom!

 

I tried a forum search and could only find fairly recent posts, most of which said "Search the forum for alone training posts"

 

I, too, feel like my problem is unique - Tessa is attached to me, so she even frets when I leave her with my parents (but she frets less, so there's been a lot of "Mom, I need groceries - can I drop Tessa off at your house?" But I hesitate to start a new thread because, while I feel like my problem is unique, it really does just boil down to alone training It would be so helpful to have even just a basic outline of alone training pinned at the top so that I can start there and at least say I've tried before asking for more help

 

Edit: I don't know if I'm doing it wrong or what, but when I go to Batmom's page to look at her posts, I only see 5 posts total, all from this year. I know there should be more than that!

 

Don't we already have a "sticky post" of sorts called, "I'll Be Home Soon" by Cynthia Brannigan? Which should be hand delivered to every new adopter a week before finalizing their adoption!

 

I haven't seen any stickies in this forum section, but I didn't check the other ones. I'll poke around more...

 

Edit: Didn't see any relevant stickies in the other sections, either.

 

I am on another (non-greyhound) forum that uses stickies a lot to provide beginner advice. The usual approach is that the sticky is a single (locked) post that contains a set of links to "best of" forum posts. For example, someone knowledgeable could search the GT forums for the best SA posts and put up a single sticky post with links to those (maybe sorted or annotated in some way), then a moderator locks it. Kind of makes sense, that way someone knowledgeable does the search and can curate the links, but does not need to take the time of re-inventing the wheel by writing up a new post.

 

One downside, in the mentioned forum some of those stickies are quite old (10+ years) and many of the links are broken. Not sure if GT posts ever expire (and of course if you include links outside of GT you don't control when/if they expire).

 

That's a good idea! Or, if GT posts do expire after a certain amount of time, the relevant text could be copy/pasted into the new stickied thread.

Edited February 22, 2018 by Roo

[NeylasMom]

Don't we already have a "sticky post" of sorts called, "I'll Be Home Soon" by Cynthia Brannigan? Which should be hand delivered to every new adopter a week before finalizing their adoption!

Roo, this is actually a booklet, available online for about $8 (Dogwise and Amazon should both carry it). Its the most succinct, helpful read on SA and alone training out there. I agree with Susan that this is a good resource (better than anything anyone can write in a forum post). For a more in depth read, check out Malena de Martini Price's book.

[Roo]

Roo, this is actually a booklet, available online for about $8 (Dogwise and Amazon should both carry it). Its the most succinct, helpful read on SA and alone training out there. I agree with Susan that this is a good resource (better than anything anyone can write in a forum post). For a more in depth read, check out Malena de Martini Price's book.

 

I had "I'll Be Home Soon" bookmarked on Amazon, but I don't get paid till next week (and it's been a truly rotten couple of months for me, money-wise, so I have nothing to spare till I get paid ). I was hoping for some outline of what I need to do in the meantime.

[NeylasMom]

Gotcha. This article is a really nice summary:

 

http://www.ddfl.org/resource/separation-anxiety/

 

The only thing I would add is that when you start doing the departures you give something high value like a stuffed frozen kong as you leave to associate your departures with something good (rather than the experience being neutral) and them take it away (trade for a treat) upon your return. Anorexia is also a common symptom of SA so if she stops eating the kong at some point you know you've skipped ahead too fast.

 

Live streaming is really helpful as well. If you don't have something like a Foscam a cheap webcam that attaches to your computer via USB or the webcam built into your laptop works. You can stream using a free service like Ustream to your phone or another computer.

[XTRAWLD]

Great idea Roo. Keep at it!

[Roo]

Gotcha. This article is a really nice summary:

 

http://www.ddfl.org/resource/separation-anxiety/

 

The only thing I would add is that when you start doing the departures you give something high value like a stuffed frozen kong as you leave to associate your departures with something good (rather than the experience being neutral) and them take it away (trade for a treat) upon your return. Anorexia is also a common symptom of SA so if she stops eating the kong at some point you know you've skipped ahead too fast.

 

Live streaming is really helpful as well. If you don't have something like a Foscam a cheap webcam that attaches to your computer via USB or the webcam built into your laptop works. You can stream using a free service like Ustream to your phone or another computer.

 

Thank you! What size Kong is appropriate for greys?

 

Anorexia is not a problem. I give her those big milkbones when I leave. She pretends not to be interested, but the milkbone is always gone by the time I get back. I think most of her SA is anticipation of me leaving and just after I leave, so I switch up my pre-leaving routine (working from home is handy ). Sometimes I get ready and then sit back down at my desk for another hour or so before I leave. Sometimes I put her in her crate (she's not trustworthy loose yet, even with a muzzle) and putter around the house for a while, then leave. Sometimes I do it all quickly - crate, dressed, out the door - so she doesn't have time to get worked up. I can't get dressed before putting her in, though, because then she'll do her darndest to avoid coming anywhere near me because she knows what's coming. I try to stay as calm as possible, but I've found that since she started getting anxious about me leaving, I now get anxious about leaving her alone (yay, anxiety ), so I have to take an l-theanine and focus on not thinking about leaving so that my anxiety doesn't transmit to her. It's a downward spiral of mom anxiety feeding dog anxiety

 

And who knows, maybe if I stream video I'll find out that she doesn't have SA as much as she has "But I wanna go too, mom!" hissy fits, then calms down. I'll try streaming tomorrow.

 

I still think a sticky with at least basic advice would be awesome

[XTRAWLD]

I remember a wonderful success story a couple years ago by someone who was working constantly with her pup. She lived in an apartment and the pup was vocal and the whole bit. She talked to the neighbours so they understood, she did SO much training, did the radio thing, did the crate thing, the not crate thing, the stuffies and toys and kongs and cameras and it paid off. I wish I could remember the username.

[NeylasMom]

I actually like the West Paw Topples (larger size) better than Kongs, but they are more $$. For Kongs, I mostly use the mediums or larges.

 

My dogs always get something stuffed with food as I leave so they're happily working on that instead of paying attention to me going. If she doesnt have true SA, which it sounds like might be the case, that may be all you need. Also lots of exercise and mental stimulation so she sleeps while you're gone, and having her crate where she can see you come and go may help.

[Roo]

I actually like the West Paw Topples (larger size) better than Kongs, but they are more $$. For Kongs, I mostly use the mediums or larges.

 

My dogs always get something stuffed with food as I leave so they're happily working on that instead of paying attention to me going. If she doesnt have true SA, which it sounds like might be the case, that may be all you need. Also lots of exercise and mental stimulation so she sleeps while you're gone, and having her crate where she can see you come and go may help.

 

I'm trying to keep up with the exercise, but it's not easy where I live. The only place to get a good walk in is up the street (past aggressive neighbor dogs, loose dogs, and outdoor cats) and across a busy road to get to a neighborhood with other loose dogs who follow us down the street, huffing We've been biking together, but that can't happen till later in the day in my parents' neighborhood (they have a nice, quiet neighborhood with not a lot of traffic). I always make sure to tire her out if I have plans to leave, but sometimes I don't plan for it and end up having to leave her unexercised. I try to make these trips quick.

 

Her crate is in the basement so I was going out that door for a while, but seeing me leave seemed to upset her more! She's much improved from a couple months ago (her legs used to be soaked from panting and drooling with nerves and this hasn't happened in a couple months), but it's almost more frustrating now. We are so close to being anxiety-free, but it's like we've stalled and can't move past our current state of mind. Now I'm going out the upstairs front door and she seems to be doing alright with that. Oddly, it's better if it's not just me. If my mom comes over and we run errands, or my BF and I leave for dinner, she doesn't throw as much of a hissy fit. I've joked that she just wants to know I'm supervised while I'm out and about

 

I wanted to move her crate up to the main floor, but the crate is huge and there's nowhere to put it except for the middle of the room (between the windows, the sofa, and the piano, I have no wall space left, and I have to work around the stupid floor vents). I have an ex-pen I've been thinking about using, but I'd like to be able to see her reaction to being alone before setting her up with that, and I'd like to be able to monitor her for the first few ex-pen departures.

 

Speaking of, I tried Ustream and got the stream working just fine, but when I clicked the link on my phone, it said "That link is not supported". Then I opened the app on my phone and tried to watch my own broadcast and it wouldn't even let me click in. Tried Skype, Skype won't let me call other Skypes? Google Duo doesn't work on Mac (my computer). Ugh! Technology is not my friend today.

[greysmom]

All that randomness you're doing is basically what Alone Training is, just smoosh more of it closer together. You want to do it SO MUCH that she gets bored of the whole routine and is just "Whatever!" about it.

 

So if getting dressed is her first stressor, get dressed a lot, until she doesn't react. Then stretch out the time inbetween dressings. Then add the next thing you'd do. Then the next. Until you can do a whole "leaving the house" routine without her becoming upset. Then you add in the leaving part - just a few seconds. Etc., etc., etc.,

 

You're problem isn't that uncommon, we've had quite a few people state that they feel their dog is missing *them* specifically, and not the being alone part. It's kind of a resource guarding issue and kind of an SA issue. She really only wants to know you're going to come back, but you can't just tell her!

 

As far as having stickies here, I think it would be a great idea.

[XTRAWLD]

I have read the crazy things randomness does, but it takes committment. On a Saturday in the middle of the day, get dressed and grab your keys and sit on the couch for 10 minutes. Drive em nuts! Or on a weekday but you happen to be off, just go straight into your car from your pj's and sit there for 10 mins! But it's all the idea of getting them used to anything can happen and this doesn't associate with that.

[EllenEveBaz]

There is a post in the Greyt Information forum, http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/387-separation-anxiety , written in 2001 by someone the old-timers who haven't already lost their memories will recall as Heather and Dempsey.

[MSTmom]

We got a puzzle for our boy, its like a round piece of flat wood that has these little compartments, he has to slide the compartments open to get a treat. We started with him using it on a weekend so he could learn how to use it, now when we leave for work we give it to him and it totally distacts him, it gives him a treat, and its like a little mental exercise, by the time he's done and had all his treats, he's a happy camper! We also always leave a bone out for him to have whenever. Like a soup bone, not a milk bone.