Is This Normal Behavior Or Separation Anxiety?

[kyguylal]

Hello everyone,

 

We have a new greyhound who is about a year and a half off the track and is 4 years old.

 

I know that separation anxiety is common in greyhounds and I'm wondering how our guy is doing.

 

My wife or myself have been home every day so far since we got him. We do work full time and we will have two days a week where our schedules overlap. We have arranged for a walker to come in and take him out on those days, so he will be alone for approximately four hours on each end.

 

We've had him for a week and he first could not be alone in his crate for more than ten minutes without crying. I've been working on some alone training and I've now been able to leave him alone for a bit longer.

 

We have a camera set up so we can watch how he is doing when alone. Today, I brought him for a long walk and he then settled into his crate. I left and checked in on him and he was asleep for an hour. He then woke up and played with his toys. He did whimper/cry for a few seconds after the first hour, but stopped after a few seconds and went back to what he was doing.

 

Is this normal behavior? It seems to me that his separation anxiety is not too bad with one small cry which lasted for a few seconds. I am just nervous to be leaving him alone longer when we got to work.

 

I will be walking him for two miles before we leave him in the morning, which is what I've been doing during our training.

 

Thank you!

[Time4ANap]

A long walk before leaving will be a big help. A tired dog is a happy dog.

 

It's way too early to assess how he's doing. His entire life just changed and he's getting used to a new routine. Continue with the alone training and let him get used to you being gone for work and get used to the routine of the whole house for a few weeks before worrying too much about separation anxiety. Greyhounds aren't any more prone to it than any other breed of dog and any anxiety will strictly depend on the individual hound.

[greysmom]

It sounds really normal, and IMO, really positive.

 

Continue with you alone training and get him into a set daily routine. And I would at least try out your proposed work day schedule, with the Walker, and see how he does while you are able to come home if there's a problem.

 

Make sure you introduce him to your dog walker prior to them coming over for work days. Some greys do fine with strangers, but some don't.

 

Congrats and Welcome!

[robinw]

It’s only been a week. Give him some time to settle in. Everything is very new and scary. And relax.

[HeyRunDog]

As robinw says relax. Sounds like he's doing OK. Leave him alone everyday even if you are at home so he gets used to his own company.

 

Grace is left alone 3 days a week for 7 hours with no problem so a walker might not be needed. Once they accept that this new strange place is their home and they are safe and that you will return they relax and do what they do best and sleep.