# Seperation anxiety help please



## Bronson (Nov 3, 2009)

This is my first time dealing with this severe of seperation anxiety. I will admit that I should have delt with this sooner but cold weather and rain (and soft heart) has kept her mostly inside. I tried to start with crate training but having no success. I've got her compfortable going in and sleeping while the door is off but when the doors on with her inside she cries nonstop. I have a good size kennel along side the house that I've been trying to get her use to but she cries non-stop. Toys or treats and even toys with treats inside, she ignores them. Any helpful tips would be appreciated. Bronson


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## DarkMoon (Nov 26, 2009)

Ok, First of all this isn't Separation Anxiety. Crate Anxiety is more like it. I'm guessing your talking about leaving your dog outside during the day while your away. It can be a very scary thing being outside alone. My dog freaks out when he's outside alone and I'm inside. If I'm out there with him he is fine.

Is there a reason why your dog can't stay inside when your gone? It is much safer for the dog to be inside and it doesn't harm them to be inside. There is a lot of dangers keeping your dog outside, even more if your in the city. Neighbors can be unpredictable and some will poison barking dogs.

Again this NOT Separation Anxiety. Not in the slightest. This is just a dog that needs to get use to being outside, alone. It comes with time, patience, and training. It's scary out there. You may want to just leave her outside to go potty by herself at first, and expand the time she is out there by a few mins at a time. Slowly teach her that you decide when she comes in, not her. This does mean ignore her cries and barks. Talk to your neighbors and let them know what is going on, and let them know you are working on it. Clear communication with the neighbors is a good way to create a good relationship with them, and make sure your dog's don't end up dead.


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## my2dogs (Apr 19, 2010)

poor dog


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## boogiebot (Oct 7, 2009)

i think darkmoon is right the dog being inside while you are gone is much safer for her. i also agree that you may want to leave her outside for short periods of time at first. trying to get the dog use to it b4 she is ready is more for you and not for her. 

like darkmoon said try letting her out to pee by herself in the back yard. then progress to playing with her outside and teach her to stay in a position outside and walk away so she cant see you then come back 5 seconds later praise and reward. slowly start building up the time you are away from her. this might take months for her to get use to.

BTW how old is the dog?


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## Bronson (Nov 3, 2009)

She's 4 1/2 months. I did a Google search and found some useful information. This was the type of Separation Anxiety I was refering to. I'll share it with you all. BRONSON

Separation Anxiety

The Humane Society of the United States 

Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit distress and behavior problems when they're left alone. The most common behaviors include:

Digging and scratching at doors or windows in an attempt to reunite with their owners 
Destructive chewing 
Howling, barking, and whining 
Urination and defecation (even with otherwise housetrained dogs)
Is it separation anxiety?
If most, or all, of the following statements are true about your dog, he may have a separation anxiety problem:

The behavior occurs primarily when he's left alone and typically begins soon after you leave. 
He follows you from room to room whenever you're home. 
He displays effusive, frantic greeting behaviors. 
The behavior occurs whether he's left alone for short or long periods. 
He reacts with excitement, depression, or anxiety to your preparations to leave the house.
What causes separation anxiety
It's not fully understood why some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and others don't. But it's important to realize that the destruction and house soiling that often occur with separation anxiety are part of a panic response. Your dog isn't trying to punish you for leaving him alone.

Following are some common scenarios that can trigger separation anxiety:

A dog accustomed to constant human companionship is left alone for the first time. 
A dog suffers a traumatic event (from his viewpoint), such as time at a shelter or boarding kennel. 
There's a change in the family's routine or structure or the loss of a family member or other pet.
How to treat minor separation anxiety

Don't make a big deal out of arrivals and departures. For example, when you arrive home, ignore your dog for the first few minutes then calmly pet him.
Leave your dog with an article of clothing that smells like you, such as an old T-shirt that you've slept in recently. 
Establish a safety cue—a word or action that you use every time you leave that tells your dog you'll be back. 
Consider using an over-the-counter calming product that may reduce fearfulness in dogs.
How to handle a more severe problem

Use the techniques outlined above along with desensitization training. Teach your dog the sit-stay and down-stay commands using positive reinforcement. This training will help him learn that he can remain calmly and happily in one place while you go to another room.

Create a "safe place" to limit your dog's ability to be destructive. A safe place should:

Confine loosely rather than strictly (a room with a window and distractions rather than total isolation) 
Contain busy toys for distraction 
Have dirty laundry to lend a calming olfactory cue or other safety cues.
What to do in the meantime
It can take time for your dog to unlearn his panic response to your departures. To help you and your dog cope in the short term, consider the following interim solutions:

Ask your veterinarian about drug therapy. A good anti-anxiety drug shouldn't sedate your dog but simply reduce his overall anxiety. 
Take your dog to a doggie day care facility or kennel when you have to be away. 
Leave your dog with a friend, family member, or neighbor when you're away. 
Take your dog to work with you, if possible.
What won't help

Punishment. Punishment isn't effective for treating separation anxiety and can make the situation worse. The destruction and house soiling that often occur with separation anxiety aren't your dog's revenge for being left alone: they're part of a panic response. 
Another dog. Getting your dog a companion usually doesn't help an anxious dog because his anxiety is the result of his separation from you, not just the result of being alone. 
Crating. Your dog will still engage in anxiety responses inside a crate, and he may urinate, defecate, howl, or even injure himself in an attempt to escape. Instead, create other kinds of "safe places" as described above. 
Radio/TV noise. Leaving the radio or television on won't help (unless the radio or TV is used as a safety cue). 
Obedience training. While formal training is always a good idea, separation anxiety isn't the result of disobedience or lack of training; therefore, it won't help this particular issue.
Consult a professional animal behavior specialist for assistance in resolving your dog's issues.


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## boogiebot (Oct 7, 2009)

thanks for posting that.

ok to be honest a 4.5 month old dog should not be left alone unsupervised outside for any reason. if you do have to leave the dog alone you would be much better off to do so in a crate inside your house. try to leave the crate somewhere in the house that is a high traffic area. 

i am assuming that you eventually want to make your dog an outside pooch? and this can happen in time. just IMO it might be a but much to try to do this at 4.5 months for anything more than an hour at a time. i could be wrong and maybe one of the more senior members can shed some light on this.


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## DarkMoon (Nov 26, 2009)

I don't need to read any information on Separation Anxiety, I'm a walking book on it. Lived with a dog for 8 months who had such bad SA that he would about kill himself. This is NOT Separation Anxiety.

Separation Anxiety happens both inside and out. If she could care less if you leave when she is inside it is NOT Separation Anxiety. You KNOW when it's SA, and SA isn't something that can't be simply trained out. It's a LONG, LONG process of desensitizing your dog to you leaving. This is NOT SA.

Is the Anxiety? Yes I think it is in a way. It's not Separation Anxiety this is a Fear anxiety of being left outside where she is not use to it. It's a lot like a lack of crate training. When you put your dog in a crate out of no where and your dog freaks out when you leave. Most people thing "SA" When it's really your dog is scared of the crate. What type of enclosure are you leaving her in? 

Crate training 101 again, start all over. Never let her be in that crate with the door shut for longer then she can handle. Shut the crate door then open it right away and treat. Do this a few times then call it good for a while. Then do it again later that night increasing how long the crate door is closed every time. Then start using the crate for your dog to sleep in once she can be in the crate for a while. You need to make it her safe place.

Again it is NOT Separation Anxiety. 

If your keeping your dog in a crate outside, honestly, don't do it. If you have a kennel and your trying to get her use to a kennel outside, then you need to do the same thing with the crate as with the kennel. You also should stay outside with her until she starts being OK in the crate, then slowly move start walking in your back door, then walk back out again. She needs to know that that kennel is safe.

Honestly though, if she doesn't like being outside when your away, then why make her? An unhappy or bored dog is more likely to try to escape a kennel. An escaped Pit Bull is asking for AC to be called or asking to be shot.


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

DarkMoon said:


> I don't need to read any information on Separation Anxiety, I'm a walking book on it. Lived with a dog for 8 months who had such bad SA that he would about kill himself. This is NOT Separation Anxiety.
> 
> Separation Anxiety happens both inside and out. If she could care less if you leave when she is inside it is NOT Separation Anxiety. You KNOW when it's SA, and SA isn't something that can't be simply trained out. It's a LONG, LONG process of desensitizing your dog to you leaving. This is NOT SA.
> 
> ...


:goodpost::clap::goodpost:

Again she is JUST 4 1/2 months old!!


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## Bronson (Nov 3, 2009)

OK, Sorry for not making it more specific. Every time I separate myself from her, she scratches the door, whine and barks the whole time I'm gone. When I put her outside to go potty, she won't go. She just scratches the door, whine and barks. I have to walk with her around the yard. She does the same thing insde and outside. 
In my opinion, she has Separation Anxiety. I wasn't asking whether you felt she had it or not. I was looking for helpful tips towards dealing with SA. I found the information I was looking for and posted it for other poeple who think that their dog may be showing the same symptoms. It wasn't posted for you, DarkMoon. Thanks for your $.02. You can have it back. I am good with the information I got from somewhere else. Good luck with your dog(s). BRONSON


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## DarkMoon (Nov 26, 2009)

If you wanted to know more about Separation Anxiety, just ask. What you described is far from SA.

Here is a long post on SA that I wrote:
Separation Anxiety (SA) in Dogs

What is Separation Anxiety (SA) and what causes it?
I would LOVE to give you this answer, but sadly no one really knows. It occurs in all breeds of dog, some are more prone to SA then others. "Velcro" breeds like Boxers and Doberman Pinschers seem to be more prone to it, but this doesn't mean they will all have it. Many shelter dogs also have some form of SA. I mean, think about it: if you were just dropped off by your family (maybe even multiple times by different families) and they never came back, wouldn't you start to be scared that the new people you love would never return, too?

SA can also be caused by a simple thyroid issue that can be seen in a thyroid test. This is something that most Vets will not think to check this out, so make sure to have a full blood panel and thyroid check done if you believe your dog has SA. A simple pill once a day may be all that your dog needs to be happy again.

What are the symptoms of SA?
SA is not something that you should self diagnose. A trained professional, such as an Animal Behaviorist or a Veterinarian, should be the one to do it. Many of the symptoms of SA can be confused for simple boredom, lack of exercise, or not being fully housebroken, so do not be automatically alarmed if you see bad habits arising.

Symptoms vary from website to website, Vet to Vet, and dog to dog. No one can really agree on them.

The HSUS (http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/ou...n_anxiety.html) states:
• The behavior occurs exclusively or primarily when he's left alone.
• He follows you from room to room whenever you're home.
• He displays effusive, frantic greeting behaviors.
• The behavior always occurs when he's left alone, whether for a short or long period of time.
• He reacts with excitement, depression, or anxiety to your preparations to leave the house.
• He dislikes spending time outdoors by himself.

The problem with some of these statements is that sometimes the dog performs these behaviors simply because it is his nature to do so, NOT because he has SA. Some breeds are clingy and like to follow their people from room to room. Does that automatically mean they have SA? No. Similarly, some dogs don't like to be outside alone and/or get very excited when someone comes home, but do not suffer from SA.

I like the list from Wagntrain.com (Separation Anxiety in Dogs)
But, again, remember many things listed are, for some breeds, normal behavior.

• The dog chews on a variety of things, but chewing is often focused on items that smell most like you (or a particular person in your house) such as recently discarded clothes, including underwear or socks, or favorite chairs; and /or escape routes (doors or windows). The dog only chews these items when you're gone.
• The dog tries to stay close to the things that smell most of you (chewed stuff will still be warm when you get home)
• The dog pees or poops inappropriately, sometimes in many locations.
• The dog barks continuously during the day, perhaps after a build-up of whining. The barking is not on-off-on-off.
• The dog always shows these behaviors when left alone, even for short periods (30 minutes or less).
• The dog is wild to greet you, and is still stressed, anxious and clingy when you first arrive home. The dog does not appear "guilty" over destroyed items.
• Destruction begins soon after you leave; or possibly again shortly before you come home.
• The dog cannot be isolated from you at any time, even in a different room with the door closed.
• The dog sleeps with you. (This does not mean that all dogs who sleep with their owners will get separation anxiety. It does mean that dogs that survive being apart from you at night can survive it during the day, too).
• Sometimes, the dog can be left alone in a car (for any length of time) or other unusual location, without showing anxiety or destructiveness. Sometimes the dog can be left with anyone; sometimes it is one particular person whose absence triggers the anxiety or issues.
• The dog gets increasingly distressed as you prepare to leave.
• The dog is constantly following you and demanding your attention when you are home.

Ok, what can I do then?

• Desensitization to your arrivals and departures.
Great sites for these are:
The HSUS http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/ou...n_anxiety.html
Wagntrain.com Separation Anxiety in Dogs
The KEY to desensitization to work is to NEVER be gone more then your dog can take. If your dog isn't only good for 1min before they freak out, you should only be gone for 59seconds.
• Increase the amount of exercise you give your dog before you leave. A tired dog is less likely to have the strength to destroy crates, and is more likely to sleep while you are gone. This means you may have to get up an hour earlier then normal to take your dog for a LONG walk. Throw in training commands while out with your dog. Mentally working your dog is just as important as physically working your dog.
• Try to leave a Kong (http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2750604) Frozen with some goodies inside of it like Peanut Butter! (http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/200..._chew_toys.php) Giving him something to do while you're gone, if he is food motivated enough, will take his mind off of your absence.
• If the above hasn't worked, try adding natural relaxing herbs or supplements to your dog's life. Results differ from dog to dog. What works for one dog won't work for the next. These are to be used WITH desensitizing.
1. Rescue Remedy (Rescue&reg Remedy - Official Site) adding some of this to your dog's water dish every time you refill the dish. For a dog that is 50lbs+ I would add a full eyedropper full. For smaller dogs add less. This is all natural, so as long as you don't go overboard, it's pretty safe.
2. Valerian Root (http://www.anxiety-and-depression-so...s/valerian.php)
3. Add a D.A.P. to your dogs crate room (http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2755194)
4. Melatonin (Melatonin.com - Pets and Other Animals), an over-the-counter hormone. Some have reported positive results when managing SA and other anxieties by using Melatonin. Contact your vet for dosage details, but a medium-sized dog 30-60 usually gets about 3mg, with less for smaller dogs and more for larger dogs.
• Contact a local Behaviorist (Int. Assoc. of Animal Behavior Consultants) (Association of Pet Dog Trainers - Dog Training Resources). They cost a lot, but can help you in more ways then you can dream. Anxiety should NEVER be punished, so when choosing a trainer, the more positive the training is the better.
• Return to the Vet for "stronger" Meds like Clomipramine or Fluoxetine (Prozac). Also to be used as an aid during desensitization.

Final Thoughts
Sadly, SA is NOT curable and anyone that says that it is is lying. SA is only manageable. SA is something that may take a year or more or even less to get under control and it is likely to get worse before it gets better. Every dog is different and needs different things. Some dogs just need time to adjust, some never adjust. The most important thing I can tell a person dealing with SA is DO NOT PUNISH THE DOG WHEN YOU RETURN TO DESTRUCTION no matter how mad you are. Dogs do not do things out of spite. Spite is a human emotion, not a dog emotion. Dealing with SA is a long and difficult task, and I wish you the best of luck.

Other Helpful Links

• http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm Nothing in Life is free

• Crate Training: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/ou..._training.html


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## GodBlessPitbulls (Aug 23, 2009)

MY female Pitbull is in the House when I am working she dug a hole in my Sons mattress.All of a sudden this happened she is two.


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## DarkMoon (Nov 26, 2009)

GodBlessPitbulls said:


> MY female Pitbull is in the House when I am working she dug a hole in my Sons mattress.All of a sudden this happened she is two.


Sounds like someone got bored.  Remember a bored dog is a destructive dog.

Separation Anxiety is the one thing that most misdiagnosed things out there. A lot of dogs are just overstimulated, under trained, not crate trained, bored, and not house broken that people claim suffer from SA. It's something very VERY painful to be because I had a dog that suffered from severe SA. I mean on a level from 1 to 5, he was a 4.5 to a 4.8.

I don't link to this video very often because it is so heart wrenching for me to see again. Please turn down your volume before you watch it.





That is a dog that suffered from horrible SA. There would be so much drool in the bottom of his crate that it would look like he pee'd in it. He broke out of that crate in question in about 15mins once he learned he could. I think the count on crates was Carter 5 - Crates 0

This is the crate the next day after that Video was taken:

And another crate:

The wall that we tried to contain him in (doesn't look bad, but I didn't get to take a photo of the hole he made in the drywall)

And this was crate number 4, when he somehow moved it across the living room, and made it to the couch to grab a hold of a pillow and destroy the pillow.


And then just one of the times he almost took off part of his muzzle getting out of the crate. The photo doesn't do it justice as to how bad it was:


This is why it is important to get a professional to tell you if it is yes SA or not. If you don't get a handle on SA quickly you get above. This is also why it is important not to just assume something is SA because if you try to treat SA and it's not SA, you are not going to get anywhere and the problem will get worse.


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