dogs with anxiety

[dontknow]

hi all my dog has seperation anxiety i think when ever we leave him only for a short while he poos and scratch doors trying to get out and finds it really hard to be left alone aart from this he is a great family dog we got him from dogs home and if we cant fnd a solution he will have to go back there any help would be great thanks

[B00]

How long is he left for?

Have you thought of getting a dog crate? I think the genera idea is that you put them in it at first for a few minutes and then over time slowly increase the time left so that he/shes comfortable left for a couple of hours in it.

I'd try that or anything really before you send him back to the dogs home. No wonder the poor things stressed.

[jules77]

This isnt something you will cure overnight, and before he is left it would be ideal if you need to start by leaving him only for a few minutes at a time, and building up over a few weeks. He will then not know when you are coming home as it could be 2 minutes or 2 hours. Give him plenty of exercise before you leave him, and a kong stuffed with something yummy or one of the activity treat balls to keep him occupied.

I have heard some good reports on the DAP diffuser, which may help too.

http://www.doggiesolu...-pheromone-497-0.html

[jules77]

sorry, my post doesnt make sense, but trust you get the jist, I missed a few words out me thinks.

[karenmac60]

You should also ignore him for 15 minutes or so before you go out - making a fuss over him before you go only reinforces the idea that there is something for him to worry about, and wait till he's calm and settled on your return before you say hello.

[fredpuli47]

Leave ther TV or radio on. as well. The aim is to leave the dog in a situation which seems as normal as possible. That's why, for example, you shouldn't make a fuss of the dog before leaving. He's anxious because he thinks you won't come back, so anything you can do which suggests that you will will help.

[lankeela]

You don't say how long you have had him. This is the problem getting a dog from a rescue home, they are rarely put in there without any problems, and if you take one on you need to be prepared to work at any problems, often for quite a long time. It could be that he has been passed from pillar to post before and is anxious he is being left yet again.
Or it could be that he was left for long periods in his former home, in which case he is worried it is going to happen again. Try all that is suggested above, plus make sure he is well exercised before you are going to leave him. Ask the rescue home for advice, they should be able to help you.

[sunflower71]

~We use to leave the tv or radio on for our dog......also try looking on petforum dot co dot uk you might have some tips there too.

[leelapops]

Hi dontknow. I agree with all the suggestions above.
Your dog sounds new to you, and his problems with being left are probably very deep-seated, so he is going to take lots of work.
Our Border Collie took 2 and a half years of serious sustained work to calm his separation anxiety! His behaviour was much like your dogs': toileting inside, chewing, barking.
Give him time, don't get angry when you come home and he's messed, and try EVERYTHING possible.
Ideally, as mentioned, you would start again from scratch-leaving him for literally a minute and building up over a period of weeks. If you work/study, can you take any time off?
I know you would be devastated to take him back, so I really hope you can work together and get it sorted.
Lisa xx

[tamborine]

have a blanket beside your armchair that the dog learns is his bed. As it gets used to lying on its own bed, move the bed further away from you till you have trained dog 'on the bed' in a separate room. Move on to shutting dog out of view still in its bed. Training takes time but since dogs 'live in the moment' you'll crack it & give the dog a good home.

[jules77]

Just something else I thought of, can you leave him with a piece of clothing with your scent on, an old t shirt or jumper?

[dontknow]

thanks all we have tried some of the above like leavin a t shirt with him somtimes this helps but we can go out for a hour and fine then go on the school run 15mins max and he has wet and poo only in the bathroom asll the time we are not going to send him back he needs a good home and some training and i will try to give him that thanks again

[dothawkes31]

Our Max was from the rescue centre, he spent the first 5 years with us constantly stealing food from the fridge or anywhere else he could get at it. Iy wasn't until I had a new kitchen with a built in fridge that we could relax about him getting the fridge door open, he had been neglected and starved as a puppy until he was 2, and so his instinct was always to find food and eat it just in case he had to wait for more. Despote him being fed every evening for 10 years he still would steal food if he got the chance. He passed away 2 weeks ago and I miss him so much and I would give anything to have him back, despite the litlkle beggar being a greedy thief! I think it will be years before I stop making sure no food is left within his reach!!!! He trained me better than i trained him I think!