double trouble

[brunoandlola]

We have two dogs, Bruno and Lola who live with us in Portugal. They are both generally well behaved and contented guys but give us dreadful problems whenever they are left alone, to the point that my wife and I very rarely leave the house together. If we do, we always leave the dogs outside in the garden to minimise ‘damage’ and will return to freshly dug holes, chewed cushions on garden furniture and neighbours complaining of incessant barking all the while we were absent.
Observations by more tolerant neighbours indicate that initially all will be quiet until a passing cat or bicycle sets off the barking. Both dogs will become excited and Bruno will chase Lola around the garden and continue barking while Lola stops from time to time to dig or chew.
Bruno is 4 years old and was found in a dustbin one day old. We bottle fed and raised him.
Lola is approximately 7 years old and comes from an animal refuge. She was found abandoned and starving and had lived at the refuge for approximately two years. She is a very timid dog. I only took her from the refuge when her long term kennel partner was rehomed and she was so traumatised.
Any suggestions very welcome.
derek

[Buddy'smyboy]

It sounds to me like either seperation anxiety or reactivity to the passing noise that sets them off, and then they're both so excited they just feed off of each other and go nuts. Perhaps try looking around this site for cases involving reactivity to passing things, excitement, and seperation anxiety, maybe something there will help or give you a "aha! That's it" moment of some kind.

What do they do in the house when you are gone? If they cannot hear or see the passing car/bycicle do they react the same way, do you know? Have you ever tried putting them in a crate while you are away? As much information you can give us will help a lot, so don't hesitate to write it all down for us.