separation anxiety in new rescue dog
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maggiesedai
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:57 am
separation anxiety in new rescue dog
I adopted Rosie, an approx. 4-5 year old Bichon 4 weeks ago and she's a wonderful dog. She gets really, really anxious, almost panicked, when I leave her. I had been keeping her in a crate for the times I have to be away (for example, I went to the grocery store today and was gone about 1 hour), and when I get back she's whining, scratching at the crate, and she pees herself while I'm getting her out of the crate. I am able to go out to get the mail, a 1 min. trip, but if I leave her in a room and go into another room to exercise she will scratch at the door constantly. I understand that she's very new to us and she's still adjusting. I have no idea what her life was like before as she was found on the streets by our local animal control. I think I'm going to just need to be patient and let her adjust to life in a house and to safety, etc., but any ideas any of you who might have rescued a dog might have would be welcomed. I just got Victoria's newest book and we're starting there.
Re: separation anxiety in new rescue dog
Hi there! Welcome to the forum! It's wonderful that you are looking for kind, positive strategies to help Maggie!
From what I understand, there is a wide range/spectrum of "separation anxiety" - so could you add some more detail so that folks can get a better idea of Maggie's situation?
- What is her schedule like (if she had a day planner, what would a typical day look like?)?
- Any known health problems?
- When you leave the house/go into another room, have you tried leaving her with something like a stuffed Kong? If so, will she eat it?
- To start with, would it be possible for her never to be left alone? (This is just for starters - not a "forever" thing!)
-- and anything else you think of - the more details the better!
I've often seen this book recommended as a great starting point for managing SA: Patrica McConnell "l'll Be Home Soon" http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Home-Soon-Sep ... +home+soon
From what I understand, there is a wide range/spectrum of "separation anxiety" - so could you add some more detail so that folks can get a better idea of Maggie's situation?
- What is her schedule like (if she had a day planner, what would a typical day look like?)?
- Any known health problems?
- When you leave the house/go into another room, have you tried leaving her with something like a stuffed Kong? If so, will she eat it?
- To start with, would it be possible for her never to be left alone? (This is just for starters - not a "forever" thing!)
-- and anything else you think of - the more details the better!
I've often seen this book recommended as a great starting point for managing SA: Patrica McConnell "l'll Be Home Soon" http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Home-Soon-Sep ... +home+soon
Re: separation anxiety in new rescue dog
Well, I didn't rescue my boy but I did have to deal with SA. I was lucky in that he was fine when left in the car, it was being home alone that triggered his SA. This allowed me to work on leaving him home but avoided any setbacks by stressing him beyond his comfort level while we worked to increase the time he was comfortable. With my boy, I found his comfort time was much improved when he wasn't crated. He was/is, fine with his crate when I'm home or when we're at agility or dog shows........... but being left home in the crate stressed him greatly.maggiesedai wrote:but any ideas any of you who might have rescued a dog might have would be welcomed. I just got Victoria's newest book and we're starting there.
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maggiesedai
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:57 am
Re: separation anxiety in new rescue dog
As for Rosie's daily life, we get up about 6:30 am, she goes for a 1/4 mile walk, then breakfast and her vitamin. I'm home all day and she follows me everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. If I go out to get the post she sits by the front door and is fine when I get back in. When I exercise/run (workout room in the basement) she sits in her bed with me or roams the basement til I'm finished. Not ever leaving the house is not reasonable as I have to go to the grocery store, went to dinner for my daughter's birthday, etc. But I'm mostly always at home. Today I left her in the crate with the door to the room she was in open, and when I got home she was watching, head laying on the side of her bed in the crate. When she comes out she pees all over herself and me, wiggling and rolling on her back.
As far as her health, she is very healthy, excellent check ups with the vet (2 this last month, for overally health check and for booster shots for lymes etc.). She does have luxating patella and is on Dasaquin for that, so I don't want to aggravate her knees too much
She's really smart and I'm currently working on helping her when she sees strangers/neighbors by carrying a bag of chopped up lunch meat and when she perks up or growls at new folk I distract her and give her a bit of lunch meat. She's also getting acquainted with the clicker.
She gets 3 walks a day at about 1/4 mile each, and out frequently between for pee breaks as well.
As far as her health, she is very healthy, excellent check ups with the vet (2 this last month, for overally health check and for booster shots for lymes etc.). She does have luxating patella and is on Dasaquin for that, so I don't want to aggravate her knees too much
She's really smart and I'm currently working on helping her when she sees strangers/neighbors by carrying a bag of chopped up lunch meat and when she perks up or growls at new folk I distract her and give her a bit of lunch meat. She's also getting acquainted with the clicker.
She gets 3 walks a day at about 1/4 mile each, and out frequently between for pee breaks as well.