Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety questions and answers

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Q: Separation Anxiety?
I hope my spelling is right. The question I am hoping someone can answer for me is. How can you cure your dog from separation anxiety. I would like to not have my dog left in her kennel all the time. I know that is not bad to have them in a kennel but, I would like to be able to let her out when we are not home. The last time we did she was good for 2 weeks but, then she destroyed are coach. She is 1 1/2 old. What can I do?

A: Program to Reduce Separation Anxiety The following stages should be undertaken when you have some time to spend at home, such as on a weekend. Stages * Stage 1 - Introduce mental separation. Completely ignore the dog for a period of 30 minutes while in the same room. Ignoring means: do not touch, look at, or speak to the dog. * Stage 2 - Introduce physical separation. Restrict the dog's access to you. This could be done with the use of a tether which the dog cannot chew through. Combine with mental separation. * Stage 3 - Increase the distance of the physical separation. The dog is tethered further from you, but still within sight. Combine with mental separation. * Stage 4 - Cut off dog's visual contact with you within the same room. He cannot see you, but he can smell you and hear you. * Stage 5 - Move dog into another room while you are still home. Dog can still hear you and smell you. You might also place a recently worn article of clothing along the bottom of the door. What To Do in the Meantime * Restrict dog to a room or place where he can do minimal damage. (Be sure there are no electrical cords within reach.) * If your dog is toy oriented, classify the dog's toys into "A" and "B" groups. "A" toys are those that are irresistible, and the "B" toys are those that he likes but are less exciting. When you leave him, give him several "B" toys. These will help keep him occupied without over stimulating him. * Exercise your dog well in advance of your departure. If he is tired, he may sleep while you are gone (also see the “Tracking Game” below). * Feed him a small meal about 45 minutes to an hour before leaving. * IGNORE your dog for the 30 minutes before you leave home, and do not say good- bye. * When you return, ignore your dog for the first ten minutes. If you cannot bring yourself to totally ignore him, at least keep your greeting very low key.

Q: How do I deal with separation anxiety in dogs?
How do I deal with separation anxiety in dogs where it occurs naturally? My family wishes to get a dog that works well with kids, but all of these dogs have issues with separation. This is a problem because the dog will have to be by itself for 7 hours a day when everyone is out of the house. Any solutions?

A: You can't categorically eliminate entire breeds as having 'separation anxiety'! Any breed, if raised correctly, exercised as much as the breed requires, socialized, trained, etc., can be left alone for 7 hours a day. People do have to work to live, so if you've been told that some breeds can't be left alone, you're talking to the wrong breeders.

Q: How do you help separation anxiety in a puppy?
We have a 4 month old puppy and she has severe separation anxiety. She follows us everywhere and if we shut her out of our room she cries and cries and sits by the door until we come out. Is there a way to calm her down? She also has an obsession with chewing. I think she has high anxiety.

A: At four months old, your puppy is teething. you can get some Kong toy and ice for her to chew on. This will help sooth her gum. Barking, whining, escaping, destructive behavior or, in severe cases, self-mutilation can be your dog's way of expressing anxiety over your absence. Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods of time. Pick up your keys and leave for 1 minute. Gradually increase the amount of time you stay away. This will accustom your dog to your absence. Avoid overly emotional good-byes and greetings. Instead, pat your dog on the head and offer a quick good-bye or hello. Keep your dog confined in a safe area while you are away. Be sure to leave a bowl of water and plenty of chew toys. Exercise your dog for an hour each day in places other than your yard or home. This helps your dog feel comfortable in other locations and lets her blow off steam Praise your dog often to build self-confidence, rather than punishing her for exhibiting frightened behaviors. Punishment only increases anxiety and makes the situation worse.

Q: How can I help cure separation anxiety in my beagle?
My beagle has severe separation anxiety. I cannot leave him alone without him howling nonstop for hours. It causes me stress because I feel like I spend as much time as can with him, but I have a life and have to be away from him sometimes for work and school. I am reluctant to get another dog as many people say because I don't want to risk doubling my problems. What are some good ways to help cure him of separation anxiety, or at leas keep him from howling so frantically? I really need help.

A: If you have a crate you could put him in there when you go out but leave the door open because he would see this as his safe zone where no harm will come to him when he is there. I know that you'll think this is stupid but its not its worked for many people, Record a tape with your voice on and say his name in it, play the tape wherever you leave him i.e the living room , the kitchen but put the tape recorder maybe on a work top out of his reach where he can't see it but can hear it trust me it works say things like your a good boy oh your clever just things that you would normally say to him if he came up to you. There is no need to get another dog that won't cure it. If you feel that, that doesn't work to well for you you could try going in and out of the front door, go out for a few seconds and come back in again and give him lots of praise then this way when you go out he knows that you'll be coming back. Good luck

Q: How do you get rid of separation anxiety in dogs?
I have a year old border collie mix who has separation anxiety. She barks constantly and is destructive when we aren't home. We are getting complaints from the neighbors. We have used muzzles, vibrating collars, and pharamone treatments to get her to stop and she still isn't. We also have resorted to crating her. Any advice?

A: Crating the dog is a good start. It won't help cure the separation anxiety, but it will prevent the dog from continuing to destory your belongings. A few of the following suggestions can be used alone or in conjunction with each other: 1) Place the dog in the crate while you are at home for short periods of time. Let the dog see that you are still there. However, do not pay any attention to the dog. If the dog barks, ignore it. Don't talk or yell at the dog. After the dog has stopped barking, walk over and without saying a word or showing any affection, let the dog out of the crate. The point of this exercise is to untrain the dog from knowing "I will bark and they will come". 2) If ignoring the dog in the crate doesn't help, and the dog continues to bark and bark and bark, another alternative is to use a loud noise to deter the dog from barking. This was the tactic that ended up working for me. Place the dog in the crate while you are at home. Everytime the dog begins to bark, you want to use something to make a loud noise. (The noise should NOT be you yelling or speaking with the dog - the dog wins when it hears your voice). I recommend putting some pennies in an empty soda can and placing a piece of tape on the opening. When shaken, the noise is obnoxiously loud, and should stop your dog from barking. With the dog in the crate, every time the dog begins to bark, without saying a word, shake the can of pennies loudly for ten or so seconds. If the dog starts barking again, repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat. This should help with the barking problem. 3) Your routine. Dogs are extremely perceptive and will pick up on your pre-departure routine. For example, my dogs see me pick up a pair of shoes and they know that I (and they hope them) will be leaving the house. Chances are your dog's anxiety kicks in long before you walk out the door. Placing the dog in the crate before you perform the act (e.g., putting on shoes, grabbing keys, etc.) that triggers the "my owner is leaving me" anxiety should help. One thing that might help distract the dog as you leave in the morning is a Kong toy. The Kong toys are hollow and can be filled with treats that the dog will have to work to remove from the toy. This should help distract your dog while you slip out of the house in the morning. 4) Homecoming - When you get home, the first thing you should do is NOT let the the dog out. Go get a glass of water, read through the mail. Let the dog see you. If the dog is barking, DO NOT let the dog out of the crate. Wait until the dog calms down or use the penny-can to stop the dog from barking. Then let the dog out. Do not fawn over the dog, do not lavish attention on the dog, do not touch the dog. The goal here is to show the dog that your homecoming is not an event. It is a daily occurrence, nothing special. Lavishing attention on the dog when you get home will only add to the dog's anticipation and anxiety when you are away. After fifteen or so minutes of being home, give the dog the attention you want. The key is to disassociate your attention and your homecoming from each other. 4) Exercise. Border collies are working dogs. They are very intelligent and need to put that intelligence to use. They need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. A lot of the times destructive behavior is the result of not only separation anxiety, but also boredom and pent up energy. The muzzles, collars and medication will not cure separation anxiety, they are short term solutions. Stop the muzzle, stop the collars or the medication and the dog will pick up right where he/she left off.

Q: How do I help separation anxiety during bedtime?
RE: My 7 month old son breastfed and solid fed (fruits & vegetables) He used to sleep through the night. For the past 2 weeks he has been waking every 3 hours. Because I'm sleepy, I put him on the breast and he goes back to sleep. But I believe it is separation anxiety during bedtime. How can I get him to sleep through the night again? Thanks!

A: He may be teething. Try keeping him in the crib and rubbing his back until he falls asleep. Comfort nursing will be hard to break once it starts.

Q: How to make parents understand about separation anxiety?
I'm teaching kindergarten and I have a student who is undergoing separation anxiety. I talked to his mom and asked her help by talking to her son about new faces, new school, etc. I even gave her pamphlets, books,and infos about this case. But she never listened to it. She continues staying with her son inside the classroom, never letting the child do things on his own, leaving her when he's not looking, coming back as fast as thunder when he cries. I offered to visit their home along with the other teachers to get to know the boy better outside school, but she declined. She's starting to get into my nerves. Now she's threatening to transfer the boy to another school if we cant do anything to make him be independent. What shall I do?

A: What an interesting question on a legitimate problem instead of so many contrived questions on Yahoo Answers! Thank you for writing it. I believe that Maslow talked about a child at various ages and showed how a successful child was one whom parents supported to make independent moves. Personally I was once a child like the child you speak of. My mother was extremely domineering and overprotective at al stages except the critical ones of a father's abuse so I can imagine what a perilous journey it will be for the child to have a mother like this. Still a day will come when the child has to brea away and make it on his own despite feeling guilt about having to make that separation. Ultimately life will make that separation. Would it be much better for the child to have parents that are great supporters of a child's independent attempts? Most definitely and the child would be much more successful throughout his life with such guardians; however, life will eventually cut the umbilical cord. It has to. In your case you cannot rectify all disfunctional families. You are in a caring profession however as a professional you must back away at times when you might be getting too personally involved . Don't allow their situation to harm your position at the school. They could easily become irrate if they feel that you are thrusting yourself too much into their family life. You have a lot of other kids. You are obviously a loving person. Focus more on the others and let this one go.

Q: How do you help a 9 month old beagle with separation anxiety?
My boyfriend and I just got a "friendly letter" from a neighbor telling us how our puppy has been constantly (she underlined constantly) barking while we are are work. How do we help him with his separation anxiety so that he isn't barking while we are at work?? Please help :(

A: Walk the dog in the morning to get him good and tired every morning before you leave for work. Beagles are hunting dogs, and so need to be stimulated. Walking will help tire him a little. Also, leave plenty of toys around, including a treat ball, so that his intellect is used as well. Boredom creates a lot of barking problems. Walk him every single afternoon as well - not just when you want to. Make them really long walks. Another trick is to pretend to leave the house. When he starts his barking, pop your head over the fence and command him to be quite. Repeat this a few times. He knows at the moment that you are not there to correct him, so he will keep doing it. If he thinks there is a possibility he may get in trouble, he may not do it as much. Good luck.

Q: Can getting a second dog help stop separation anxiety in the first one?
My dog at the moment is only 5 months old. He is wonderful and I, being a stay at home mom, normally take him almost everywhere I go. But there are obviously times when he needs to stay home for a couple hours by himself. This is when he gets destructive. Not real bad but as he gets older it could get worse. Do you think getting another dog could help this? I've always had more than one dog at a time. This is actually the first time I've had only one. I've never had to deal with separation anxiety in a dog but I know it exists. Thanks. Please no stupid remarks or comments. I know how to take care of my dog. Just in case anyone asks, the one I have is an Australian Shepherd. He is learning obedience and flyball and gets plenty of exercise and attention when we're home.

A: Thanks for adding breed information... He's a nervous breed... At 5 mo he's old enough and had you to himself long enough that a playmate should be good for him. For unknown reasons my dogs have never been destructive when I left them alone. A Kong helps, but in your situation I think a playmate, a new 2 mo old pup should be a good solution. Dogs LOVE a playmate to play fight with and romp and stomp with and I think that would work for you. If you wish to put off getting a new dog for a bit, you could foster a rescue, but I'd go for a new pup. Your current dog will enjoy teaching what he learns to the new pup.

Q: How do you get your kids through separation anxiety?
My kids are in daycare and they have separation anxiety. They have been in daycare for 4 weeks and it is not getting better. What do I do? the oldest one refuses to eat and is making himself sick. I just got the youngest out of the hospital for "respiratory distress," he is 6 months old. I think he caught a nasty cold from daycare and it developed into something highly infectious The oldest is 22 months and the younger one is 6 months.

A: First of all...make sure you trust your daycare... Then make sure the kids know they are going to daycare...time/day/pick up time... DO NOT Give them a false sence that you are going to pick them up early...do not lie to them whatever you do... When you drop them off quick good bye!! One kiss, One hug then leave....The longer it drags out the longer it will take them to recover... Make sure your daycare provider has experience ond is willing sometimes to have to take the babies from you and tell you to leave.....If this has been going on for 4 wks you have to remember that your provider is just as tired of this as you are, and will be just as willing to work out a program to get you all through this. You didn't mention how old the oldest is but he will not starve himself I promis.....How does the provider say they do after you leave? This time of year is yes unfortunatly the time of the year everyone starts spreading colds....all these kids from all over are all starting back to school...and yes colds are running rampid!! Since your children are in daycare you may consider adding a vitamin for the oldest and talk to your dr about what immune boosting suggestions for the baby....Make sure your daycare uses antibacterial soap...and insists that all kids wash hands upon arrival and after bathroom use, and after sneezing or coughing... Im sure i dont have to tell you this but dont take the baby if he is really sick..... Look there are lots of different daycare providers....Make sure you are doing what you can do to make the transition easier...keep open comminication with your provider....and make sure you understand that anytime your children are near other kids they will have the chance of getting sick. MOST OF ALL If you have any reason to believe your children are not getting the best care they can possibly get, get them out of there and find a new provider.....You can call your local school to get a list of licenced providers in your area, make sure when you interview them you ask how they handle separation anxiety, What their sick policy is and anything else you may have questions about... Good Luck

Q: How do you ease separation anxiety in a 6 month old?
I've been home since my 6 mos. old daughter was born and I'm going back to work part-time at the end of August. I am a teacher and will be working Thurs., Fri., and every other Wed. It's a good schedule and I have a great babysitter - my mom. The issue is my daughter already exhibits some separation anxiety when I leave her alone with my mom now. She doesn't have such bad anxiety that she gets upset when I walk away for a few minutes, but she does get especially upset if she's soothed for a nap or is fed a bottle from someone other then myself or my husband. I know it will be especially hard at first, but will it get better with time? Is there something I can do to help reduce the anxiety?

A: just make sure you have time to hang out for about 10 min with your daughter and daycare provider. allow her to get comfortable each time with the care taker before leaving. patience paticene paticence it will get easier. also try not to change providers offten.

Q: how can I deal with my separation anxiety from my new puppy?
I just got a puppy last week and have separation anxiety when I am not around him. I begin to worry that he will run off or someone will see him and break in and steal him. I just worry he might get hurt. Plus I miss him a lot when I am at work. Any advice on how to deal with the anxiety?

A: bring pictures and take videos on your cell phone. You can even record sound on most phones too... like when he is barking/playing. If you REALLY want, you can install video cameras wherever he is in your home, and probably even get a live feed online. Id call a home security center, they would probably know better than i do.

Q: How do you deal with a dog that damages things due to separation anxiety?
How do you stop a dog from chewing furnitures and walls when you're not home? The dog has severe separation anxiety from the family. Most of the time, there's someone home, but when everyone's out, the dog gets really anxious and scared. There are literally puddles of drool all over the floor. The family decided to keep the dog in a big laundry while the family's away, but the dog manages to bite off the door frames and the wall. They've had this dog for 14 years, and he's just begun doing this. The vet told them it's old age. Does anyone have any solution?

A: A fourteen year old dog is very old. At that age, training isn't going to help. Unless he's always been this way, severe behavior changes like that are often a sign of a medical problem like a brain tumor. If he's that distressed, it might be kinder to put him to sleep. Otherwise, the only safe thing they can dog is get a pet sitter or a large, sturdy airline crate. Get the plastic kind - too many dogs like this either break out of a wire cage or severely injure themselves trying. Leave a tv or radio on. Fill a rubber Kong toy with peanut butter to distract him.

Q: How do I deal with separation anxiety from my 19 month old?
I have 4 kids, 10, 8 and 19 month old twins. Recently the youngest twin has started suffering from severe separation anxiety. I cannot leave his side without him screaming at the top of his lungs. The weird part is, I can leave him with his usual sitter Monday - Thursday and he is fine(been going there since he was 10 weeks old), but if I leave him with anyone else he screams at the top of his lungs and is horribly attached when I get home. I feel like I have a 26 pound growth attached to my hip when I am home with him. His twin is just the opposite. I have tried everything I have read online and nothing seems to help. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Some good points have been made. I do try to walk away when he cries. I never come back if I have left the house until I need to. However, the other day, the high pitched scream was so loud, one of the neighbors complained and he would not let the girl that was watching(the daughter of my regular sitter) console him.

A: Our 19 month old daughter is going through the same thing. She is like velcro to my wife and has a tantrum if she can't see her. We favor the "tough love" approach -- letting her cry. I'll sit down and tell her that her Mama will be coming back soon. After a while she settles down and is fine. She is even starting to ask me when "Mama back?" If you always respond to the crying, it just reinforces it as a tactic for him to get what he wants.

Q: Do medications for separation anxiety in dogs really work?
I have a year old lab who has terrible separation anxiety. I can't leave him crated as he freaks out and destroys the crate to get out (sometimes hurting himself). I have been a stay home mom for this first year of his life, so I've not had to leave him home alone too much, but I am going back to work in a couple of weeks. I am wondering if I should try medicating him for these long days of being home alone....

A: Sure if you want a drugged dog all its life. They should only be used in conjuction with training.