What is the best way to treat my weimeramer's seperation anxiety without the use of doggie prozac?

Answer 1

Seperation Anxiety is one of the most common complaints of dog owners, although some don't even realize it. What they do notice, is that they often come to destroyed objects and neighbours complaining about the howling and barking.

Dogs are pack animals, and and don't like to be left alone. Some dogs will simply sigh and wait patiently for you to come back, and others will go into panic mode, crying and barking, trying to get you to come back. Some destroy things, such as plants, books, pillows, anything that was "yours", even to the extent of defecating on the floor.

Severely dependant dogs, also known as "velcro dogs", and dogs who have either been passed around from home to home, or have been abandoned are more likely to have Seperation Anxiety than others. Sponsored Links
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The thought of being abandoned again, that you are not coming back is a very scary thing. And unfortunately, most owners unwittingly reinforce this anxiety, by making a production of leaving, saying "it will be okay", and trying to reassure the dog has the opposite effect. Nothing enforces a dog's belief that he has something to worry about more than somebody trying to keep him calm.

Like all fears, desensitizing your dog your comings and goings will help him get over his fear of abandonment. Leave the house for a little while, just a few seconds, and then come back. Once your dog is accustomed to seeing you go out and come right back in, you can increase the time you are out.

Exersize will also help in the area. A tired dog will sleep (hopefully) while you are gone, and by wearing him out before you leave, he may be too tired to work up to a good panic.

You may also want to invest in some good, mind-consuming dog toys. A Kong stuffed with cheese or peanut butter is a terrific idea and will keep your dog busy trying to get the goodies out.

Crate-Training has been used with great success in curbing Seperation Anxiety. Most dogs prefer small, cozy places to wide open areas, as the closeness is comforting. A crate trained dog will always be safe and comfortable in his crate when you are out of the house.


http://dogs.about.com/cs/disableddogs/a/anxiety_one.htm

Answer 2

Weimaraners are a challenge and they need a LOT of exercise! Hope you're using a crate when you're not home? These dogs are very prone to separation anxiety and I've seen them chew a house apart and jump through plate glass windows. If they've been through several homes or a shelter experience they can be even worse. They will often bond excessively when they find a human who really cares about them.

Don't fuss over him when he's nervous or insecure - you won't be reassuring him; you'll be rewarding his neurotic behavior. Don't punish him, just ignore it or put him on a down-stay. Praise him when he's calm.

Make your comings and goings very serene - no frantic rushing around when you're leaving for work. Keep your schedule as regular as possible, so he can realize that you ARE coming back. Do not talk to the dog AT ALL for at least 15 minutes before you leave and after you arrive home. It's very stressful for the dog to be petted and praised and all wound up - and then you leave! Then the dog has to wait for who knows how long for your hyper-excited return. No wonder dogs have separation anxiety!

Leave a radio turned on, tuned to a station with relaxing classical or elevator music. This will help to make him feel less nervous.

Make sure he's getting a LOT of exercise - Weimaraner's are real athletes that need a thirty minute strenuous twice a day every day. A lot of anxiety is pent up energy. Wear his butt out with thirty minutes of ball playing before you leave they house.

You should begin obedience training immediately. These are smart, high energy dogs that need leadership and direction. Do at least one 15 minute training session every day, especially sit-stay and down-stay. Get him used to being 6 feet away for a minute or two. Gradually work up to where he can stay on his dog bed across the room for thirty minutes or an hour. Teach him to wait inside the house when you open the door and go in and out. Have other people take him for walks without you sometimes. He'll gradually learn that he doesn't need to be so needy!

It's not a bad idea to put him on anti-anxiety meds for a few months while you're doing all these other things. It'll help with conditioning him to be more relaxed when he's alone. Be VERY careful using drugs if he has any signs of aggression - growling when you go near his food, etc. Drugs can make an aggressive dog very unpredictable.

Buy and read "What All Good Dogs Should Know" by Jack Volhard. And "Good Owners, Great Dogs" by Brian Kilcommins. And "Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method" by Volhard. You can get them on Amazon.com. Watch Cesar Millan - The Dog Whisperer if you get the National Geographic Channel. He's the best trainer I've ever seen on tv. He's also got a book out - "Cesar's Way".

Answer 3

DON'T use Prozac. It is unnesaccary. Get a behaviourist to help.
Weimeramers have strong charaters and can be manipulative.

Go out of the door, with your coat or whatever, for 1 minute. Then come back in and wait a while. Then go out again for 2 minutes. Keep doing this, varying the times you are out - 20 seconds, 1 minute, 4 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 minute, etc. Vary the times you are out so your dog cannot predict how long you will be away.
It won't change overnight so it needs a bit of effort but it will be worth it.

PS Crates are good providing you train to the crate properly. Don't make your dog more anxious. And don't make a big fuss when you leave. Just put your coat on and leave. Save the fuss for when you return.

Answer 4

You havea fantastic answer from Dog Trainer
I own Weimaraners and have for about 10 years now.
They are great dogs but have some issues.
They need TONS of exercise the more the better. I work mine in the field every day most days two times they also have play dates witht he neighbors dogs and get to run with us when we ride our horses so they get alot of activity.
Crate training is a great cure for the problem. At least you know the dog will not be tearing up the house or getting into things where he can hurt himself.
Keep trying with the Weim they are great but take more time than some other breeds.
If you have a Weim rescue in your area call them and see if they have a trainer who works with them and have someone come into your home to work with you and the dog.
Good Luck.

Answer 5

I am so happy, it was only a 35 minute drive ( 70 minutes total) but absolutely no sign of anxiety or panic i shopped till I dropped - brilliant! I will now go for the next stage DUAL CARRIAGE way, probably at the weekend, with my husband accompanying me first then the solo drive, if successful the final stage of driving on motorway

Beat Anxiety And Panic Attacks Naturally?

Answer 6

You want to make your dog realize that when he's alone, it's not a bad thing, because right now he freaks out because he thinks something bad is going to happen when you leave. It's very treatable, just search "seperation anxiety" on google and some good websites will appear. Good luck

Answer 7

Hi, our dog has the same anxiety if he is home alone, which is rare. He tears up just enough of something to let us know. I think a companion pet is the best route. However, if it were our dog, dogs, the oldest one would make it cat magic. The disappearing cat trick.

Companion, maybe a temporarily jobless friend could help you out on that. Trades, like, you walk my dog, I cook your dinner etc.

O.K. I gotta go now, no drugs...try Catnip..or..............

Answer 8

Get a personal kennel. I have an Australian Cattle Dog who has seperation anxiety. When it's time for us to leave, she heads for her "room." She's got a floor mat & pillow in there to keep it comfy, plus she usually takes her favorite toy with her, when it's time to lock the door. No freak outs. They don't "freak" because they've got issues, they just don't like to be alone because they don't feel safe if you're not there. The kennel helps them feel more safe.

Answer 9

There are many good articles about behavior modification and dog trainers that work on these issues. Giving plenty of attention & reassurance while you are there and activities to do while you are gone will help. Some people use a crate to give their dog a sense of well-being and security while they are gone. Each dog is a little different.

Answer 10

try using bach's hebal remedies you can google it on the web... i use the flower essences for my dogs and even though its not an over night solution within a couple of weeks my dogs are much better... also rescue remedy works well on dogs and its natural just put a few drops in their water.