Please help with my problematic dog?

Question

I need advice about what I should do about my dog. My wife and I got our 7yr old dog 5 years ago from an animal shelter. Our dog has serious separation anxiety. Whenever we leave, she destroys our house, including urinating on our beds and scratching windows/doors to the point where her paws bleed. Whenever we are home, she wants to do nothing but sleep. We have tried many solutions including long walks, exercise in a fenced-in yard, obedience training, and even medication prescribed by a vet. Nothing has worked. In fact, she seems to get worse in age. We have had no other option than to crate her during the day. Recently, the dog has started urinating on our bed while we sleep, but we cannot crate her at night since we do during the day. My wife and I both have jobs in which we must work 10 hrs per day, and we have activities after work that keep us busy. These are commitments we cannot give up. We love her very much, but do not know what to do. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I can understand your frustration. It sounds like you already know that your dog is lonely and anxious. This is why she is so lazy when you're home -- she's happy and secure because she's with her "packmates." You are already doing the right thing to be exercising her as much as possible: in dog training, we say that a tired dog is a good dog. But now you need to solve the porblem of her loneliness. Try enrolling her a reputable doggy daycare. Most, for a extra fee, will even pick up your dog from your house for you. You pooch will be able to interact with other dogs and form normal pack bonds and get lots of exercise and stimulation.

If doggy daycare is not possible, at the very least, hire someone to walk her a couple times during the day. A 10- to 12-hour day alone is hard for a pack animal, and having some interruption in the hours can work wonders.

Also consider leaving her with a stuffed Kong, which is a hollow dog toy that can be packed with goodies. If you pack tightly, one Kong can last a dog an hour.

Finally, on top of providing more stimulation, follow hellokitty's training program, which is right on for helping her understand how to behave calmly without you. (:

Good luck!!

Answer 2

You may have to have someone come in during the day to walk her/keep her company/take care of her.

10 hours is a long time for a dog to have to stay inside without a chance to go to the bathroom.

If you hae any children in your neighborhood who would be willing to come in before and after school to just let your dog out, fed, and play with her, for maybe $4-$5 an hour, your dog may do better. Set up what time you would like the kid to come over so that they'll know how much you're planning on paying them, and see how it works out.

Otherwise, I would advise a strong sedative that would render your dog useless when you weren't home, or give it to a family that would be able to spend more time and be home more often for your dog.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

I used to work as an Animal Rehabilitation Specialist for shelter dogs, and I can say that "HelloKitty" knows her stuff.

My shepherd used to have horrid seperation anxiety. He ate our drapes and all the XMas presents when we went away for a day, two couches, etc.

My first comment is that she probably sleeps all day when you are home because she gets so riled up/stressed when you're gone, that by the time you're home, she's absolutely zonked and relieved and finally just crashes and naps.

I would agree with making your disappearances/reappearances as unnoticable as possible. We have a tendency to feel bad for leaving pets alone, so right before we go, we "fill them up" with extra attention to tide them over and when we come home, we make a big deal about missing them. This helps the dog associate that before you leave, they're the center of attention and they hate your leaving even more.

I would try crate training during the day, and when you are home, don't immediately let her out and go OMG I MISSED YOU POOR BABY. Instead, come home and set your keys down. Take your shoes off. Turn on the tv, then calmly let her out. If its no big deal to you that you've spent 10 hours apart, it will help her feel it is no big deal as well.

You can also opt to try puppy daycamp once a week if you can swing the costs, it will help build her confidance that she IS okay when mom and dad are gone.

Answer 4

This may sound counterproductive, but have you thought about getting another dog to keep her company? I had a dog with SERIOUS separation anxiety as well. Now that he has a 'sister', his symptoms of anxiety are almost completely unnoticable when I leave because they have each other. DOgs are by nature pack animals and often need another dog to 'center' them. ALso, try reading the book "Caesars Way", by Caesar Milan, the Dog WHisperer. It has some VERY insightful tips for dealing with difficult dogs, AND it was simply a phenomenal book as well.

Answer 5

It sounds like the dog has problems beyond what you can handle with the time you spend away from home. You've tried for five years. Also, if you are both away from home twelve hours every day, any dog is going to be neglected and develop problems.

Do the dog and yourselves a favor, try to find the dog a home with a family that is not gone most of the time.

Answer 6

STEP 1: Consult your veterinarian to get a correct diagnosis of separation anxiety. Your veterinarian will help you with treatment or refer you to an animal behaviorist who can prescribe effective drug therapies to alleviate your dog's anxieties.

STEP 2: Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods of time. Pick up your keys and leave for 1 minute.

STEP 3: Gradually increase the amount of time you stay away. This will accustom your dog to your absence.

STEP 4: Avoid overly emotional good-byes and greetings. Instead, pat your dog on the head and offer a quick good-bye or hello.

STEP 5: 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.

STEP 6: 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.

STEP 7: 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.


I hope this helps.

Answer 7

Do you have a room with a tiled floor (kitchen, laundry room, etc) that you could put her in while you're gone, with baby gates across the openings? Is there someone you can have come over during the day to play with her for a while to help relieve her boredom?

Answer 8

Seek the help of a Veterinary Behaviorist. Good Luck.

Answer 9

ok the in elementary words element you should do to get him use to persons is once plausible ( the more youthful the more advantageous suited ) introduce him to a lot of diverse adult males have him on a leash and function the guy sit down on their knees and in a more than satisfied encouraging voice have them call his call and tell him to come back right here. do not enable them puppy HIM have them slowly positioned of their fingers and enable the dogs sniff them for a even as then even as the dogs stops sniffing have them puppy him lower than his head not on properly that scares abused dogs have each and anybody try this not in elementary words even as your doing this workout. and function the guy provide the dogs a take care of. for him being petrified of dogs get a dogs who you comprehend is nice and function someone with it on the leash and function your dogs on a leash have the different dogs sitting about 15 ft away and function your dogs take a pair steps and then stop pause for a minute or so and puppy the dogs and praise then take some more advantageous steps till they have reached the different dogs and sniffed one yet another and then stop do not enable them play they favor to take it s;pw and elements your dogs a take care of. if the dogs is only too scared to bypass foreword in the route of the different dogs do not stress it or pull it perhaps wait slightly longer and elements more advantageous pets or tutor him the different dogs is nice with techniques from petting it. For the crate once you get the dogs out only open the door of the crate call its call some situations and then go away the door open and walk away the dogs will finally come out yet pulling him out wont help. for determining to purchase it to not be so depending you in elementary words ought to have the dogs sitting with one in each and every of your mom and father even as your interior the room with them and he will learn be affected human being and no disciplining.

Answer 10

in stead of crating her during the day send her to a doggie daycare. it is inexpensive and fun for the dogs. then at night use the crate.