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Help! My dog's anxiety isn't getting any better!
We adopted our beagle mix Luna 2 months ago from the SPCA knowing that she may have some issues. She is a great dog overall but she has horrible anxiety when we leave. We'll leave the house and even if it's just to run down the street to the store, she will pee or poop in the house. We take her for walks daily and she knows that if she has to go to the bathroom she goes to the back door. How can we help her calm down? We know she can hold it because when we are home she is fine and she makes it through the night without messing. We tried crate training her but she poos and pees in her crate and chews the crate. She freaks out so badly that she has hurt herself in the crate. She ends up laying in her poo and pee until we get home. Please help us!
Asked by
Luna
on Oct 27th 2009
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in Separation Anxiety
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Answers
It takes time just keep making adjustments along the way. It took months to work out some issues with a dog we got at the shelter.
It is ongoing but took alot of time and effort to make adjustments. I think it is helpful to change your training as much as you can to see what works the best.
I would give her more time as it is about a year for a dog to make a huge turnaround.
Just keep working at routines and training. Something will click in time through reps and patience.
Bridget aka Bad Pants
answered 3 weeks, 4 days ago.
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Anxious or fearful dogs are very hard to train. I know every week that goes by seems like you're spending an eternity training her and having either a bit of progress of constant setbacks with her. But let me just provide some perspective here; it's only been two months. That's just eight weeks. She's going to have a lot longer to go, but you CAN get her through this. I'm going to let you email me for specific tips on how to ease her anxiety, if you want....it's just too short of a space here to go into a lot of detail, but if you want, I have some tips. Feel free to paw-mail me. :-)
Jack
answered 3 weeks, 4 days ago.
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Jack is going to give you some awesome tips but I can give you some things I did for Deogie to ease his destructive anxiety.
This needs to be done in baby steps but it helped Deogie.
Get ready to leave the house, put your shoes on, grab your keys while not saying anything to her. Stay quiet and calm. No hugs and kisses, no I'm going to miss you...nothing. Simply walk out the door without making a big deal of leaving. Close the door, stand outside for a minute, then open the door and return home. Walk in calmly, no attention or talking to her, simply walk in and do something for a few minutes until she calms down. Gradually increase your time. Then you can start getting into your car and driving around the block and increase the distance and time you stay out.
Keeping her excitement level low is important when your leaving and returning. It will be hard to ignore that love me wiggle but it's worth it.
♥ DEOGIE ♥
answered 3 weeks, 4 days ago.
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Just to add something most people don't know about - check out the music at www.throughadogsear.com
It has worked wonders in helping to calm Rusty's anxiety - along with all of the other things people are suggesting.
Rusty
answered 3 weeks, 4 days ago.
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