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How to stop clingy dog with separation anxiety - DESPERATE SITUATION PLEASE HELP
We have a dog we adopted at the end of February from a shelter. Despite training, she still constantly follows us, whining, and barks/yelps constantly when we're gone and for hours after we return. I feel as if we've tried every form of behavior modification. We've used everything on this site: www.petplace.com as well as other, similar methods recommended by our obedience trainer, none of which have resulted in ANY improvement. If anything, she's only gotten worse. We've even resulted to trying over-the-counter calming aids, which haven't helped at all. If she doesn't improve she'll have to go back to the shelter - at this point, she's making our lives miserable and coming in between me and my husband, which just can't happen. We don't want to resort to prescription meds but we're about there. We travel a lot on weekends so I think that makes things worse, but we can't help that. If you can, please, PLEASE help us! We are SO desperate!
Asked by
Guest 886825
on Aug 5th 2009
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in Separation Anxiety
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- This question is closed.
Best Answer
I am not that keen on drugs for dogs but in this case a mild seditive may be in order for a short time. BUT, check with your Vet 1st.
I read the artical you posted, and it is very good. I suggest you work on the Independence training. It is the key to this problem.
When coming & going, dont show special attention. reward the dog for staying away, dont allow it to sleep w/ you or hang out on the couch or in your lap. Make it sit and stay when you leave the room.
Also work on obediance. 3-5 five minute sessions each day should do wonders for her self esteem. While training, give LOTS of lavish praise and tactal rewards for a job well done.
Practice leaving her alone. Dont say ANYTHING. Just walk out & stand outside the door for 30 secs & then return. Ignore the dog as if its no big deal. Repeat this several times per hour. When shes remains calm, extend the time to a minute. And so on. If it takes 2 weeks to get to a minunte, you are still making progress. Keep working!
Neka answered on Aug 6th.
Other Answers
Answers
I think prescription meds at this point would be a good thing to try, why not? And then hire a behaviorist, not just a trainer, that can help you with the behavior modification better. The drugs will help calm the dog down enough to let the modification work better. Separation anxiety is really hard to deal with, but I think if you are willing to try the above, do it and do it now...good luck
PJ
answered on 8/6/09.
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A sad sad situation. This is why the responsible dog owners "yell" at the idiots on here who ask about how to breed their dog. My theory is if you have to ask about breeding on this website you are not a qualified breeder who has researched and learned about the whole process, hence litters wind up in shelters, hence you, in trying to rescue an unwanted dog, have huge problems on your hands.
A behaviorist is the best way to go with this one. Remember it is going to take time patience and no tension in the house.
I always buy my dogs purebred from breeders, dogs with baggage aren't for me. I commend the people who adopt and without them a lot of dogs would just rot in shelters, some turn out great but I get my pups and mold them the way I want to and as a result I have wonderful well balanced dogs with good heads on their shoulders.
Try the behaviorist, give it time, if it doesn't work invest in a pup of a breed you like and start looking for local puppy classes and enroll.
good luck
Kayak
answered on 8/6/09.
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I think there may be some calming techniques on the internet. Maybe try that. There is doggie massaging.
And there is also some training ones, like having two people work the dog at small distances. One leaves just a few feet away, wait til the dog makes no noise and calms then she gets big praise and reward, but calmly in words that is. You can work at 2 ft, 6 ft, 8 ft, then eventually leave a room while the other person is having dog on leash. That person rewards when the dog only is calm and not making noise or body gestures. Practicing on that helps, use good food, like diced chicken, beef or ham. good luck!:)
Dieta
answered on 8/6/09.
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Have you tried accupuncture? Give that a try before you do the meds. Also, someone who does animal massage is also a great way for a dog to be stress free. No joke. Both of those things can work wonders.
But, keep working on teaching her that when you leave, you'll always come back. The two posts before me have great ideas on how to ease her into the idea of you or your husband leaving the room.
You may not think that standing outside your door for 30 secs and then going back inside 5 times a day will help, but by the end of the first week she will start to piece it together. She's just in a total panic that you're not coming back and when you're gone for hours at a time, well she's convinced you're never coming back. She just needs you to show her that you're coming back.
If you take the time to work with her using those two techniques, I bet you'll see a difference.
Combine the training with the massage or accupuncture.
Stick with it, she'll come around.
Guest 404377
answered on 8/6/09.
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