Separation anxiety

Hello Laura again this is my other question that tips & advises are all welcomed, Herbie suffers from separation anxiety & I'm not sure if its slight, mild or bad form of it. When he is left if we go out or to work he really howls & yelps, the neighbours have mentioned that he quietens down after about 10-15 minutes but when he's doing his yelping & howling its loud

How long have you had Herbie, and do you go out to work all day?

I have moved your post to Staffy Training & Behaviour so more people can help you.

Did you build up his alone time gradually, maybe leave a radio on quietly for him when you are not there.

We've had him since he was 15weeks, he gets left for an hr on a Monday, 2hrs max on Tuesdays, Wednesday & Thursday I'm home all day unless I need to pop out & Friday 2hrs max, my other half is at home every evening with him when I'm working & all weekend unless he pops out.....all in all he is not left on his own very much. X

When he is left we leave the tv on for him, he is in a cage when he's left also but we make sure he's got a chewie treat to keep him occupied which he tends to leave until we are at home, before either of us go out Herbie is either road walked or he goes over the field so he can run x

Thanks Laura. I also notice from your other post about feeding that you went on holiday and left him with a friend (much better than kennels imo). Was he in your friend's house? And did the separation anxiety start after your holiday, or has he always been like it?

He's always been like it & was like it at my friends house & became glued to her xx

OK thanks Laura, just trying to get the full picture.

Well, he's still young but not left alone for an inordinate length of time, he's in his crate (which I assume he's happy with, it's his little den?).

My dog yelled like mad when he was Herbie's age when I left him to go to the shops for 5-10 minutes (and that was the longest he was left) but gradually learned that we WILL return and doesn't yell any more. Although Herbie is left for a bit longer, he too will learn that you WILL return. The fact that he shuts the noise after 10-15 minutes shows that he has already accepted that you are out, he is safe and cosy, and that you will return. The main thing to do is NOT to give in to the yelling and return to him, that would just reinforce the problem.

My opinion is that he will learn to accept your absences and improve over time.

When indoors he tends to pin himself to me or if I'm working the other half, if I'm in the kitchen he will stand in between me & the kitchen cupboard so he's almost wedged like!! He does all his pinning indoors mainly with me even if we are both there but if I'm out he will lay next to the other half but still be touching but as soon as I'm home he's pinned to me like I've been away for years

Thank you for your kind response it just so nice to know I can ask these questions & not be judged & also people are lovely enough to listen & give tips & advice......thank you xxx

How did you get him used to the crate and being left? Was it a gradual thing?

When we first got the Herbie & the crate he wasn't to fond of it, we put his toys in & played, also fed him & gave him treats so he knew it was a good thing. We had teddies in there, a old tshirt of my other halfs, we were told to cover it over with a blanket & also have a ticking clock....he got used to the routine of bedtime & he knows when we go out he goes in his crate & does so no problem x

Sorry to hijack your thread but I think I'm having this same problem with Zeus. When we leave him, he'll cry/moan, if we leave him in the kitchen and go upstairs, he'll cry, when he's on his own he won't eat or drink water, he'l wait for someone to come back. That's gotta be seperation anxiety right?

No need to apologise as harsh as it sounds I'm just very very thankful that I'm able to get tips & advise from a forum like this & not feel like I'm being judged & feel like we are not on our trying to deal with Herbie's problem. All I would say without sounding patronising to you or anyone when Herbie is left it's defiantly not a cry its more of a yelping, screeching type noise almost sounds like he's being hurt badly

Laura and Goldie, neither of you are alone and quite certainly neither of you are being "judged" - with this problem or any other. That's what this forum is for - to share worries and get advice from others from their own experiences. We also have a laugh and joke with each other as well!

I think our problem with Staffies is that they are so people-orientated, and like all good Nannies they don't like to let us out of their sight! And dogs are individuals, even within a breed, and will vocalise differently - some (like mine) will cry piteously, some will howl, some will bark, some will yelp.

Most dogs will need to be left alone for various periods of time for whatever reason and their vocalising, in whatever form, is their way of saying "come back, come back, don't leave me - boo hoo hoo". Difficult as it is, we MUST harden our hearts and not race back to a puppy or young dog (especially) when it yells it heart out, as this will only reinforce their instinct that "when I yell, they'll come back."

The best and most ideal of situations is to leave the dog, wait outside (out of sight and sound) and when he has finally stopped the noise, return quietly and without drama (no oh my darling I'm back, I'm back), just a matter-of-fact pat of welcome, and gradually build up the time that the dog is left alone.

I'm no expert - this is just what has worked for me and my dogs.

I'd recommend giving this book a read http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/store/I-ll-Be-Home-Soon.html
It's good insight into separation anxiety

Thanks Stu - I for one will looking into it.

Building the alone time up gradually is a must we have found. At first we just left Rocky in another room from us by himself for a couple of minutes to see what he did. We then went outside and left him for a few more minutes, we just stayed in the garden (neighbours must have thought we were bonkers).

We then started to leave the home for a few minutes and go for a short walk with Rocky left behind. We would then build this time up gradually until we could go out and do a small shopping trip we no reports of any noise from anyone.

We went to go out the other day and Rocky even stayed on our bed for his snooze while we left, this was the first time he had done that, he would always take himselff off to his crate when we leave, we always leave the door of it open for him.

Thank you stu, the other half is on the case of finding this book to buy

Would any of you suggest we go back to basics & build his confidence of being left? Xx

Lynda wrote:The best and most ideal of situations is to leave the dog, wait outside (out of sight and sound) and when he has finally stopped the noise, return quietly and without drama (no oh my darling I'm back, I'm back), just a matter-of-fact pat of welcome, and gradually build up the time that the dog is left alone.

Brilliant idea Lynda, i'll give this a go, thanks.

Affinity Stu wrote:I'd recommend giving this book a read http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/store/I-ll-Be-Home-Soon.html
It's good insight into separation anxiety

Thanks Stu, will grab a copy and have a read!

i had the same problem cos my dog turbo has his own room and wen turbo and i first moved in to my bf place he got put in his room wen we went out but the neighbours thought we was hurting him but the way he was making noise and bout a month we give him the hole house and he was quiet cos he would chill in our room and the smell of us made him feel safe.... bout all befor this wen he was staying at my mates place he would sulk and not eat and that went on for bout a month then i went to see him and i fed him and he pigged out but now he thinks hes a food critic iv changed his food like 3 times this year he he but yer give them house privileges and u should be rite or cows toe i know turbo loves them they should last bout a month or more with turbo they last 3 weeks