separation anxiety in dog

[badger]

so the foster dog's turning out to be more a puppy than I expected. He's peeing everywhere - my place is all wood or tile so he doesn't seem to understand that it's still inside (at least he poops outside). He can't sleep through the night, either, and wakes me up around 4am and then wants to play and won't settle down.

He's also starting to exhibit separation anxiety where he'll whine and bark when he's crated.

What's the best way to help him with his separation anxiety? I live in a condo so I can't really have him barking all day while I'm away. I do not make an event out of leaving. I also ignore him when I come home so I don't make a big deal of my coming back. I've tried to tire him out with a walk but he still has puppy exuberance when we get back.

And any help you can give with house training his peeing would be appreciated, too.

[Tuckervill]

For the house training, I'd tie him up to your belt whenever you are home. He will have to follow you everywhere, and lie down beside you (eventually!) when you are stationary. This will convey to him that everywhere inside is "living space" and not "potty space". This will also make you more in touch with when he has to go, and you can take him outside more often.

Are you already giving him something yummy to do when he's in the crate? A peanut butter filled Kong?

Can you get someone to stop by the house at mid-day to check on him (or can you)? Sounds like a mid-day walk would go a long way towards getting him settled in for all night.

My dogs crash out every night before 8:00. If they were waking up too early, I'd keep them up a little later so I could sleep in. Maybe a late night walk would be best for the pup?

Karen

[Selkie]

Tucker has good ideas, but I couldn't do the belt thing myself (heard it works like a champ, though). Luckily, I have two grown dogs who help watch Margot and she usually lets me know when it's time to go out. I make sure to reward her with a cookie when she tells me that she has to go pee/poop outside, in addition to praising her when she does it outdoors.

What has saved us was putting something that "smelled" like us in the crate w/our puppies. A worn, sweated on t-shirt. The girls found it comforting. Margot still barks like a banshee when she's crated and knows we are home. If we are quiet and she thinks we're gone, she calms right down. Do you know if he's barking when you're gone?

[badger]

he already follows me everywhere - in fact, he's got his nose on my calf all the time So I'm not sure why he still feels compelled to pee everywhere. He doesn't give any signals, either, which is a bit troubling.

I've thought of the kong, I may get one tonight. He's not terribly food motivated, though, so hopefully he'll be into it.

I took him for an extra long walk after work yesterday hoping he'd be pooped, but he was still raring to go after we got back. Surprising considering he's really only using 3 legs at the moment. I'll try for a longer walk before bedtime.

thanks for the tips!!

[badger]

mickchick: I heard him barking this morning as I left. Today's the first time I've head him do that, so I'm not sure if he's continued to do that. This morning at 4am he woke me up (I didn't know he'd already peed in his crate so taking him out only roused him more). He was whining for about 30 minutes before I fell asleep and he probably did, too.

I've never had a puppy so this is new territory for me!

[Selkie]

It might take him some time to get used to the crate. All of our goldens, except one, would put up a fuss when initially put in the crate. If you give him a special treat, like the peanutbutter filled kong that Tucker suggested, he will run to the crate, anticipating his goodie. It will take him awhile to finish that off and you should be long gone by then.

Keep in mind that if someone in his past crated him as "punishment," he might associate bad things with being crated. That makes crate training impossible for some dogs, or so I've heard.

A great book I recommend is "The Loved Dog" by Tamar Gellar. She believes in positive reinforcement when training.

Puppyhood is the best and worst of times w/a dog. Patience and consistency, as well as lots of love, will go a long way. In the meantime, I hear you! Our 12 week old is a Holy Terror!

[Becky]

We dealt with something similar in our lab mix. Upon the advice of a trainer, we started feeding him meals in the crate, in addition to using stuffed Kongs while he's crated. The combination has helped a great deal with the barking, although we still have occasional episodes, especially if we're slow leaving the house after he's been crated.

EDIT: Cody loves mushed-up banana in the kong, frozen or thawed

[makbike]

Badger,

Try leaving a radio or TV on for him when you leave. Also, ask your vet about a DAP collar. These are wonderful and do work. They are composed of natural pheromone which are released as the dog's body temp increases due to anxiety. The pheromones have a calming effect on the dog. They do have to be replaced every 30 days (the only draw back given they run about $40 each).

Good luck and keep us posted.

[andtckrtoo]

A great way to train a dog to let you know when he needs to go out is to get some bells (those sleigh bells they sell at Christmas time work beautifully - or any other bells that he can jingle with his nose) and tie them to the door handle of the door you use when you take him out. Every time you take him out, make a point of jingling the bells. Encourage him to nudge them with his nose as well to make them ring - then take him out promptly. It will take a little while, but he will eventually understand that when he rings the bells, he goes outside.

My question is - how long of a walk do you take him on in the morning? Maybe you'll need to add some games of catch or just running around playing "I'm going to get you" to seriously tire him out. Consider doggie day care a day or two during the week - or have a pet sitter (or, as it's summer, a neighborhood teenager or something) come walk him 2-3 times a week while you are gone.

Kongs and puzzle boxes are also good. Anything to stimulate his mind. I freeze kongs filled with peanut butter and it takes my dog about an hour to work through one.

[TsPoet]

I've thought of the kong, I may get one tonight. He's not terribly food motivated, though, so hopefully he'll be into it.

I'd actually feed him his meals in the kong. I've never bothered with kong=treats, just put b'fast and dinner in there. He'll love it, and that way it takes him 30 min or more to eat and distracts him while you leave the house.
Some good ideas on here.
Good luck.

[berkeley]

I deal with this a lot with our adoption group.

- Don't only crate when you leave. Pick random times, toss a treat in there and have him in the crate when you're home. This avoids the whole you leave=the crate bad association.

- Make the crate the best place on earth! All treats, food, etc. happen in the crate (this can be temporary, until he's used to it). Never use the crate as punishment.

- Make sure he's getting enough exercise - a tired dog is a happy dog!

- Don't give in to the whining. This is sort of like a little kid thing too - if you let into the whining and let him out of the crate, he'll keep trying to use that to get out. So when you come home, if he's carrying on and crying, ignore him until he calms down. As soon as he's calm, he can come out.

- Learn the difference between true crate anxiety (heavy panting, trying to escape, urinating or pooping in the crate), and the above whining to get what they want. True crate anxiety means you may need some other means of confining him until he's housebroken.

- Housebreaking is all about vigilance and consistency. If you allow him the chance to sneak away and pee, he will. Most dogs don't have "signs" right off the bat, so you'll have to keep on him like a hawk. The second he starts peeing in the house, a quick "NO!", and then leash him up and take him outside to finish and praise like heck. The more accidents he has inside, the more confused he's going to be about appropriate bathroom behaviors.

Hope that helps! PM if you have any other questions.

[Biciclista]

wow, great advice here!

[badger]

thanks everyone, they truly are good suggestions. he won't be my last foster and I'm sure separation anxiety is something I'll be dealing with again.

I'll have to get on him about putting him in a crate at random times. I usually only crate him when I go to bed and when I leave, and those are probably the times he won't like so I'll crate him at odd times. I've been feeding him in the crate from the get-go, so he's good about jumping in there when it's mealtimes.

I'll see if I can find some bells somewhere. That's a great idea about associating the door with the bell. My last dog always pointed at the patio door and looked back at me - that was signal enough, even though he had stopped using the patio as his toilet long before.

I came home for lunch and took him to work this afternoon. I also took him to the SPCA for my volunteering and he was yapping away when I wasn't in his line of vision. But he got loads of puppy play and attention that's exhausted him so he's happily sleeping right now

[msincredible]

One of my dogs gets separation anxiety. She is fine if our other dog is with her but gets very upset if he is gone too (for example at the vet). She would howl and do physical damage to the crate if left completely alone (the same crate that she will happily run into if her buddy is home).

When she was my only dog I used to do the kong thing. If you freeze it or alternatively melt cheese in the microwave in it, it will last longer. I believe there are some good "recipes" on the kong website. I also used to put kibble in a buster cube to occupy her. Just don't let them use a buster cube in a room with floor heating vents

She is not very food-motivated but the kong and buster cube were enough to keep her busy and out of trouble.

Oh, and another thing...I found that even when my dogs are together, they get upset if I close the door to the room with the crate when I leave. They would cry the whole time I was gone. If I leave the door open, no problem. Haven't figured out why.

[badger]

he hasn't had an accident today. And I also taught him how to sit. We're working on "stay".

AND, he's got a prospective home. My co-worker saw him and now his wife really wants him. I never intended to keep this little guy, but he's really turning out to be a lot of fun and showing a lot of promise to become a great little dog.

I have to be unselfish here and think of him. They have a house with a yard, the wife works at a dog friendly office so he'll be going to work with her every day. They'll treat him well.

The perils of fostering... happy but sad.