Severe dependency / separation anxiety

Russhall15 · 10-26-2009, 02:33 PM

Hi,

I have a two year old Basenji mix who has severe separation anxiety. I adopted him when he was about three months old and was told that he had been found with his legs tied up inside an abandoned house. I was told that he would be a handful because of this but BOY, I was not expecting something this severe.

He has responded well to basic command training. I can command him to sit, lie down, shake, and various other basic commands - he is highly intelligent and eager to listen. However, despite my greatest efforts, and those of a dog trainer at the local PetCo, we can not get him to stay effectively.

At home he follows me around constantly. If I am working on my computer (as i am now) he sits on the floor next to me and stares at me. Needless to say, I can not leave him at home by himself.

I have recently started an intense "anxiety treatment" program but have been met with little success. It seems like he is getting progressively MORE anxious the more I work to desensitize him to triggers.

At this stage, I am working to define a "safe" room for him as recommended. I will give him a chew toy and wait for him to occupy himself with it, then quietly leave the room and close the door. After a few seconds I will hear him get up and start scratching on the door. I repeat this continually but each time he immediately gets up and starts scratching on the door.

This is the FIRST recommended stage of desensitization and I have been devoting numerous hours each day for over a week to be met with little effect. I am getting demoralized and I am sure that my dog is picking up on this.

Given this brief description is there anything anyone can recommend? I work at home for the moment but will be needing to take multiple-hour trips to the office starting in December. I would prefer to have this 60lb dog trained by then - for the sake of both his own well being and the value of my property.

Thanks,
Russ

PeanutAndOmar · 10-26-2009, 02:54 PM

I can tell you I am going thru the very same thing with Omar. I had to put him on prozac to stop him from hurting himself, and all the desensitization in the world isn't working.

I am at my wits end. I will let you know if i come up with anything that works.

Russhall15 · 10-26-2009, 03:04 PM

Thank you :-D --- I will do the same.

TxRider · 10-26-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russhall15

Hi,

I have a two year old Basenji mix who has severe separation anxiety. I adopted him when he was about three months old and was told that he had been found with his legs tied up inside an abandoned house. I was told that he would be a handful because of this but BOY, I was not expecting something this severe.

He has responded well to basic command training. I can command him to sit, lie down, shake, and various other basic commands - he is highly intelligent and eager to listen. However, despite my greatest efforts, and those of a dog trainer at the local PetCo, we can not get him to stay effectively.

At home he follows me around constantly. If I am working on my computer (as i am now) he sits on the floor next to me and stares at me. Needless to say, I can not leave him at home by himself.

I have recently started an intense "anxiety treatment" program but have been met with little success. It seems like he is getting progressively MORE anxious the more I work to desensitize him to triggers.

At this stage, I am working to define a "safe" room for him as recommended. I will give him a chew toy and wait for him to occupy himself with it, then quietly leave the room and close the door. After a few seconds I will hear him get up and start scratching on the door. I repeat this continually but each time he immediately gets up and starts scratching on the door.

This is the FIRST recommended stage of desensitization and I have been devoting numerous hours each day for over a week to be met with little effect. I am getting demoralized and I am sure that my dog is picking up on this.

Given this brief description is there anything anyone can recommend? I work at home for the moment but will be needing to take multiple-hour trips to the office starting in December. I would prefer to have this 60lb dog trained by then - for the sake of both his own well being and the value of my property.

Thanks,
Russ

Are you getting up and going to the door when he scratches on the door? And repeating?

Sounds like that would just be reinforcing that behavior and make it worse. Scratch enough, master comes and rewards me attention and with a new treat ball..

I have wondered if borrowing a stable non separation anxiety dog for a while might not help that out as well, never heard of anyone trying that though.

Russhall15 · 10-26-2009, 05:28 PM

Tx, I thought the same about the fact that this may be reinforcing his behavior - which is why I posted what I was doing.

I had a non-anxious dog staying with us for a month and it didn't do much to help. She and Cyrus (my dog) actually tore up the carpet in the hallway when I went out to grocery shop - ironically showing me that I have oak flooring underneath!

One thought I have had is the use of a crate or kennel but I am afraid he might end up hurting himself. When I was working in the office before I kept him in the back of my SUV. Despite the long work hours he seemed to be completely fine and very relaxed after I finished at the office. I just don't understand why he can be fine in the back of my car but be anxious when left in the comfort of his own home.

For anyone who has dealt with puppy anxiety issues: can you describe what steps you took to cure your pup of separation anxiety?

Thank you!
~Russ

PeanutAndOmar · 10-26-2009, 09:51 PM

I haven't cured Omar. But he is a special case I think.

I have:

watched carefully to see when he starts freaking out when I am getting ready to leave. I noticed it is "putting on a coat, shoes, picking up purse/keys" that starts his freak out.

So I try to do these things randomly throughout the day, and waiting for him to stop freaking out
I also crate train him. Crate is funtime for him when I am there. But as soon as I leave, the freak out starts. He has to "see me".
I walk him to the brink of exhaustion for both of us
Prozac
Stuffed Kongs
walk to the door, open it, close it. Open it again, go out, close it, come right back in
DAP diffuser
Rescue remedy
no more than 2 hours alone
ignoring him
making coming and going a non-issue...
trip to the vet, behavior specialist, another vet
training, clicker & positive reinforcement
you name it, i've tried it

Check the general dog forum and read my thread. it;ll give you an idea of what I have done.

Kay Weber · 10-30-2009, 07:10 AM

Here's a couple of ideas.

First remember he feels your energy - your anxiety is reinforcing his anxiety.

When you are working at your computer, put a dog bed there and let that be sleep time. After a period of time, get up and leave for the door... and he'll probably follow right? At the door, confidently/calmly tell him to stay and give him the toy. I would never wait until he's not looking and try to sneak out - I think you're saying to him "watch me every minute cause I'm going to disappear."

(I don't close the doors in my house - me on one side and them on the other. How about a "child proof gate" so he can see through but is confined to the room?)

Go do something (in the beginning pretty quickly) - just walk back in and work at the computer. Don't give attention to anxiety and nervous behavior. Wait until he lays down / calms down and pet him and reinforce that.

What do you think?

You can do this!! Be consistent - and never ever reinforce nervous behavior or anxiety.