We have the most adorable baby girl. Her name is Starr and she is 6 months old. Potty training was easy, she eats a well balanced diet,well socialized, very active, healthy, loving, easily trained puppy. One issue: She has SEVERE separation anxiety. I am a stay at home wife/mother and we have 3 children 15, 13 (her best friend) and 8. She is not alone 95% of the time. We went away on a weekend in April and we had a sitter for her (my husbands co worker whom we have known for several years and a dog owner as well). Aside from the initial peeing, she was fine...
This weekend, we were gone for a day ( a full day) and we did not crate her, but sectioned her off in our master bathroom with plenty of toys, food, and water and of course her blanket her brother (my son) gave her when she got here. When we got back, she had not touched anything. And this is a dog that eats 3x a day. didn't touch anything and when we got back, she whimpered for the entire next day. The reason she didn't have a sitter (before I'm asked), is because the only reliable person who took care of her when needed had a family emergency and has been out of the country for a week. So, this is why she was alone.
during the night, we crate her, and she actually does excellent. She does not whine, anymore (she stopped at around 4 months). And she is fine until the sun comes up (around 6 am) , because she knows it is time for us to take her out.
But during the day, I Feel like if we leave, she is tortured. Just as I'm typing this (from my bedroom) , my husband goes in the kitchen and she is whining from the living room, because he isn't there.
I read that Australian Shepherds can have separation anxiety. Anyone else (whether Aussie or not)have this issue, and if so, how did you deal/overcome it?. Are we spending TOO much time with her? (i spend the most time with her. Which is usually all day, everyday). Between a family of 5 humans, she gets so much love and attention. Are we doing more harm than good? Please help us. TIA.
-Starr & Family.
This weekend, we were gone for a day ( a full day) and we did not crate her, but sectioned her off in our master bathroom with plenty of toys, food, and water and of course her blanket her brother (my son) gave her when she got here. When we got back, she had not touched anything. And this is a dog that eats 3x a day. didn't touch anything and when we got back, she whimpered for the entire next day. The reason she didn't have a sitter (before I'm asked), is because the only reliable person who took care of her when needed had a family emergency and has been out of the country for a week. So, this is why she was alone.
during the night, we crate her, and she actually does excellent. She does not whine, anymore (she stopped at around 4 months). And she is fine until the sun comes up (around 6 am) , because she knows it is time for us to take her out.
But during the day, I Feel like if we leave, she is tortured. Just as I'm typing this (from my bedroom) , my husband goes in the kitchen and she is whining from the living room, because he isn't there.
I read that Australian Shepherds can have separation anxiety. Anyone else (whether Aussie or not)have this issue, and if so, how did you deal/overcome it?. Are we spending TOO much time with her? (i spend the most time with her. Which is usually all day, everyday). Between a family of 5 humans, she gets so much love and attention. Are we doing more harm than good? Please help us. TIA.
-Starr & Family.