Separation Anxiety

You need to slowly desensitize him to leaving. I had this problem with my dog (we are still working through it). Here is what we did.

1. Patricia Mcconnell has an ebook called I'll Be Home Soon that was really helpful.
2. Give him a special treat like a bully stick or a kong when you leave (and only when you leave). Make sure to pick it up when you come back so he associates your absence with something really great. Added bonus it might distract him from nipping at you as you leave.
3. If he follows you around the house teach down/stay and practice it everywhere and for various stretches of time. I taught Pete 'go to your spot' and had him stay there while I got ready to leave and left for only seconds at a time to get him habituated. The self-restraint really helped so he didnt feel the need to tear down barriers to follow me.
4. Make arrivals and departures as low-key as possible, dont talk to or look at or touch the dog for 20 min before you leave and when you get back. I even noticed that as I get ready to leave there is usually a final rush when I'm looking for keys, getting my stuff together, I slowed that down so there is no sense of excitement before I walk out the door.
5. If you use a crate try 'crate games' (youtube it) but for us a gated room worked way better, something about the confinement made it worse for Pete.
6. Go slow. The worst part is the beginning (when you can't go a few seconds without him whining) that takes the longest but a good foundation means you won't have big setbacks later.
7. Film him (set up a webcam) so you can see exactly what and when he does, that way you can tell how to manage the specific behaviours.
8. Routine is good, dogs thrive when they know what to expect and when.

I was insanely frustrated but in the last week (after about 2 months) we had a breakthrough and now he can be left alone for hours at a time. Its hard work but worth it... good luck!

We have gone as high as 1.5 hours, working up slowly of course. He is of course able to stand up and change positions while remaining "on his spot". Because Pete HATES confinement we have to rely on self-restraint when we leave. I wanted him to get used to the idea that when we leave its his job to hang out where he is until we get back. To reduce the desire to escape and follow us. I'm hoping to be able to confine him in a small area with his "spot" and not have him barking like crazy or trying to break out eventually. That will be an added bonus because he is not reliably housetrained and right now we have to make the trade of a crated dog (without accidents) who barks and drools and scratches like crazy or a quiet, slightly anxious, loose dog who MIGHT pee somewhere we don't know about. Tough choice.

I haven't read any other Mcconnell books but I hear they're great, I should try another... I read the first one out of sheer despair when we first realized Pete couldnt be left alone!