Dog Community

Separation anxiety? Or acting out?

Jenn

Posted : 7/8/2006 9:32:35 PM

We have a 6 month old Lab/Boxer/Terrier mix as well as a 1 year old Lab mix.

The youngest is usually confined while we're away from home as she's just recently passed housetraining and we wanted to keep her used to being confined for her recovery period after being spayed (which was just a few days ago).

My question is...twice we've left her out for short periods of time while we were out running errands, hoping that the two dogs would spend the time playing, chewing on their numerous toys or sleeping. (Note: while we're home, they play or chew their toys/bones constantly).

But, on both occasions, while we were gone, the youngest proceeded to (the first time) tear apart our master bedding and (the second time -- as we confined her to the deck this time while we were outside at the nextdoor neighbour's, within view) a lawn chair and a hat that happened to be hanging nearby.

She has ripped apart her own bedding while in her kennel during the day (which has since been removed) as well as the newspaper that we leave down in case she has an accident. But, we just figured this was boredom from being confined while we're at work.

Can anyone please give me an informed opinion as to whether she may suffer from separation anxiety (she was a rescue...but, we've had no other issues with her) or if perhaps she's just acting out -- amazed at the destruction her new adult teeth can do? LOL! I laugh now...but, I'm afraid that one of these times it will be the leather sofa....or the wooden stair railing! Angry

Xebby

Posted : 7/8/2006 10:06:09 PM

Sounds a lot like Separation anxiety to me. When Georgia lived with me she tore apart the carpet when I was in the shower and then my shoes when I was away pluse a number of stuff I had to replace. She never did it when I was around. I had to crate her every time I left the house. I could not leave her outside because no matter how I fixed my fence she would get out and I could not possibly chain her. The vet said it was separation anxiety and gave me some herbal anxiety drops to see if that helped. Yep it did and she became less destructive after I started using that. Once I started to foster Gizmo she completly stoped tearing the house apart so I ended up keeping Gizzy and Georgia didn't need the anxiety drops anymore.

zsrg;lb ksr'pfjsoprej dfsg;va bjpskopa]

Posted : 7/10/2006 3:09:50 PM

Is your dog fully exercised when being left alone. Too many people wake thier dogs from a full nights rest and leave them without exerscie, which obviously leaves them wound up and bored outta their mind. Also it sounds to me as if you need to keep crating your dog, again, only after ample exersice. If not a crate do you have a room such as kitchen that you can corner off with dog or baby gates?

Leesa Lins

Posted : 7/11/2006 12:38:44 AM

If you weren't home, how do you know the youngest one did it?

I had a male that peed on our bed. The first time I thought it was the younger female.

Then I caught him doing it the 2nd time, trying to frame the little girl!

Crate them up.

Jenn

Posted : 7/11/2006 11:54:12 AM

If you weren't home, how do you know the youngest one did it?

This I'm figuring by an act of elimination...the older dog is free to roam and we've never had chewing problems with her. While both times there was destruction, we were attempting to give the younger dog the same freedom.

Too many people wake thier dogs from a full nights rest and leave them without exercise

And, for sure, they both get 2+ hrs of exercise every morning before I leave the house, whether it be going for a walk, or letting them loose to play in our (fully fenced-in) half acre of yard.

And, as for her "crate"...it's actually a medium-sized kennel that we set up in the dining room to give her more room to move around than a crate would. It also contains her toys, bones to chew and used to contain her bed...until she tore it apart last week. I was worried about her tearing at it again and ingesting the stuffing after that, so I took it away.

jones

Posted : 7/11/2006 12:09:43 PM

It's hard to say without being there, but if I had to guess I'd say the "problem" is just your dog's age and breed(s). Most 6 month old dogs would have to be crated when left home alone just because they're adolescent, they're going through a big chewing stage (adult teeth set into the jaw from 6mo-18mo), and they're rambunctious at that age. For most dogs this is something they will grow out of eventually, but if they're left loose in the house unattended they can and will destroy your home. Our trainer told us she has seen/heard of dogs eating through walls, eating furniture, chewing off entire window frames, doors, and of course all sorts of smaller objects like cell phones and remote controls and whatnot... all during this big chewing stage.

I'm not clear on whether she just destroys any bedding in the crate or actually destroys the crate itself. If she is just destroying bedding and toys it sounds like just adolescent behavior to me. If she were bloodying herself trying to eat through the crate, drooling excessively, things like that, I'd be more inclined to suspect SA. For now I'd say just crate her, take everything out of the crate, and keep her in a room away from the other dog so that she can just settle down and go to sleep until you return.

mudpuppy

Posted : 7/11/2006 12:31:37 PM

if it's separation anxiety it's a bit odd that it only shows up when she's left loose and has only shown up now. Dogs with separation anxiety have trouble with staying in crates, too-- owners come back and find the dog has broken teeth and shredded paws on the crate.
Just a destructive puppy I think. 6 to 8 months of age is often when dogs really get into the "destroy the house" phase.

Jenn

Posted : 7/12/2006 10:29:51 AM

Thanks so much for your responses...it feels good to know that, although destructive, she's also somewhat normal. I just wasn't sure how long their chewing stage was supposed to last...as she's now had her adult teeth for a couple of weeks.

Although she's rambunctious and energetic, she's not doing herself harm. So, good to know that it doesn't seem to be separation anxiety. Just "being a puppy". Again...why so many in this forum state that puppies are cute...because they need to be in order for us to make it through their puppy stage! LOL!

Thanks everyone!

I've attempted to embed a picture of both of my "monsters". I couldn't imagine the house (or life) without them.