abe's separation anxiety

Seperation anxiety is a very, VERY hard thing to work with. My last foster dog had it bad, and we worked on it, and his new family is continuing to work with it. You cannot "break" a dog from SA, but you can manage it. Some dogs grow out of it - if managed properly. It does take a long time, and you must be consistant.

I left the radio on, but I did not turn it off when I came home. The radio was a constant - and that seemed to help. Same station, playing at the same level, all the time. Make the crate a positive place - don't allow him to associate it with you leaving. Change your routine when you leave - come and go a TON from the front door. Leave out the back door one day, don't let him know you are gone! Try leaving a Kong in his crate with him when you leave, or his favorite treat - which he will now only get when you are gone.

Have you tried Rescue Remedy? It works for some dogs, but not all. It helped Jeager some, and so did the comfort zone spray. (I didn't have the plug in) I would spray around his crate. A coworker of mine also has a dog w/ SA, she uses Reconcile (avalible only from your vet) and she says it works wonders on her barky anxiety dog. I have never used it, so I couldn't give you much advice on it - talk to your vet. It runs about $20 a month for a smaller dog.

Extra exercise isn't enough for seperation anxiety dogs. They need management. There is no "magic cure" for this type of anxiety, you have to work through it. I recomend the book "I'll be Home Soon" by Patricia M. It has some great tips for how to make his time alone less stressful.

In additionm to Erica's great post above I'd like to add that while exercise and a radio alone won't work it sure is helpful and SA can be beat by implenting a number of things to help combat it.

I feel that exercise is a larger factor then mentioned above, especially if he is being crated in the morning after a full nights rest. The radio or tv is good to drown out outside sounds.

Keep in mind to not make a big deal when you leave OR come home, they equate this with your arrivals and departures as being a emotional situation. Also if your trying to soothe him as you leave he will likely mistake your soothing words as a praise for his anxiety. Be real matter of fact and to the point, if he feels you hesitating he's gonna take it and run with it.

I have used to flower essence above and that is NOT going to fix this at all.

Next try and determine when his anxiety kicks in. Is it when you grab your keys or purse? Is it when you put your shoes on or is it when he is directed to his crate. Desensitizing him to this action will help a lot. If its when you grab your keys off the table for example start exercising this. Grab them throught the day when your not leaving, ignore his actions and continue with what you were doing. It should go like this.....

Lets say your keys sit on the table by the door......walk by the table as say your heading to the laundry room, grab the keys (at this point he might start pacing but in ignore him) and continue to the laundry room and your chore. Grab your keys when you get up to get water, anything!

Also have you tried giving him a puzzle treat or toy when you leave? Something like a kong toy that will keep him occupied as you leave to distract him?