how to deal with seperation anxiety

[MeggieP]

I don’t think we would get another one too soon – She’s brilliant at puppy school but I keep having to shout at my boyfriend cos he used different words he’ll say come here meg and I’ll say Meg come here and he gets frustrated with me because she comes to me and not to him!!

[Mudgie]

you need to keep it consistent  😉

[moominhater]

Joe doesn’t bark when we leave the house, but the minute the trainers go on, or the keys are picked up etc he starts squealing/crying, and he gets louder and it goes right through you.  Can I sort this using the above technique?

Liz & Joe ‘the dog’
xXx

[Mudgie]

He is squealing/crying as he recognises that this is what you do when you go out.  You need to use same technique but you could probably put the trainers on and keep them on walking about house for an hour or so.  do that for a few days until he realises that everytime you put them on you are not going out  ;D  Pick up keys put them down  ;D  Everytime you pick them up it doesnt mean you are going out.  😉

Mine used to be like that they know now that when they are coming too then the leads are brought in from porch.  Their bums hit the floor like magnets  ;D  If they dont sit nice then the leads dont go on  ;D  If they dont wait nice at door then leads come back off  ;D  Pain in the neck for a few days until they catch on but once they catch on then they know the rules and what to do to get their reward  ;D  THE WALK  ;D

[kizkiznobite]

this is a conditioned response – when you take him out with you what order do you do things in – as in lead on dog , trainers on feet, pick up keys etc etc?

[moominhater]

I always put my trainers on first then I ask him if he’s ready, which he knows means we’re going out, then I put his harness and lead on and off we go – I always make him sit before I put his lead on, but it’s like he’s got ants in his pants sometimes.

Liz & Joe ‘the dog’
xXx

[kizkiznobite]

ok – so it is self cued behaviour – so what you need to do is enforce the going out with you more and switch on another cue that says you are not coming this time – so when he is going with you get the leash place it beside you while you put on trainers – dont speak at all let him watch – stand up put on coat – show him lead and wait for him to offer the sit – dont verbally cue it

when he is not going with you – have a different routine – so get trainers – so he see’s them – cue to his bed or crate if you use one – give a treat/kong/buster cube etc or what ever you normally leave him with – totally ignore him from this point on – put on trainers – pick up coat and bag – dont look/speak at him at all for the first few times you do this – when he has got the idea – then you can say – ok boyo see ya later – as you leave

he will learn the different cues  🙂

[Mudgie]

“Not You”  😉

[kizkiznobite]

not me what?  ???

[Mudgie]

Nachos and Bluebells cue that they arent coming out with me  ;D

[kizkiznobite]

DUH!!!!!!!  ::)

[SuzAndTheDiva]

We done this with Buster – cos he was struggling with not knowing if he was coming or not, even more so since the stroke, its not much just make him go lay on the sofa and make it clear hes staying, but worked for us and seems to have stopped the howling and the stresing  🙂

[labattsbaby]

[quote author=kizkiznobite link=topic=5690.msg93235#msg93235 date=1163445194]
you leave the house like a mad woman – over a period of 2 to 3 days until you can leave for 15 minutes 🙂
[/quote]

Great thread, I was doing to post this same thing :o. But why only do it up to 15 minutes? What about when someone has to leave for hours :-\

[Mudgie]

Dogs dont have the same concept of time as we do  😉

they dont know if you have been gone for an hour or two only that you have been gone  ;D

they either settle down or they dont – they building up of this is to teach them to settle themselves

[labattsbaby]

[quote author=Mudgie link=topic=5690.msg154109#msg154109 date=1183117671]
Dogs dont have the same concept of time as we do  😉

they dont know if you have been gone for an hour or two only that you have been gone  ;D

they either settle down or they dont – they building up of this is to teach them to settle themselves
[/quote]

Cool, and has it really worked? Because this little Pom I am getting they are generally people dogs and HATE to be left alone. I cant have him making a racket around here. If it works I will be doing it from the day after I get him ;D. So Kiz said it takes about two days?

[Author]

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