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  1. #1
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    Separation anxiety?

    Hi, guys. I have this sweet little chocolate lab who just turned five months old a couple days ago. I'm a pre-k teacher and I've been taking him to work with me since I got him at the end of April. He has a crate at work but I also keep him in my class with the kids and he goes outside at recess with us. He's so good with the kids BUT anytime I get away from him for any reason he freaks out. He won't stay with anyone else. He has to be with me at all times or he cries and cries and barks and tries jumping on doors (they're half doors so the tops open) to look for me. He's fine when he's in his crate up there and at home. Even at home he follows me around constantly. Is this separation anxiety?? Anybody have any suggestions?

  2. #2
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    Sounds like it me. From your post it seems in his first 5 months, he has never had you be gone from his side, so you have always been there.

    I would start giving him time alone, in a location he feels safe. Maybe the crate, and you just go out of sight for a spell. Wait for him to settle down then come back to let him start to know that if you go away, you really will come back. It might be a long pathetic sounding issue too, so be prepared. My current little monster, Sunshine, would sound like she was being torn apart and tortured when I went through this!!! I put her in her enclosure, told her I had to go and would be back later, not making a HUGE fuss about leaving, just telling her. I would go outside and she would SCREAM and CRY for over an hour!!! The sounds will tear your heart apart and you will feel like the lowest form of life on earth putting such a little puppy through this!!! After she would tire herself out and settle down, I'd wait a few minutes then come back in. Again do not make a HUGE fuss about being back!!! Just a greeting and then outside for bathroom and immediately distraction with a game or something fun. I did this with Sunshine long before she was even close to ready for sit/stay.

    If your boy already has a good 'stay' you can build up to this by having him sit/stay and go out of sight for a few seconds. Come back in Good Boy! and repeat regularly. Slowly build up to where you can be gone for a few minutes and he will still wait.

    Will this cure it for life? Maybe not. At 2 1/2 now I can leave Sunshine in the car, with windows 100% down and have 100% confidence she will not leave the vehicle, 100% confidence. I have had reports from folks that she sat in the drivers seat and whined the whole time I was gone. I have other reports that she sat in her seat (passenger) and just stared at the door I went in. Same with at home. I have left for work and she will still cry for 30 minutes after I close the door. Other times she will hop right up on the bed and go to sleep.

    Best of luck, just keep at it and he will eventually catch on!!!

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  4. #3
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    It's weird because he's fine his crate. He even goes in there willingly. Just when he's out and I leave him. That's why I wasn't sure if that's what it was or if he's just a little spoiled lol

  5. #4
    Best Friend Retriever Sue's Avatar
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    No, it's not separation anxiety. It's maybe separation distress. Completely different.

    Pups need to learn to amuse themselves, and how to be alone. Same thing as with kids, they need to learn independence. Or how to self soothe. Mom may be there, but she can't possibly engage with them all the tie, once they start getting older.

    Leave him for short periods. Give him something like a Kong stuffed with goodies to amuse himself. It may only be ten minutes at first, but as he associates your leaving with getting a Kong (or similar), then you can increase. Make sure he ONLY gets this if you step out the door.

    I think it's great that you've been able to take him with you to work. And there's no need to stop, since he's fine in the crate if you leave. But work with this at home, so he learns that you leaving is not a bad thing. Truly, although it's not separation anxiety right now, if he doesn't learn to be alone, it very well can develop into a full blown case of it, with the destruction and possible injuries that accompany it.

    Okay, I've said my piece, now show us some pictures.

    ETA:

    Actually, I also should have said don't make a big deal when you leave. No long drawn out goodbyes, that just exacerbates the problem. Just give him the Kong and go out the door. Another piece of advice I'd give would be to teach him the command Place, or Mat, being that it's a place he can chill with his Kong. Or, you can leave his crate door open and he can use that as a place to chill out with it. That way, he has a bit of security, but isn't locked in.

    An obedience class would be wonderful for the both of you. You can get more personalized advice, and enjoy it. Just make sure you find a place that employs positive reinforcement. Your boy sounds like he'd not do very well if any harsh methods are used. Investigate thoroughly before enrolling him.
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  7. #5
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    Attachment 1081-image-jpgThis is my sweet boy. Thanks so much for the advice. I will definitely try the obedience classes.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails -image-jpg   -image-jpg  

  8. #6
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    I never knew there was an anxiety and distress, I always thought they were the same thing.

    Is there some way to distinguish between them? Perhaps my pup Sunshine has Distress because it is sporadic?

  9. #7
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    Seperation anxiety in dogs usually involves destruction. I agree that it does not sound like full blown anxiety. More distress and a bit spoiled! (My 2 are beyond spoiled!) My 9 y/o, Emma, suffers from seperation anxiety and it is very evident. She has never been destructive and plain crazy when she has her people around. She goes a little nuts when my hubby and son go to work even though I am at home with her.
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  10. #8
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    A spoiled pup that doesn't want to be alone is nothing like separation anxiety. Leaving your dog with someone else is a learned behavior. Can you somehow incorporate your kids at recess into training. Someone gets to hold the dog on leash away from you?

  11. #9
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxx&Emma View Post
    Seperation anxiety in dogs usually involves destruction. I agree that it does not sound like full blown anxiety. More distress and a bit spoiled! (My 2 are beyond spoiled!) My 9 y/o, Emma, suffers from seperation anxiety and it is very evident. She has never been destructive and plain crazy when she has her people around. She goes a little nuts when my hubby and son go to work even though I am at home with her.
    From my understanding, real SA generally involves pacing, drooling, hurting themselves (chewing on bars til they bleed, chewing their feet, etc.) and other physical symptoms (barking non stop for HOURS, panting, etc). To me destruction is more often just a bored dog or silly puppy antics. Obviously, that also depending on the extend (ex: dogs making big holes in doors/walls) - not saying it is never a sign of SA just that destruction/crying for a short period to me doesn't usually make me thing SA.
    Last edited by Tanya; 08-19-2014 at 01:55 PM.

  12. #10
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JenC View Post
    A spoiled pup that doesn't want to be alone is nothing like separation anxiety. Leaving your dog with someone else is a learned behavior. Can you somehow incorporate your kids at recess into training. Someone gets to hold the dog on leash away from you?
    totally agree. Dogs need to learn from a young age to be alone and we the humans have to teach them that by - leaving them alone One of the doggy daycares I used in teh past had a big portion of the clirents being peopel who actualy work from home!! because they so rarely left their dog, teh dogs developped major anxiety when left alone - as they didnt learn to be alone!

 



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