Separation Anxiety?

[Ivy]

My 9 month old "puppy", I am not sure if she still counts as one, is acting so strange. She has always loved being around us and is well behaved. She has never liked playing by herself outside, but would tolerate outside time when I wanted her out of our hair briefly. I am a stay at home mom and we have 5 kids so there is a lot of activity in our house. A few months ago, she started jumping at the glass door and big picture window that is 4 feet off the ground when we would leave her outside. It drives me crazy, especially since I am worried she is going to hurt herself and she leaves muddy streaks on the glass. All of a sudden, her anxiety at being away from us has escalated. I used to leave her in the yard when we would go somewhere, so she could have the run of the place, but in the last few weeks, she started digging under the gate in our yard every time we would leave the house. We have awesome neighbors and a few times we got a call that she had gotten loose and they took care of her. These were pretty short trips, we weren't even gone very long. We reinforced the area she was digging under with boulders under the dirt, as well as a wooden beam nailed to the underside of the gate, so it seems the area is secure now. We have been crating her when we leave anyway, because she rams the gate and barks as we are leaving. I am not sure if the behavior lasts after we leave. I handle it by trying to ignore her, and not make a big deal of leaving, or coming home.

I know some people are able to go to work all day and their dog is fine, and mine freaks if I go to the grocery store. She sleeps downstairs by herself in her crate, so she is alone all night and is fine at night. I just don't know what to do with her, I think we should be able to leave our house without her and expect her to sleep in the sun in the yard and play by herself for a few hours. If we leave her in the crate while we are gone, even with plenty of toys, she tears up her blanket and leaves big puddles of drool. Does anyone have advice? Has anyone experienced anything like this and their dog grew out of it, or did it just get worse?

[emma_Dad]

It sure does sound like SA. The big puddle of drool is a sign that she's very stressed out. I have a few links saved on my computer at home, that I'll post once I get home.

[Labradorks]

It does sound like separation anxiety and not just a temper tantrum.

I would probably speak with a trainer because it does sound serious and if you catch it now, at her young age, you may be able to help her before it gets worse. I would also not leave her in the yard alone. Most young Labs, even without separation anxiety, do not do well in a yard alone all day. Some don't do well even for just a couple of hours.

[beth101509]

With a household that size, I am guessing that she isn't left alone all that often, right? So my question is: Is this the first time since you got her that you are trying to leave her alone while you run errands? If so, maybe she just isn't used to being left alone and needs to adjust or learn to be left alone for short periods of time? If not, then I have no advice. Hopefully you can get it figured out before she does anymore damage to your property or herself. Good luck!

[Ivy]

The longest she has ever been alone is about 4 hours. She is alone at least every day at random times while I run errands or take kids to school. She cries when the big kids leave for the bus every morning. In some ways it is sweet, but I really wasn't counting on having to be with her every second of every day. Growing up, my parents had dogs that lived in the backyard. I wouldn't do that, she is an in house dog, but I did expect to be able to leave her occasionally. This all started getting worse after she went through her first heat 2 months ago. I was hoping maybe it was typical teenage dog behavior, or something.

[Tanya]

no this is not typical. it sounds like seperation anxiety for sure. Unfortunately SA (seperation anxiety) is one of the more difficult issues to fix. I highly recommend a traininger-behaviorist experienced in this type of thing.

[Ivy]

Thanks for all of your help. Funny thing is, she loves her crate when we are home, and goes in when I tell her to, but I can tell she wasn't just happy and sleeping in there when we leave the house.

[happy_blackbird]

Good evening! I agree that your puppy would benefit now from a professional evaluation by a well recommended behaviorist. Our girl had intense separation anxiety and barrier frustration right from 8 weeks old (it took us over two months before we could leave Ellie in her crate without her defecating, drooling, and panting in panic). A local veterinarian behavioralist gave us some much needed tools to help us help Ellie get comfortable being alone (putting her into her crate with a high value, fun distraction item, walking into the other room and watching her through a dropcam, and the very second she finished the kong, walking back in prior to her panic beginning and letting her out). Ellie still struggles with certain things (she will still sometimes high pitch panic bark if she is behind the gate while I am unloading the car), but our life has improved immeasurably since I've been able to take a shower, go grocery shopping, or go on a date with my husband.

I think your girl just can't be left out in the yard alone, at least not right now. It sounds as if that type of situation exacerbates her anxiety and could lead to a more entrenched panic behavior. Plus, she could really hurt herself in when she is spun up (jumping at a window, for example) and there are a lot of dangers in the big world for a 9 month old, both in the yard and out. Hopefully with the right trainer/behavioralist, you'll be able to get over the SA hump. I do think its possible!

[emma_Dad]

Here's a great link on SA: Pet Education: Separation Anxiety. And I would strongly recommend find a certified vet behaviorist, that use positive method to help your dog deal. It's going to be a uphill battle but he's still young enough, that he can get better!

Here's alink to help find a trianer that can help you Pet Education: Hiring a Trainer - Where to start your search

[Ivy]

I wanted to update you all on our progress. After some of your advice and some other stuff I read online, I had an epiphany. She loves her crate and is fine there all night, and even goes into it when we are home. She doesn't mind when we are in a different room, she just hates being alone outside. I stopped leaving her alone outside at all, and started making sure she had chew bones and toys and a stuffed kong, and a few hidden dog biscuits in her crate any time I left the house. I also closed the crate door sometimes when we were home.
I actually think leaving her outside was her biggest trigger, and it would upset her for days afterward, even if I later put her in her crate the next time I would leave. It doesn't make sense to me why she wouldn't rather be in our big, fenced yard with a covered deck and food and water, but the fact is that she just doesn't. She is so well behaved in the house now that I decided to stop leaving her in the backyard by herself any longer than it takes her to go potty. I let her in as soon as she comes back to the door. I thought I was doing her a favor by trying to get her to take some outside time, but she hates it. No more window jumping, and no more drool puddles in her crate when I leave. She is happy when I get home, but doesn't whine or act crazed when I walk in the door. My only problem left with her is that she refuses to go outside and use the bathroom first thing in the morning-she doesn't want to leave us, but it is just because I have sympathy for her poor bladder-it doesn't seem to bother her.