YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Separation anxiety. Am I doing the right thing?

rubydoo · 01-28-2009, 06:04 PM

I just recently found out my dog had severe separation anxiety. I always knew she barked for (what I thought anyway) was a minute or two when I left - and then the letter came from the condo association.

I used a video camera to record her during the day. What I saw brought me to TEARS. Long story short, she barked herself to exhaustion - in between neurotically pacing back and forth in front of my door, each time she'd get to the wall standing up, then push herself off of it and pace again. All I could think of was a lap swimmer pushing off a wall. She did this one day for over two hours. I was horrified.

I searched the net and there are tons of websites with VERY good information. It's not easy, but where your dog is still young if you start now it will be easier to break them of it. You also need to search being the pack leader. There are a lot of things you do that you don't realize makes them think you are weaker then them, or not their leader which causes a lot of problems, including separation anxiety. If the pack leader is the one that goes searching for food while the others stay behind, and they think THEY are the pack leader...enough said. Mine stemmed from my other dog passing in November. I didn't have Ruby from birth, got her at a year and she's never been without another dog.

I would really recommend reading up on it online.

I HAD to deal with the barking ASAP to avoid fines. I tried anxiety meds, it m was counter-active. She was off the WALL. She barked for three hours straight and I had no choice but to go buy the anti-bark spray collar. That thing has worked WONDERS. In three days, she has gone from barking non stop, to barking once or twice, to not barking at all when i'm not home. I managed to put a pair of big rubber boots in her "spot" where she'd pace and push herself off the wall and it threw her all off, so i've broken her of that. She's SO much more relaxed and calm, it's truly amazing. I really lucked out that she's done so well so quickly. Here are some sites you can check out:
Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Treating Dog Separation Anxiety: Helping Dogs That Are Afraid To Be Home Alone
Separation Anxiety in Dogs, Causes of Separation Anxiety and Cures for Separation Anxiety

Also, read up on the whole pack thing. I've had dogs all my life - and some things I never EVER would have thought of as showing them you aren't the pack leader, such as breaking eye contact first. It was a real eye opener, no pun intended! Good luck.

01-28-2009, 06:04 PM	#13
rubydoo Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MA Posts: 15	LOTS of info on net about separation anxiety I just recently found out my dog had severe separation anxiety. I always knew she barked for (what I thought anyway) was a minute or two when I left - and then the letter came from the condo association. I used a video camera to record her during the day. What I saw brought me to TEARS. Long story short, she barked herself to exhaustion - in between neurotically pacing back and forth in front of my door, each time she'd get to the wall standing up, then push herself off of it and pace again. All I could think of was a lap swimmer pushing off a wall. She did this one day for over two hours. I was horrified. I searched the net and there are tons of websites with VERY good information. It's not easy, but where your dog is still young if you start now it will be easier to break them of it. You also need to search being the pack leader. There are a lot of things you do that you don't realize makes them think you are weaker then them, or not their leader which causes a lot of problems, including separation anxiety. If the pack leader is the one that goes searching for food while the others stay behind, and they think THEY are the pack leader...enough said. Mine stemmed from my other dog passing in November. I didn't have Ruby from birth, got her at a year and she's never been without another dog. I would really recommend reading up on it online. I HAD to deal with the barking ASAP to avoid fines. I tried anxiety meds, it m was counter-active. She was off the WALL. She barked for three hours straight and I had no choice but to go buy the anti-bark spray collar. That thing has worked WONDERS. In three days, she has gone from barking non stop, to barking once or twice, to not barking at all when i'm not home. I managed to put a pair of big rubber boots in her "spot" where she'd pace and push herself off the wall and it threw her all off, so i've broken her of that. She's SO much more relaxed and calm, it's truly amazing. I really lucked out that she's done so well so quickly. Here are some sites you can check out: Separation Anxiety in Dogs Treating Dog Separation Anxiety: Helping Dogs That Are Afraid To Be Home Alone Separation Anxiety in Dogs, Causes of Separation Anxiety and Cures for Separation Anxiety Also, read up on the whole pack thing. I've had dogs all my life - and some things I never EVER would have thought of as showing them you aren't the pack leader, such as breaking eye contact first. It was a real eye opener, no pun intended! Good luck. Last edited by rubydoo; 01-28-2009 at 06:07 PM.