Hey, I've personally never dealt with separation anxiety but I have a few helpful tips you could try out:
- Exercise! Before leaving your house, I highly suggest a long, brisk walk or some form of exercise to totally tire him out. If you can't do physical exercise routines, even mental exercise would help, i.e.: trick and obedience training. Any kind of stimulation for his mind or body.
- You could leave a Kong toy filled with treats inside of it so that he keeps busy with those while you are gone. They have all sorts of toys now that are meant to be like puzzles for the dog to figure out.
- Practice while your at home leaving the room w/o him for 2 minutes, coming back, then increase the time to 5 minutes, etc. Only come back once he's quiet and reward him. He will learn you are coming back. Take things that he may associate you with leaving such as picking up purse, or keys, and carry them around at random times of the day and then just don't go anywhere. Then he will not associate such things as you leaving and maybe not be so stressed.
- Are you making the crate a pleasant place and experience for him? I would practice with throwing treat in there, making him go in it by HIMSELF, and then just leaving the door open so he knows he's not always going to be "trapped" in there. It should be a safe haven to him and a good place to go. Wait until he is completely calm, sitting or laying down in the crate to allow him out of it.
- Have you thought about an exercise pen? I used one of these while Jackson was a puppy so that he was still contained but had a bigger space.
- I have been contemplating very much so to get a 2nd puppy for Jackson, who is now 1 year old, as a companion since my mother's dog died and he's been lonely. But I do know dogs are very social creatures and I think it is better for them to have another of their "kind" living with them. However, you have to think about bringing a 2nd dog in when your first already has some "issues" because the 2nd puppy could begin having those too and copying the behavior, and then you have 2 dogs w/ issues on your hands. But I think overall, yes, I think two is better than one.
- If it got bad enough, I have heard of Rescue Remedy, it's a natural "medication" to give them and I've heard it works wonders. |