how to aleviate Separation Anxiety? - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Kobesmomma · 01-31-2006, 01:15 PM

My husband and I went away for a night for our anniversary. Our 7 yr. old yorkie stayed home with our 22 and 18 yr. old children. They were up with him all night. He cried and they said he was acting like he did when he had a kidney stone. Once we were home he was his old self. I think he just missed his mommy and daddy. I am somewhat bothered by this because now I am afraid to leave him.

lilbumbleybees · 01-31-2006, 02:33 PM

The best advise I have is ignore it and give him something that he ONLY gets when he is in his gated area or crate. I know ignoring is not the best option for you, but it helps sooo much. My new girl is having the "OH MY GOD MOMMY WALKED OUT OF MY EYESIGHT!" problem and she whines in her crate. I simply ignore her. She may stop in 5 minutes or she may go on for 30 minutes. I hope you get through it. Just be perisistant! They will test you and see what they can get way with and ocne they figure you out, they have GOT you figured out!

hunniebunnie · 01-31-2006, 03:09 PM

i actually do try the ignoring thing. during the day when i know everyone else is at work. sometimes i'd stay in my room working while he whined and sometimes i'd walk pass or into the kitchen area, but never giving in to his whining. i never pet him, give him treats, play with him, or let him out if he's whining or jumping for attention. he'd whine for 30 mins minimum to three hours straight if i'm not in his line of sight. but he'll start to quiet down when he sees me. i've been doing this since i've gotten him at 8 weeks old more than 2 months ago.

i'm taking him over to my parents tonight while i'm at school. i'm hoping he'll be quiet while at my parents. he has more room to move and run around there and my parents will be home. this is just a short term solution though. my brother is mildly allergic to bunjee so i can't leave him there for too long.

my mom thinks i should just let bunjee have the run of the condo. she thinks maybe he's whining because in addition to being alone, he does't have enough space to move around so he's sad and depressed by that. but i really want him to be 100% or at least 99% accident free and finished teething before i do that.

so i'm testing the radio thing right now. jazz music seem to be working a little better than tv or spoken word radio. he's in the gated area of the kitchen and although he's whining a little in the first 15 minutes, he's been quiet for the past 10 mins. keep your fingers crossed!

well, on the brightside, at least he quit eating and playing with his poop now.

SnowWa · 01-31-2006, 11:00 PM

I don't know if my dog cries when I'm gone. I have listened outside the door for a while after I have gone out - and he hasn't started crying.

I don't say "Goodbye." I just get her his toys, etc. and quietly quickly leave. He honestly doesn't even know I'm gone for a while.

I do know when I get back he is often sleeping away, but is happy to see me.

I leave the radio on and a light on.

**** I got my puppy and then had to go back to work a week later. At that point, (9 weeks old) he was still sleeping almost all the time - so, I think he is just used to my being gone several days a week.

I have another dog. This may or may not help. The pup is confined to the kitchen while I'm gone and the other dog is usually sleeping or looking out the window at the other end of the house when I leave.

Good luck! Carol Jean

PS: I just have to add this. My little puppy absolutely drives my other dog crazy - playing, jumping, biting his ears, etc. etc. etc.

So - I am sure that while I'm gone and the puppy is confined to the kitchen is pure heaven for my other dog. It's the only time he doesn't have this little puppy jumping all over him. They do play together a lot - but my other dog still needs a break once in a while.

hunniebunnie · 02-09-2006, 01:30 PM

evidently, bunjee doesn't have separation anxiety as much as confinment anxiety. i moved the baby gate to give him a little more space (kitchen plus hallway, all tiled area) and now he's fine. he'll paw at the door for half a minute after i leave and then just go back to bed. then stay there until i get home. according to my mom, he does the same thing when he's at her place. he'll play for a little bit, then just go to bed and wait for me to show up before he gets really excited and wants to play again.

so, no more whining! and more importantly, no more notes from annoyed neighbors!

01-31-2006, 02:33 PM	#17
lilbumbleybees YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 1,339	The best advise I have is ignore it and give him something that he ONLY gets when he is in his gated area or crate. I know ignoring is not the best option for you, but it helps sooo much. My new girl is having the "OH MY GOD MOMMY WALKED OUT OF MY EYESIGHT!" problem and she whines in her crate. I simply ignore her. She may stop in 5 minutes or she may go on for 30 minutes. I hope you get through it. Just be perisistant! They will test you and see what they can get way with and ocne they figure you out, they have GOT you figured out! __________________ Liz Little Lotte , Bouncer, Lilli , Yodi

01-31-2006, 11:00 PM	#19
SnowWa YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA Posts: 2,992	I don't know if my dog cries when I'm gone. I have listened outside the door for a while after I have gone out - and he hasn't started crying. I don't say "Goodbye." I just get her his toys, etc. and quietly quickly leave. He honestly doesn't even know I'm gone for a while. I do know when I get back he is often sleeping away, but is happy to see me. I leave the radio on and a light on. **** I got my puppy and then had to go back to work a week later. At that point, (9 weeks old) he was still sleeping almost all the time - so, I think he is just used to my being gone several days a week. I have another dog. This may or may not help. The pup is confined to the kitchen while I'm gone and the other dog is usually sleeping or looking out the window at the other end of the house when I leave. Good luck! Carol Jean PS: I just have to add this. My little puppy absolutely drives my other dog crazy - playing, jumping, biting his ears, etc. etc. etc. So - I am sure that while I'm gone and the puppy is confined to the kitchen is pure heaven for my other dog. It's the only time he doesn't have this little puppy jumping all over him. They do play together a lot - but my other dog still needs a break once in a while. __________________ http://tinypic.com/ipxhmb.jpg A Yorkie is worth a thousand words.

01-31-2006, 01:15 PM	#16
Kobesmomma Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 283	My husband and I went away for a night for our anniversary. Our 7 yr. old yorkie stayed home with our 22 and 18 yr. old children. They were up with him all night. He cried and they said he was acting like he did when he had a kidney stone. Once we were home he was his old self. I think he just missed his mommy and daddy. I am somewhat bothered by this because now I am afraid to leave him.

01-31-2006, 03:09 PM	#18
hunniebunnie Follower of Yorkietology Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cali-fo-nee-ya Posts: 1,325	i actually do try the ignoring thing. during the day when i know everyone else is at work. sometimes i'd stay in my room working while he whined and sometimes i'd walk pass or into the kitchen area, but never giving in to his whining. i never pet him, give him treats, play with him, or let him out if he's whining or jumping for attention. he'd whine for 30 mins minimum to three hours straight if i'm not in his line of sight. but he'll start to quiet down when he sees me. i've been doing this since i've gotten him at 8 weeks old more than 2 months ago. i'm taking him over to my parents tonight while i'm at school. i'm hoping he'll be quiet while at my parents. he has more room to move and run around there and my parents will be home. this is just a short term solution though. my brother is mildly allergic to bunjee so i can't leave him there for too long. my mom thinks i should just let bunjee have the run of the condo. she thinks maybe he's whining because in addition to being alone, he does't have enough space to move around so he's sad and depressed by that. but i really want him to be 100% or at least 99% accident free and finished teething before i do that. so i'm testing the radio thing right now. jazz music seem to be working a little better than tv or spoken word radio. he's in the gated area of the kitchen and although he's whining a little in the first 15 minutes, he's been quiet for the past 10 mins. keep your fingers crossed! well, on the brightside, at least he quit eating and playing with his poop now.

02-09-2006, 01:30 PM	#20
hunniebunnie Follower of Yorkietology Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cali-fo-nee-ya Posts: 1,325	evidently, bunjee doesn't have separation anxiety as much as confinment anxiety. i moved the baby gate to give him a little more space (kitchen plus hallway, all tiled area) and now he's fine. he'll paw at the door for half a minute after i leave and then just go back to bed. then stay there until i get home. according to my mom, he does the same thing when he's at her place. he'll play for a little bit, then just go to bed and wait for me to show up before he gets really excited and wants to play again. so, no more whining! and more importantly, no more notes from annoyed neighbors!