Separation anxiety
Discussion
I've had to take in my sisters collie/terrier as she cna no longer look after him, he's 5 years old and a lovely dog, but he seems to be suffering seperation anxiety and isn't keen on being alone. At night the barking and whining is constant unles he can see one of us. He also follows me around like a shadow unless I'm running the bath (then he becomes very hard to find indeed!)
There seem to be quite a few teqniques to try, anyone know what works best? He really does get worked up if left alone. He was a rescue dog before my sister had him for the last two years.
There seem to be quite a few teqniques to try, anyone know what works best? He really does get worked up if left alone. He was a rescue dog before my sister had him for the last two years.
I'll try a treat ball, but he isn't that bothered by food generally (which is just weird). For example he eats really slowly taking a couple of bits of food at a time out of the bowl an eating them rather than wolfing the lot.
This may calm down with time (it's only been a couple of days) but I'd like to do everything I can to help him to be happier in the longer term. I'd also really like an unbroken nights sleep!
Another thing is that he flinches if you move your hand suddenly, this makes me think that some b
d has been cruel to him in the past. This was much worse when my sister first got him.
This may calm down with time (it's only been a couple of days) but I'd like to do everything I can to help him to be happier in the longer term. I'd also really like an unbroken nights sleep!
Another thing is that he flinches if you move your hand suddenly, this makes me think that some b
d has been cruel to him in the past. This was much worse when my sister first got him.Edited by Speed addicted on Friday 19th November 21:11
So it turns out he has no interest in treats and won't get bored of barking. He'll also attempt to dig through the kitchen door if left long enough!
I'm now putting him in the kitchen for gradually longer times and banging the door when he barks. He's a fast learner and so far in the last two hours we're up to 15 mins unsupervised. That's in three tries!
I've tried to give him treats when he's quiet but he's just not interested.
We have a very strange dog!
I'm now putting him in the kitchen for gradually longer times and banging the door when he barks. He's a fast learner and so far in the last two hours we're up to 15 mins unsupervised. That's in three tries!
I've tried to give him treats when he's quiet but he's just not interested.
We have a very strange dog!
Well we had to go out to a pre-arranged dinner last night and came home to find that he'd dismantled the kitchen doorframe.
So I tried putting him in the travel crate (fabric one) outside our bedroom door, and shut the door. Silence!
I'll try leaving the crate in the kitchen from now on so he can get used to having somewhere to go if he wants to. As far as I know he's never been in one, I only bought it to keep the inside of the car clean.
Of course this would be the morning that I can't sleep anyway.
So I tried putting him in the travel crate (fabric one) outside our bedroom door, and shut the door. Silence!
I'll try leaving the crate in the kitchen from now on so he can get used to having somewhere to go if he wants to. As far as I know he's never been in one, I only bought it to keep the inside of the car clean.
Of course this would be the morning that I can't sleep anyway.
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