New pet owner, help!

[ahayes1980]

Hello, this is my first time here, but I will probably be back many times! Just yesterday we adopted a 2 year old field spaniel named Romeo (Romy for short), i'm not sure if he's pure bred or not, someone told me no because he's too small to be a field spaniel, but anyway, I don't care. It was very unexpected, I went in to the shelter just to take my kids in and look and there was this ADORABLE 6 month old cocker spaniel, when I inquired about him the woman was very quick to tell me about a 2 year old field spaniel who was coming in that day. The minute I laid eyes on him that was it, he was mine! He is "completely" housebroken, very laid back, quiet, playful, good mannered dog. He knows most of the easy commands, sit, lay down, off, outside, etc. He had been living with a woman who worked at the shelter because the family who gave him up said they really didn't want him placed in a shelter, and she offered to keep him at her home (she also does other dog fostering) i'm not sure what the story was but they really seemed to care for him (his previous owners)..he is trained well, sweet, they even wrote a little letter saying all the things he likes/doesn't like. He is amazing and i'm not sure why he is being given up. Well, today was the first time I left him alone in the house. He freaked out! Showed great anxiety over being left (he is very attached me to me already, and follows me everywhere, he even tried to get in the shower with me this morning) He can be DEAD asleep and if I so much move a muscle he is up looking at me and ready to follow. But he isn't needy, he just goes where I go then lays down or sits by me. So, i'm not sure what that means..he must have some anxieties about being left alone? Anyway..when we got back home he was barking like mad and crying and he had peed in two different places in the house. I've only had him 2 days but from what I can tell he IS housebroken. He slept in our room last night without a problem and the rest of the time when I was home we didn't have any problems...did he do this because we left? We werent' gone that long, 1 1/2 hours..Why did he do this and what can I do to prevent it and ease his anxieties about being left alone? I am a stay at home mom, so, for the most part I am home quite a bit, but I DO have to go out sometimes without him, obviously and don't want him peeing every time I go when I know he's trained. He didn't do ANYTING to the house..didn't chew on anything, tear things up, get anything off the furniture, etc. The house was exactly as I left it except for the pee! Anyway, sorry this got long! I hope someone can help me!

Thank you!

[Evey]

This dog has already lost 2 families. I am sure he is concerned over losing you as well. Much as I don't agree with crate training this may be one of those situations where it might be needed.

Pick up your keys and walk out. Wait a few minutes and come back in. Do this randomly. He will learn that you are back quickly.

Also you could try giving him a bone or some other long lasting treat as you leave, so that he gets a positive association.

[_Lisa_]

Hi there! Congrats on your new dog, I'm glad to see that you're interested in finding out more about how you can help him. It sounds to me that he showing signs of separation anxiety, which isn't all that uncommon in dogs that have been shifted around from family to family.

My boxer mix also has separation anxiety, and its taken over a year to find a solution. In the mean time we've tried many different things, the first is crate training. Some people don't agree with crate training, but some dogs react really well to having a "safe haven" of their own. I used this site below for help regarding crate training, as well as consulted with my vet:

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html

Even after my dog was crate trained, and would lay in her crate all day as long as we were home, she would still freak out when we left the house. She successfully escaped from two crates (a wire pop-together crate (http://www.petmate.com/Catalog.plx?ID=1729&SizeID=4)w/ plastic pan and an airline kennel with plastic air holes (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=16017&large=/images/Categoryimages/larger/lg-28308-40361P_019-dog.jpg)) before we purchased a kennel that locked in 4 places & had wire doors & vents (http://www.petmate.com/Catalog.plx?ID=1546&SizeID=2). Each time she escaped she would show destructive behavior, although it didn't start out this way. At first she was just really excited that we were home or she might have peed in a few places, but eventually it turned to destruction of the house: she pulled up carpet, cracked window panes, pulled down blinds & screen doors, and would scratch at doors. She has even lost a few teeth along the way!

With the purchase of the third kennel we started her on amitriptyline (which was about a month after we got her), and it did help, but not nearly enough. In conjunction with the amitriptyline we began anxiety training at home, which is meant to de-sensitize your pup from everything he associates with you leaving. Pick up your keys, put down your keys, pick up your keys, put down your keys, etc. Put on your shoes, take off your shoes, put on your shoes, take off your shoes, etc. Go outside, come inside, go outside, come inside, etc.

A dog that has separation anxiety will show signs of it before you even leave the house, for example, my dog pants as soon as I pick up my purse. So I walk around with my purse on my shoulder for hours after I get home. Same with my laptop bag! One night I was preparing dinner w/ my laptop bag across my chest, my purse on my shoulder, & my keys dangling from my pocket.

We also enrolled our dog in an obedience class, and she always did much better during the time that she was home when we were going to class once a week. It helped to improve her overall behavior, and gave her some independence, which showed marked improvement over her behavior while we were gone from the house.

All of this takes time, effort, consistency, & patience. Its been over a year since we got her & we just recently adopted a second dog that has almost completely eliminated the separation anxiety completely. (And caring for a second dog is cheaper than the monthly medication & expensive blood tests that we had to pay for every 3 months!) We fostered until we found the pet that was right for us, and I wish we'd been more realistic about the cost-savings sooner.

Hopefully your dog's separation anxiety will not continue to worsen, its honestly different for every dog & there isn't much medical help for something pyschological like this. Phillydogs & I can share a thousand experiences with you with what we've been through, each with our own dogs experiencing separation anxiety. I wish you the best of luck & all the patience in the world! :D

[red14karat]

I had my beloved Tristan, a rottie for 12 years. He had separation anxiety bad. When I was home he was under my feet constantly. If I was cleaning house he was right with me. I just got use to every where I went he went with me. Like you said he didnt bother me he just laid there. Since Romy has been shuffled around so much I just think it will take time for him to get use to your leaving. I like the taking your keys and going out and waiting a few minutes then coming back. I just think it will take him awhile to get use to the fact that your not going to abandon him. Just lots of love and support that your going to be there for the long haul. I feel sure he will settle down as he gets more confidence that your coming back.





Hello, this is my first time here, but I will probably be back many times! Just yesterday we adopted a 2 year old field spaniel named Romeo (Romy for short), i'm not sure if he's pure bred or not, someone told me no because he's too small to be a field spaniel, but anyway, I don't care. It was very unexpected, I went in to the shelter just to take my kids in and look and there was this ADORABLE 6 month old cocker spaniel, when I inquired about him the woman was very quick to tell me about a 2 year old field spaniel who was coming in that day. The minute I laid eyes on him that was it, he was mine! He is "completely" housebroken, very laid back, quiet, playful, good mannered dog. He knows most of the easy commands, sit, lay down, off, outside, etc. He had been living with a woman who worked at the shelter because the family who gave him up said they really didn't want him placed in a shelter, and she offered to keep him at her home (she also does other dog fostering) i'm not sure what the story was but they really seemed to care for him (his previous owners)..he is trained well, sweet, they even wrote a little letter saying all the things he likes/doesn't like. He is amazing and i'm not sure why he is being given up. Well, today was the first time I left him alone in the house. He freaked out! Showed great anxiety over being left (he is very attached me to me already, and follows me everywhere, he even tried to get in the shower with me this morning) He can be DEAD asleep and if I so much move a muscle he is up looking at me and ready to follow. But he isn't needy, he just goes where I go then lays down or sits by me. So, i'm not sure what that means..he must have some anxieties about being left alone? Anyway..when we got back home he was barking like mad and crying and he had peed in two different places in the house. I've only had him 2 days but from what I can tell he IS housebroken. He slept in our room last night without a problem and the rest of the time when I was home we didn't have any problems...did he do this because we left? We werent' gone that long, 1 1/2 hours..Why did he do this and what can I do to prevent it and ease his anxieties about being left alone? I am a stay at home mom, so, for the most part I am home quite a bit, but I DO have to go out sometimes without him, obviously and don't want him peeing every time I go when I know he's trained. He didn't do ANYTING to the house..didn't chew on anything, tear things up, get anything off the furniture, etc. The house was exactly as I left it except for the pee! Anyway, sorry this got long! I hope someone can help me!

Thank you!

[babygyrlsuga]

my dog Spirit had that too... i know that when I brought another pet in the house... she all of a sudden grew up.... i guess when i'm gone... they have each other to play with... company... but that's not a solution for all dogs... that just been a good solution for mines... you could try and see... foster a dog...see how will that help...