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05-29-2006, 10:48 AM
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Fluffy Potatokisser
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Aberdeen, NC
Age: 31
Posts: 4,891
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I just want to say that separation anxiety is something that CAN be hereditary, just like fur chewing in chinchillas. However, like someone else said, many "puppies" go through a bout of this at a certain age. Kali never did it, but Orion went through it at about 10 months old. It was odd, because he was born into this family and things didn't change much so why did he go through it? Goodness only knows, but he cried, whinned, shredded things, ate a hole in 2 mattresses, chewed, clawed and forced his way through the bathroom door in a matter of 10 minutes...it was AWFUL!! We did a LOT of the "pretending to take stuff outside" and short drives around the block and such to get him to understand that just because we are out of sight for a minute, we aren't gone FOREVER! Another thing we did was NOT make a big deal when we got home. Most people think if they praise, praise, praise the second they walk in the door, their dogs will feel better. That's not true. It builds it up even worse because of the expectation factor. It actually can worsen the anxiety because of the anticipation! So, we worked on making coming home "no big deal" therefore taking the anticipation factor away. When we came home, we would walk past the dogs and go about our business as if we had been home all that time. After a few months of working on it, things got MUCH better. Now, Orion only has problems if we leave and take Kali with us. If she's here, he's okay, but left alone without her, he gets destructive. THAT, I can live with, because its VERY rare that Kali goes anywhere without him.
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Chin Mom to Lila, Skye, Ty, Rolex, Calypso, Lizzie, Jax, Sam, Sage, Lorenzo, Spitfire, Holly, Dylan, Leia, Punky, Kylie, Skylar, Jetta, Oreo, Emma, Forest, Georgie, Alexis, Picador and all the kits! Pittie Mom to Kali and Orion Rattie Mom to Drake and Dumbo Bunny Mom to Dutchie Plain ole Mom to Zach, Brandon and Connor!
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05-30-2006, 05:17 PM
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Flunky Gerbilhonker
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newfoundland
Age: 24
Posts: 14,038
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Yep, thats what my family does with Coco too...they ignore him 5-10 minutes before leaving and 5-10 minutes when coming home and he is fine now...only every now and then freaks out!
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= Lisa = 
Proud to be a Newfoundlander |
05-30-2006, 10:32 PM
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Glowing Super Soaker Snot Ball Shooter
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Age: 35
Posts: 6,532
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05-30-2006, 11:04 PM
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Princess in Waiting
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Central FL - beside the Mouse
Age: 56
Posts: 1,367
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I've always been a strong believer in crating the dogs when hubby was at work and I wanted to go somewhere (or we went somewhere together). The Cavaliers are great together, but my Shih Tzu was kind of left without a home. Then I went to visit my Mom for about a month last summer and hubby decided that there was no need to put the dogs in the crates - let them run free!! I could have choked him. Now as we leave the house we can hear Sasha (the Shih Tzu) screaming until we get in the car.
She's a BIG BABY - although not a big dog. A lot of nights I can't sleep and will come to the office and get on the computer. When she wakes up and realizes I'm not there she screams her head off. The only reason I run to get her is so that she won't wake everyone up. She also gets "lost" in the house sometimes and can't find us so she howls. She has to actually see me before she realizes where I am and that it's okay that she comes with me. I blame this partially on myself. I've been sick for some time and she has spent a lot of time in bed with me, so she thinks the bedroom is the only place to be. She must be in the chair w/hubby right now watching TV. She has to spend a certain amount of time with him every night.
Chrissy, yours was a horror story. I'm sorry you and your family went through that and I'm sorry that you had to put the dog down but sometimes that is the only choice. I've read so many stories about pit bulls suddenly "snapping" and going after their owners or neighbors; at least everything she ruined was replaceable. And I know you are still sad. I lost my first shih tzu 5 years ago (Sasha is 4) but I still miss the first one. Such different personalities!
Critter
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CRITTERCALL
"If they care, it doesn't matter; if it matters, they don't care."
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05-31-2006, 12:04 PM
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Adolescent Pup
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 119
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Wow. After reading this thread, I realize that what we thought was a behavioral problem with Toby may be separation anxiety. When I'm home, he goes outside to potty with no problem. When I'm gone, he pees in the dining room. We thought he just didn't bother holding it if no one was home to let him out.
I noticed that if I leave and my husband is here, he pees, but if my husband leaves and I stay home, he doesn't. I was convinced that my husband wasn't paying attention and letting him out when he needed to go, but reading these posts, it may just be anxiety because mom's gone. (My husband says he acts stressed when I leave and often waits by the door.)
This is great to know because we've been approaching the problem as a housebreaking issue not an anxiety issue and it hasn't been getting any better. Maybe this will help us to finally reclaim our dining room!
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05-31-2006, 01:53 PM
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Princess in Waiting
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Central FL - beside the Mouse
Age: 56
Posts: 1,367
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Isn't it amazing how much we can learn from each other. We think we are the only ones in the world with this problem, but now everyone comes crawling out of their woodwork of shame because they think it's just them and their dog when we realize that we are not alone!!
I made the mistake of closing the dogs up in my bedroom one day when there was someone here working on the house. Once again, the Cavaliers are such princesses they wouldn't dare do anything wrong. The ShihTzu with attitude showed me - she pee'd on my bed. Needless to say I was not a happy camper!
Which brings us all down to part of it may be house-breaking, part anxiety. Was she anxious because she was closed up in a room away from me? Or was she angry because I had put her away? If only they would talk to us!!
Good luck to us all with this problem. I for one always appreciate more info. And Kfielder, it takes some dogs longer to train their owners than it does others!! (You don't really think that they are trained do you!?!)
Critter
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CRITTERCALL
"If they care, it doesn't matter; if it matters, they don't care."
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05-31-2006, 02:03 PM
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Adolescent Pup
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 119
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05-31-2006, 08:51 PM
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Movin' Up in the Pack
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chilliwack, BC, Canada
Age: 25
Posts: 954
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06-03-2006, 12:59 AM
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Driving Diva
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: In the polar north
Posts: 941
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Chrissy I want to say sorry about your dog, I also think that you will one day see him again...right now he is looking down at you with love.. all the love that it took for you to end his suffering here (I truly believe that some dogs mentally suffer the same as some dogs physically suffer right before they go to the rainbow bridge) He truly is in a much better place where he can run and frolic with all our fur babies that are over the rainbow bridge.
Denise have you tried crate training Logan? a great suggestion that I got from someone else is to place your dog in the crate and lay/sit down on the floor next to it... do this about 30 min before you are going to leave, for about 10 min... talk calmly or sing softly to him.. and try not to make a big deal when you leave. Make sure you have a toy like a KONG in there filled up so he doesn't get bored while you are gone.... I used to believe in the whole dog loose in the house while you are gone theory but after several thousands of dollars in damage to our house I quickly bought a crate... now all 3 of my dogs LOVE theirs and actually spend a lot of the day in there voluntarily with the cage door open. If he barks for attention Ignore it! do not even give him a response of telling him to be quiet. Another thing a tired dog is a good dog it is possible that he is whining because he is bored... make sure he has plenty of toys to play with again filled Kong's are great for curing boredom... Have you considered taking an obedience class? a lot of beginning OB classes will teach you how to deal with this type of behavior. Good Luck!
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~Ignorance can be cured with education~
Mom to:
A little girl (6) and a little boy (4), and 2 dogs  Leo and Gunner
 Proud Coastie Sister!!  My brother is in Virginia at FT school !!
RIP Ed October 2000-November 2007
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06-05-2006, 11:51 PM
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Tongue Tied..Literally!
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago
Age: 40
Posts: 4,256
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06-06-2006, 12:29 AM
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Driving Diva
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: In the polar north
Posts: 941
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Have you tried giving him a job to do?... give him a kong packed super tight with a lot of different things like peanut butter, kibble, little treats etc.... this could help with the whining ...if he is busy maybe he will forget to whine? I have recently started doing this with my bigger 2 dogs who like to bark & whine during the day (very annoying when the 1 1/2 year old is trying to nap) it has considerably cut down on their need to whine or bark because they are so busy trying to get the food out of the Kongs.
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~Ignorance can be cured with education~
Mom to:
A little girl (6) and a little boy (4), and 2 dogs Leo and Gunner
Proud Coastie Sister!! My brother is in Virginia at FT school !!
RIP Ed October 2000-November 2007
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06-06-2006, 05:25 PM
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Flunky Gerbilhonker
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newfoundland
Age: 24
Posts: 14,038
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Oh yes, kongs are a really good idea as well! They can keep a dog occupied for awhile if there is a yummy snack inside!
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= Lisa =
Proud to be a Newfoundlander
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06-06-2006, 06:28 PM
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Movin' Up in the Pack
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chilliwack, BC, Canada
Age: 25
Posts: 954
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Tags
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animal rescue, cage door open, crate training, elvis lee, fur babies, german shepard, pet store, pet stores, pit bull, pit bulls, shih tzu  |
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Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
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It's always hard losing a pet and they do stay with us in our hearts forever 
I don't make a big deal when I leave. In fact, I don't give them eye contact but when I come home I say hello to them and it gets them all excited. I won't do that anymore. 
