kiesha09 Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Over the past few months I have started noticing that my girl Kiesha who is 4 years old is showing some signs of seperation anxiety. I normally feed the dogs either while I'm having my breakfast or just before I run out the door when I go to work. Lately if I feed them just before I leave, Kiesha won't eat her breakfast, begins trembling and howls as I walk out the door. If I feed them while I have breakfast before my shower etc she just goes back to bed and goes to sleep so doesn't notice me leaving - obviously I am going to try and do it this way as it is clearly less stressful for her but I'm really concerned that this is going to escalate into something more serious (to be honest I already think its serious with the signs she is showing). Currently she is not destructive or anything like that but is obviously stressed when I leave for work or elsewhere especially if I go out at night. I work between 8 and 10 hours per day and she has my other dog for company whom she adores. I do 2 x training sessions per day and she gets 1/2 to 1 hour of exercise per day. Anyone have any recommendations on what I should do here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Yep Contact a behaviourist - who can watch what happens , and assess the situation, then work with you to manage things . upsetting for you all, I imagine - hopefully , if you ask, someone on here will recommend a good person with whom you can sort this out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 (edited) The meal when you're leaving could have been the cue to her that you're leaving hense creating some anxiety. So, I would continue as you are and feeding her well before you leave. Even leaving out of a different door can help that anxiety - dogs pick up on cues very easily. You might want to look at some calming supplements and have a look into a Leadership program as well in-case you have some gaps there. If you're not seeing improvement soon, contact a Behaviourist Edited September 10, 2010 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Treating separation-related distress can be a bit on the hit and miss side, because there can be different causes. I think there are some things you can try on your own, but there's a good argument for getting a professional assessment by a vet behaviourist early as well, which might see it being less of a hit and miss affair. Does she only get distressed if you feed her right before you leave? If that's the only time she is triggered, it would seem like it might just be that she is using that sequence of events as a cue that something bad is going to happen and it might be an easy fix to just scramble that cue like you are already doing. If you have a leaving routine she is already comfortable with, that can be really useful IME. I have read some books and papers where moderate success has been described by having a special toy or treat the dog only gets when you are leaving them. Years ago there was a fellow whose name has escaped me that had a high success rate with treating SA by setting up a tape player to play a bridging sound to signal the owner's imminent return. Karen Overall's sit-stay protocol and relaxation protocol also seem to be quite helpful, but maybe you wouldn't even need to go that far. My mum had a similar problem to what yours sounds like with her 8 year old dog when she started full-time work a while back. All she did was instigate a leaving routine that involved giving him a pig's ear or something similar to chew on as she left. It seemed to do the trick in distracting him from the act of her leaving so that he didn't get as upset in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Yes it is generally only if I feed them just as I leave so I think this is becoming the trigger for me leaving. I think I really need to change up my leaving routine and make it somewhat more random. I used to leave the dogs with kongs full of their breakfast and treat balls etc. which would distract them while I left but I would come home and find only a tiny bit eaten so didn't think it was worthwhile and started feeding them in their bowls. So I tried that this morning after Kiesha wouldn't eat her breakfast and she was totally not interested in them. But maybe thats because the trigger was already activated when I tried to give her breakfast so should try again. I am going to implement a few strategies ie leadership etc and also speak with a Behaviouralist. Sas can you recommend any good calming supplements (would you recommend rescue remedy?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Sas can you recommend any good calming supplements (would you recommend rescue remedy?) Rescue Remedy is for very mild anxiety. There are a number of different product out there that work differently in different dogs... Troy Behave http://www.vetnetsupplies.com/content.php/.../3-29-92/1333/0 Value Plus Calming Paste http://www.horsesuppliesdirect.com.au/prod1467.htm Canine Tranquil Formula http://www.petsonthepark.com.au/prod421.htm PetArk Calm http://www.getprice.com.au/PetArk-Calm-125...3--41279553.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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