Separation Anxiety Returning

[adoptapitbull]

When we first brought Cappy home, he had major SA. He would break out of his crate despite numerous zip ties and clips. He'd tear the room up while we were gone, and would go nuts when we got back.

We then tried crating him with Mav, and the SA seemed to go away. It worked for a year or two, till I got too paranoid of a fight to leave them in there together.

Lately I've been "bedroomimg" him with Granny and Mav (crated). He usually just sleeps with Gran on the bed until we get home. Now he's started a path of destruction and screaming when we put him in there. He's chewing on the door, the moulding, and the wall to get out. When he is not chewing, he's screaming bloody murder. I've tried crating him instead of Mav, and he ends up breaking the crate or getting stuck half way out.

Today I went online and bought him the airline crate, since I hope it will be more sturdy, and he won't be able to injure himself. I plan on doing the whole peanut butter/cheese/yummy filled Kong to keep his mind busy while we are gone.

I've heard that SA relapses are pretty normal, though it feels like going backwards. How have you all dealt with this?

[susan]

my sons dog angel has it bad he literly has to get sitter when he is gone, and all she does is moop n stares out window till he gets home. i feel sorry for you. she was a rescue

[marc]

so sorry to hear that. it is tough. My last dog Brandy, had it bad after we moved.
Only thing that worked for us was a behavioral protocol we got from Upenn. It started with the dog on her bed, leaving the room, leaving the house, leaving for extended periods of time, etc. That along with a food release ball worked for us. But it tool months to do, with small steps.

[adoptapitbull]

Usually his behavior is better when we are gone. It's when he hears that we are home and he is in another room, that's when he goes nuts.

[fureverywhere]

They say Ophie glues herself to the window by the couch while I'm gone, just sleeps n whines. Sounds like Cappy's got it bad though, I wonder if the vet could suggest something or maybe Rescue Remedy?

[maryellen]

if he hears you in another room that is not really SA to a degree, its just he wants to be with you. true SA is him tearing up the place when you leave .. have you tried to tire him the hell out before you go if he acts out when you are gone? sometimes sadie will act like a fool when i come home when she hears me if she is in her crate and i dont let her out.. she will scream like an idiot while i am taking care of cheyenne .

[adoptapitbull]

Before the airline crate, we left him in the spare room with only a bed in it. There's not much to destroy in there! If I leave anything in there, though, I consider it gone.

Another thing is when he hears a guest come in the house, he will go nuts to try to see them. I'm talking scratching up the door, eating the door, eating the molding, etc. Should I try to leash him and let him meet the person (usually not "dog people" unfortunately) and then remove him if he acts wild? I also don't like to have him greet people with Mav around since they have redirected on each other (mildly, just loud sounds and growls, no bites or fights).

It would almost be easier if he just hated people. "Oh, don't go in there, he's not friendly."

[maryellen]

i would leash him to you, keep treats handy if you can,and whenthe people come over tell them to ignore him completely, this way once he settles down and is quiet you reward him for being quiet with a treat, and then let him meet the person... you can also put his crate in the main room where everyone will be, and if he acts up, quietly bring him to the crate and dont say a word and just crate him , then take him out again in a few minutes on leash and if he behaves he gets a treat and meet whoever is there..
can you teach him a cute trick so that when someone comes over while he is on leash he can perform the trick before meeting the person? kinda like nilif in a sense... do a trick/behave meet the person.. act like a fool get quietly taken to the crate (and treat for going in the crate so that he associates the treat and crate as the best thing...

i have to do that with sadie, she has to be leashed to me when people come over as she is a jerk and jumps on everyone. so i greet people with her on leash, if she behaves she gets a treat, adn tthen once she settles down she is allowed to greet the person, if she acts up i take her to her crate and crate her, then go back in a bit and try it again...

[adoptapitbull]

I think I'm going to try the leashed thing. We have a friend coming in this weekend. She's not a true dog person, but she doesn't dislike them either. She's kind of in the middle. She arrives here at like 1am, though, so maybe I'll just tell her to not talk and go straight to bed so Cap doesn't hear her. I'm such a nice hostess, aren't I? "Shut up and go to bed!" lol

I just don't want him thinking his crate is punishment. Right now he's in it because Snarf and Phyl are out, and he's crying something awful. He goes in pretty easily with a treat, thank goodness.

[maryellen]

if you feed him in his crate that will make it a great place. when people come over you can also give him a bone or kong while in the crate so he associates the crate and people with yummy stuff.. he cant act a fool with a mouthful of peanut butter in a kong... the more attention and treats and great things he gets with that crate the more he will associate it with great things.. you can also babygate him (use 2 gates) if you dont want to crate him when the other dogs are playing and give him something beyond super yummy to eat while they are playing, this way he wont cry when they are out