Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety questions and answers

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Q: separation anxiety?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>?
Why should I feel this? The company Im working with since opening has sold already, Every coworker I have is just fine,But me, I had this feeling that I cant Merely understand. I felt that something is detached from me, It's just like Ive been broken hearted and Im shaterring.? Do I have separation anxiety?

A: I went through this with a company I used to work for. They sold without letting anyone know. We all were able to keep our jobs, but I felt betrayed. I was friends with my boss and his wife and it was a hard adjustment for me. Out of respect and friendship with them, I made the transitions with my mouth shut and went home and cried in private. Eventually, it got easier to deal with. They eventually left the company and 4 years later, so did I.

Q: How do you crate train a puppy with separation anxiety?
I have a four month old puppy with separation anxiety and I just got a crate for him. How do I crate train him to like his crate so I don't traumatize him?? And when I have to leave how do I put him in so he doesn't think it's a punishment?

A: EASIEST SOLUTION: When you take him out for walks, take him out using the crate. He will associate the crate with going outside (ie. FUN) and will have no problems jumping in! Using snacks is another good way to tempt him into there.

Q: Is it possible for a dog to never get over separation anxiety?
My Peke-Poo has separation anxiety from being locked in the garage and basically forgotten about by his previous owner. The classic case of cute as a tiny pup but got bigger than they wanted... in other words stupid humans! Anyway I've tried everything I can think of to cure this dog and nothing has worked. As soon as I go out the door he's howling like a banshee and when I come home he's pacing back and forth in his crate like a nutjob. He also pee's and poops in his crate despite the fact that I make him do his business several times before I leave. I ignore him until he calms down and then I let him out of the crate. I've tried leaving the light & the radio on but it doesn't seem to matter. I've even given him treats when he calms down but after a year his behavior has NOT improved! Is he just damaged for life or what?

A: This is a great reason not to use a crate, among all the other reasons. How would you like to be shut in a box for hours? He is going crazy with boredom and claustrophobia! By all means give him a kennel he can go into if he needs a refuge, but let him have the run of the house or backyard when you're out. Make sure he has food, water and toys to keep him occupied (kongs and puzzle cubes are good) while you're away. Don't make a fuss when you leave, or when you return - ignore his bad behaviour and when he gets no reaction to it, it will stop. I'm sure you have the best of intentions but you are quite frankly treating him little better than his previous owners. And if it needs saying, there is no such thing as a peekpoo, he is a crossbreed or mutt like any other mutt and they all have the same needs.

Q: How long does a husky puppy's separation anxiety last?
I have a 3 month olf husky puppy and he hates being alone unless he is FAST asleep. if he looks around and doesnt se anyone, he starts whining and barking. right now im home because I don't have school but come september i won't be home for at least 4-6 hrs most days of the week. at what age do puppies start decreasing their separation anxiety?

A: Seperation Anxiety knows no age. I have a 7 year old German Shepherd that has it. The only thing that helped him was anti anxiety pills from the vet. When I got my second dog I took my Shepherd off the pills and he hasn't needed them since.Thats been about 3 year ago that he took his last pill. Sometimes they just don't like to be alone. Maybe for now you could get a stuffed animal that has your scent on it and leave it with him only when you are gone. Don't let him have it while you are there. It would be kinda like a reward for when you leave. Try leaving him for 10 minutes and then come back. Give him a treat before you leave and when you get back. Lengthen the amount of time you stay gone each time. Soon he will realize that you are going to come back and that he'll get rewards for staying home. He may start to think that you leaving isn't so bad afterall. Good luck I hope it helps. I love Ceasar Milan too. He can be very helpful but... when I got my Shepherd he was 4 years old. He was a neglect case that I took on. He had many anxiety problems and his "issues" were severe. I would run him,feed him, and make sure he did #1 and #2 everyday before I left but he still tore up everything he could get ahold of. There was nothing that would calm him but me I geuss because I was the only one he trusted. Hopefully, though with a puppy and a fresh start Ceasar's way might work.

Q: Can a 3 month old have separation anxiety?
The daycare told me that for the past week my 3 month old has been crying all day. Before she was a happy baby and didnt mind being at daycare and only cried when she needs something. So my question is, is it possible for a 3 month old to have separation anxiety? Yes she does have reflux. She has been in a daycare since about 6-7 weeks and she is just now starting to cry. This is a very good daycare. They dont put her down in a crib. The toddlers older kids and babies are all separated. And there are only 2 other babies and there are 4 workers in the baby part.

A: Yes

Q: Does my dog have a form of separation anxiety?
Whenever I leave the house my dog barks a lot. If I'm walking him with a friend, he starts barking if one of us walks away. He also barks when I return home LOTS. He doesn't destroy the house when I'm out, but he does guard the property. Is this separation anxiety, and how can I stop him doing this? Apart from these incidents he's very well behaved. He's a farm dog and is not spoilt. Thank you to everyone who has given me good constructive advice. Some of you are really bizarre!!! Firstly a dog is NOT a child, and secondly leaving a dog for a few hours a day at a time is certainly not cruel in any way. My dog gets a 1 1/2 hour walk every morning before work and gets let out at lunch. Some of you are very quick to judge. I just wanted a little advice.

A: It isn't yet seperation anxiety but it could turn into that without something being done! What do you do when he barks? When leaving do you call out to him that you'll be back or to tell him to shut up or be quiet.? When you come home do you immediately greet him when he's barking or again tell him to be quiet? When a friend walks away do you tell him it's alright, they are coming back? If so you are paying attention and encouraging him to bark! It's the natural reaction for us, but it sends the wrong message to the dog. To stop the behaviour you have to ignore it and only praise the dog by word or touch when he is quiet. Start by retraining him to your leaving, put him in a room and tell him stay, then walk out and shut the dog. After a few minutes go back in. If you can time the opening of the door between barks so much the better but ignore him if he is barking. once he isn't reward him with a simple good boy then repeat the exercise. build up the time gradually till he understands, you will come back. When you come home it's harder for you as it's natural to want to greet him, but again as long as he's barking ignore him, as soon as he's quiet make a fuss! The same thing applies on walks, ignore the barking and even turn and walk him the opposite way to your friend.

Q: How do I overcome my Separation Anxiety Disorder?
Symptoms: # Recurring distress when separated from the subject of attachment (such as the mother or home) # Persistent, excessive worrying about losing the subject of attachment # Persistent, excessive worrying that some event will lead to separation from a major attachment # Excessive fear about being alone without subject of attachment I experience all of these symptoms. I have had these problems my whole life. My mother used to be the object of this anxiety, but recently that has switched to my girlfriend (who I love more than anything and care very much about) being the subject of my worry. What are some good treatment methods that could help me to not feel so crappy everytime the anxiety comes on?

A: Some therapy techniques you could try (preferably with a registered counsellor/psychologist/therapist) are: -cognitive therapy (to address any possible irrational beliefs-- see Albert Ellis' ABC method) -cognitive-behavioural approaches such as William Glasser's Reality Therapy (addresses the disjunct between your ideal reality and your perceived reality, and empowers you to take control of your thoughts and behaviours) -general behavioural therapies to help you take steps to overcome your anxiety Good luck!

Q: what can I do for my dog with separation anxiety?
Does anyone have any good suggestions about getting my dog out of the habit of having separation anxiety? She constantly freaks out when anyone leaves or walks out the door.

A: Maybe get him a buddy? Or take him to socialization classes. Dogs, especially some breeds, have this problem and it isn't easy to fix. Have you talked to your vet?

Q: Is there a medication to help dogs with separation anxiety?
Our 8 month old Lab has terrible separation anxiety, he chews anything he can, even started ripping the skirting from a couch. he has another dog for company, plenty of chew toys etc.. We adopted him from the pound when he was 3 months old. I do leave the tv on and he has food cubes, he gets plenty of play time and excercise. I think he gets mad because I leave. I do not want to crate him, but it might come to that. Thanks for the advice. I know that considering medication is extreme, but I feel we are at that point with him, unless we can try something else. Thanks for your info.

A: Hi, have a bichon who has the same problem. But she tends to be self mutilating instead of chewing on the sofa to rid herself of tension. we had to put a victorian collar on her just to leave the house, and crate her... and when we came home, we had to bathe her becuase she was lying in a pool of drool. your pup isn't mad at you, just anxious because you have left and he is basically flipping out. OK, so here is what we did to work through it. First, we saw an animal behaviorist/ vet. that gave us clomicalm. We eventually weaned her off of this, but it calmed her down so we could start a behavior modification plan. The plan went as this: give drugs and then out for a good walk before we leave... a tired dog is more likely to sleep. Crate her so she can feel secure and not get into anything that could harm her. We then took a three day weekend to do the "away for 1 min, then 5 min. etc." We had a trainer come over and help us with that bit. to make sure our timing for praising her was just right. (This was expensive, but not nearly as expensive as replacing drywall and the vet bills for granuloma treatment from her licking herself to death! lol!) It took a few months to work it out totally until she was able to maintain when we are gone, but it has been 4 years and now she is baby-gated in the kitchen when we are gone and she is fine! Not even on meds anymore! So you can get through this, it just takes some time. Good luck!- dd p.s. here is the link that helped us get started on the right path! http://www.cpvh.com/Articles/47.html http://canines.com/library/sepanxiety.shtml

Q: 6 yr old Weimeraner with separation anxiety - pees in the house?
Our 6 yr old male weim pees in the house when my husband leaves. So, basically when he is left home with me, he pees on the floor. He does not do this when I leave the house and he is here with my husband. When we both leave he is crated so it isn't an issue. He has not always done this, he started about a year ago intermittently but now it is every time my husband leaves. He is very attached to my husband so I am assuming this is a separation anxiety issue. We now have a newborn at home and when I am left at home I really can't handle this. Any suggestions?

A: this link through the ASPCA has some good ideas on how to ease separation anxiety, including crating. hope it helps (it was too long to copy and paste) http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_separationanxiety

Q: Is it normal for a 16 year old to have separation anxiety?
Whenever I do things such as spend the night at someones house, I have separation anxiety from being away from my mom. Not all the time, it kind of comes and goes, but it really been there lately. I don't know why I feel this way. I've been like this pretty much my entire life. Sometimes I make plans and if I feel like I'm going to have the anxiety, I cancel my plans or if not sometimes I don't have a good time. I don't know why I'm like this. Is it normal? Any help?

A: You're normal. Some people never get over it.

Q: Can dogs have separation anxiety? If so what’s the best way to treat it?
My 10-month-old pit bull puppy just recently lost his playmate and ever since he has been following everyone in the house around and whining when we walk away or don’t pet him. We don’t know if he’s suffering from separation anxiety or just being a big baby.

A: The answer is probably yes n the best solution is gettin a partna for him..... :)

Q: Can babies who co-sleep get separation anxiety at night?
Can a baby who is over 6 months old get separation anxiety at night though Baby is sleeping with Mom-Dad? If yes, how is that possible since Baby is right next to Mom-Dad?

A: they are times when my daughter wakes up all snuggly with daddy...and she fusses cause she wants me.....but now at 9 months old she can sit up and crawl across our king size bed and lay down with me.....and of course she wants some boobie it's quite cute actually

Q: how do i cure my dogs separation anxiety?
I have an airedale terrier who i rescued from the shelter and he has separation anxiety (i think). He cries/barks/howls everytime i go away. And it just isn't for the first 10 mminutes ..it is off and on all day (apparently). We have neighbours. How do i deal with this? How can i help him?

A: My dog also has separation anxiety and she was also a rescue. We've been through amitriptyline & clomicalm as far as medications go, and they worked well-but besides the medication being expensive, so are the blood/liver enzyme tests they have to run every 3 months for as long as your pet is on the medication. So now, combined with getting a second dog to help provide company to our first dog while we're away, we also do a lot of anxiety training. Pay attention to what you're doing & what your dog notices as you get ready to leave. Putting shoes on, picking up keys, opening garage doors, etc. are all triggers to our pets that we're getting ready to leave. So we are attempting to "desensitize" our dog to these triggers. Put your shoes on, take your shoes off. Put them on, take them off, put them on, take them off. Open the garage door, close the garage door. Pick up your keys, put down your keys. Rinse, repeat. ;-) Doing this will take time, and lots of determination & consistency on your behalf, but it is well worth it in the end. The whole point is to prevent the anxiety associated with you leaving, so that your dog thinks that you being gone is no big deal! Heck, its better than coming home to blood everywhere after your dog has chewed its way out of yet, ANOTHER cage (like mine did!) We still give her kongs stuffed with peanut butter but she isn't interested in them at all. The second dog has helped a bit, but we still come home & find her completely soaked from where she pants & slobbers on herself all day (we keep our house cool, so its not like it is hot in there!) The good news is, combined with our anxiety training at home & just general obedience training, she hasn't chewed her way out of a crate/pulled up carpet/cracked a glass window pane/etc. in over a year. Good luck!