Separation anxiety ? for Stewie

Turns out Stewie has a bad case of separation anxiety. I had to leave him alone last week in his crate at work for one hour, when I came back to my office he was covered in saliva from his neck down, I had to leave him again but this time at home when I brought Viv to the vet and once again I come home to find him drenched I'm assuming from saliva.

I have never had to deal with this and not sure what to do to help him get over it.

I don't believe he was ever once alone since birth.

poor boy - and clever... I suggest a worksheet on the countertop at home and near the crate at work...you are going to have to diligently build him up.. from 2-3 minutes to 15, to 25, to 35... etc... and if he "slips" or "falters" go back a step or two... and you probably need 3 successes at each interval (this is not scientific, just suggesting a methodology... and, btw, I have no experience, only have heard the process outlilned so many times!)...

and you know all the helpful bits: a kong left for him to work on or a LARGE wet towel that has been bagged, and left in the freezer overnight (good to chew on, but not so small that he can swallow it!)...

keep us posted...

I am not sure if he has this prob at home if you are just out of the room.. but you basically seek a quiet moment, or 10 seconds before you "reward" him simply by returning.. and no big fanfare when you come back either - calm, level, tones... like it was nothing at all that he accomplished...

Thank Aylesh, I should try this on a Sat when we are home. He is totally fine with me out of the room as long as I am in the house, or if he is here with Viv he just can't deal by himslef.

I left him with my dad and his dog one day for an hour at work and he was fine, as long as someone is with him that is all that matters.

Yes, he's going to have to learn that he can survive... Short civilized absences that is!

Donna:
I posted a separate thread on dealing with separation anxiety.

I would strongly suggest you get a booklet by Patricia McConnell called I'll Be Home Soon. One of the best things I've read on dealing with SA. And do make sure it is SA and not just general anxiety. SA can be hard to work around, but not hopeless.

northernwitch wrote:Donna:
I posted a separate thread on dealing with separation anxiety.

I would strongly suggest you get a booklet by Patricia McConnell called I'll Be Home Soon. One of the best things I've read on dealing with SA. And do make sure it is SA and not just general anxiety. SA can be hard to work around, but not hopeless.

Thanks Blanche, so what I am reading it doesn't sound like seperation anxiety, this only happens if he is alone completely, without me or Viv but if he is with someone he is fine. He is very attached to me but not to the point where he can't be in a room without me.

Ah I've been waiting for someone to post about this. Julian has SA so bad his heart races. I have been taking him to the new trainer and the second my daughter walks away it takes me 10 minutes to calm him down, it's literally like a pug-exorcist movie...Then when she is gone for awhile he is fine, then he sees her and starts the whine and anxiousness until she comes to him...

It gets quite maddening at times so we have started the interval-away time as well. It is going to take a long time or another pug to get him over this.

If you find another way, I'd love to hear...

Blanche beat me, I also highly recommend the Patricia McConnell book too. It's very helpful. SA is a bugger.

I appreciate that Blanche and Karen have so much knowledge about dog training. Thank you for sharing.

Karen and I are beautiful people..........

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

Good thing we are at opposite ends of the continent or our combined awesomeness would be overwhelming.....

We could open a training school and call it Two Awesome Broads......

northernwitch wrote:

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

Good thing we are at opposite ends of the continent or our combined awesomeness would be overwhelming.....

We could open a training school and call it Two Awesome Broads......

And I'd be right there signing up Edgar as soon as possible!

northernwitch wrote:

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

Good thing we are at opposite ends of the continent or our combined awesomeness would be overwhelming.....

We could open a training school and call it Two Awesome Broads......

We could just sit back in the Control Center and let the dogs do the rest......chilling thought, huh?

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

Good thing we are at opposite ends of the continent or our combined awesomeness would be overwhelming.....

We could open a training school and call it Two Awesome Broads......

We could just sit back in the Control Center and let the dogs do the rest......chilling thought, huh?

Oooh! Stepford Dogs.....

northernwitch wrote:

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

Good thing we are at opposite ends of the continent or our combined awesomeness would be overwhelming.....

We could open a training school and call it Two Awesome Broads......

We could just sit back in the Control Center and let the dogs do the rest......chilling thought, huh?

Oooh! Stepford Dogs.....

Now you are scaring me.

northernwitch wrote:

pugasaurus wrote:

northernwitch wrote:Karen and I are beautiful people..........

We are, aren't we....

Good thing we are at opposite ends of the continent or our combined awesomeness would be overwhelming.....

.

I have said that about Sarina and I!