Separation Anxiety

My foster Angel is a total angel in every way, but he has a bit of separation anxiety that I wanted to try and work on with him. He will cry and scratch at the door when I go out to the garage, and then cry at the bottom of the stairs when I go up. But, he will quiet down after a few mintues so it's not constant. It doesn't seem to matter that the other pugs are around him. The biggest issue is when I leave for work (he's in an x pen), and when I get home-he screeeeeeeeams. I have been ignoring him until he calms down, and then praise him-just wanted to make sure I am on the right track. What is tricky is his screaming sets off Indy's screaming, so then they egg each other on so it's really hard to get them to get quiet. My neighbors probably think I'm murdering people!

I already specified he's not to go to an apartment!

He's still pretty new so I suspect that much of this will die down once he adjusts more....but....since you do so much fostering, it would probably be a good idea to get "I'll Be Home Soon", by Patricia McConnell. It deals with nothing but separation anxiety.

One nice thing about a dog that attaches fast is that he will attach fast to his new family too.

pugasaurus wrote:He's still pretty new so I suspect that much of this will die down once he adjusts more....but....since you do so much fostering, it would probably be a good idea to get "I'll Be Home Soon", by Patricia McConnell. It deals with nothing but separation anxiety.

One nice thing about a dog that attaches fast is that he will attach fast to his new family too.

It's a great book! I also love The Cautious Canine.

And Saira--it sounds less like separation anxiety and more like just general newbie anxiety helped along by his fellow screamer.

This sounds like what Mac used to do when we crated him in the kitchen separate from the other two. He would scream and howl like he was being tortured when he'd hear the garage door go up when someone was coming home.
Now they're all loose together and all greet me at the door with their chorus of barks, whines and yodeling.

Angel must like you a lot

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:This sounds like what Mac used to do when we crated him in the kitchen separate from the other two. He would scream and howl like he was being tortured when he'd hear the garage door go up when someone was coming home.
Now they're all loose together and all greet me at the door with their chorus of barks, whines and yodeling.

Angel must like you a lot

Mine run loose too and when I come home at lunch they lift their lazy heads up from the couch and yawn like I'm intruding on their space!! Then they realize that its mama and they follow me to the kitchen. This all changes at 4:30 when I get home for the day. When I pull in the driveway they are standing at the window with their heads against the glass. By the time I get out of the car, the heads disappear and they are gathered at the door. They put the Walmart greeters to shame!!! They barely let me in. My favourite part is watching their bodies nearly split in half from the insane wiggling!

I just got another foster with severe separation anxiety too (sigh). Tonight she is actually snoozing in a dog bed 12 ft away from me. That's the first time since Friday night that she's been further than about a foot away by choice. I guess we're making progress.