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Extreme separation anxiety

461 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  JoanneF 
#1 ·
I have lived with dogs for over 50 years but have never had a dog with seperation anxiety like this. I had a blind dog who would scratch the door a little, but eventually stopped. One of my current dogs has seperation anxiety pretty bad. I took in this dog from a stranger who said she was too busy now. The 10 year old female chihuahua had not been to the vet in years and I was told was not really potty trained, but went in the house in a certain spot. Not a deal breaker, since I lived with a dog who was pad trained for 3 years and a dog that wore diapers for 5 years. The first month was uneventful. I would take her out yet she would still potty inside (on my washable pads). I could see where she would scratch the wall to wall carpeting at my apartment's front door. I put a scratch pad at the door, but then I would hear her scream while I was standing outside (and I am on the second floor). This is a BIG problem. The rug is destroyed as she stood on the scratch pad to rip up the rug further. I crated her, but she tore the crate pad inside apart. I listen to her still screaming hours later on my puppy cam. This is unacceptable. Even if I move from my couch at home, she follows me. I have begun taking her to work ( I work at 2 doggy daycare facilities). Even at work she follows me around and if I manage to get through a door without her, I hear her scream sometimes a few minutes later. Now it is it going to be impossible to take her. During spring break we can't bring our dogs to work. The official start of spring break is in a week. Even with the coronavirus making people change their spring break plans, I think we will still have a number of dogs, so we still may not be able to bring our pups to work. Any advice on what I could do in a week so she can stay home without waking the dead with her screaming when I leave for work at 6:00am.
 
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#2 ·
What can you do in a week - I'm afraid, realistically, every little. Certainly not enough to resolve the problem. SaA has to be addressed very slowly, always at the dog's pace and crucially always returning before your dog gets distressed because you can't resolve anxiety when the dog is in a state of anxiety. Leaving a dog to cry it out doesn't work, the ones that go quiet don't do so because they suddenly realise everything is all right, they do it because they have given up - it's an extreme example but in trauma victims it's the silent ones who are most damaged.

We have a very good sticky thread on SA which I will attach but a week isn't going to do it. Is there someone your dog could stay with while you spend time at work?

 
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