Teaching my dogs with separation anxiety to not be so... anxious.

[eponacowgirl]

So, here's the situation.

I have two dogs, a spaniel mix and a beagle/JRT mix. They're both shelter rescues and the spaniel is 3 and the terrier is 5. I live with roommates right now, and there are two more dogs in the house. My dogs are well socialized and 99% trustworthy off leash in a farm environment. They have excellent manners with people and other dogs.

My living situation is probably going to change in the next few months. I work full time at a barn and my dogs are mostly house dogs. They never come to work with me except on occasion when I take them out to hike or ride with me. Since I do work in a dog friendly environment, I would love to have the option to bring them with me. Not because "I want to have my puppies at the barn with me!" more because if I move out from the roommates, I spend LONG hours at the barn and its not fair for them to be home alone all day. I'd also like them to be able to travel to horse shows with me- as an option, again, so I have more flexibility.

They're very comfortable traveling, but get upset when I'm out of sight. Luckily, they're not destructive when they're upset- just vocal. Once they're settled into a routine- they're fine. AKA, when we move to a new house, they cry for about a week when we leave. They're fine if I leave them in the car while I run in the bank/store/whatever because they're used to the car- so I know they're capable of behaving.

I don't want them to follow me around all the time at the barn/shows. I'd like to be able to put them in a large crate/pen most of the time, together, where they can spend most of the day lounging around and not getting anyone's way. I know this is going to be a training exercise and I'll not bring them anywhere I can't remove them from the situation if they're not behaving until I'm sure they can handle it.

Any suggestions on how to train this behavior properly? They were both crate trained when I got them, for about a year each, until they could prove they could behave out of the crate.

[Brio]

I'd suggest going back to the crate training. When they are crated you can cover the crate with a large sheet. That seems to settle most dogs and give them some privacy. If you go to any large dog shows you'll see almost every crate is covered.

[eponacowgirl]

When I bring them with me anywhere, I usually bring their crate and put them in it. They still cry and bark. They are not crated at home anymore. Do you think just doing it more and more will be the key? Bring them somewhere and crate them, get them out, back in, out, back in until they just realize that crate does not equal abandonment?

[vacation1]

I would suggest - ie, not a dog trainer, etc., just ideas - that you start out easy. Find the least stressful situation in which they'll cry. Ideally, they'll start being vocal if you crate them say, on the porch and then go inside. That way you won't have to add the complication of travel at first. Before you put them in the crate to train them, tire them out first. Then crate and leave them there until there's a second when they're quiet, then reward them by letting them out. Repeat.

And just a thought - some dogs might be better off left home all day to sleep in seeming boredom because when they're taken along and given the opportunity to relax in a shady corner and take in the world from a safe pen/crate - they can't relax. I've got one of those highly energetic, curious dogs who literally cannot relax if anything's moving - BUTTERFLY! POLLEN! LEAF! - and in her case it would be misguided to expect that she'd eventually settle down and relax.

[eponacowgirl]

I would suggest - ie, not a dog trainer, etc., just ideas - that you start out easy. Find the least stressful situation in which they'll cry. Ideally, they'll start being vocal if you crate them say, on the porch and then go inside. That way you won't have to add the complication of travel at first. Before you put them in the crate to train them, tire them out first. Then crate and leave them there until there's a second when they're quiet, then reward them by letting them out. Repeat.

And just a thought - some dogs might be better off left home all day to sleep in seeming boredom because when they're taken along and given the opportunity to relax in a shady corner and take in the world from a safe pen/crate - they can't relax. I've got one of those highly energetic, curious dogs who literally cannot relax if anything's moving - BUTTERFLY! POLLEN! LEAF! - and in her case it would be misguided to expect that she'd eventually settle down and relax.

Excellent points. And I'm not worried about them being bored at home- its more the need to potty at some point thing. And yeah, dog sitters are always an option if I can't acclimate them, but seems silly not to try when I have that option.

And they'll always stay home in hot/cold/unsuitable days where they will be just as happy holding it for an extra hour or two. :)

[Nes]

Ha! You don't have separation anxiety dogs! My pooch jumped out of a 1.5 story window when we left her home alone (got out of her crate, opened the window & was waiting for hubby in the driveway when he came home :dead:). However, the fact that her and her bestest dog buddy can now be left loose in the house for hours when we go out is proof-positive any dog can be broken of separation anxiety.

I was successful by staying home to have a baby, and finally having the time to deal with the issue properly. The first thing we did was get our dog a friend (you've already got 2 so you've got that down). Then I started by leaving them in one room of the house for a few minutes at a time (in this case a porch). Slowly we worked up to 30 minutes, then an hour, then 2 or 3 and now they go out there and lie down themselves for an entire afternoon with the door close, happy as clams!

We used to leave them in a large crate together (it wasn't that big, they were pretty much sleeping on top of each other - but happy about that!) while we went out, but gradually worked up to leaving them alone in their room, and soon they will have the entire house.

I think you're doing the right thing though, I did bring both my dogs to work occasionally (when I used to work at the barn), and it was best to have the crate there so they didn't get underfoot when feeding or if the farrier/vet was out. They'd go and sleep in the tack room so it was nice and quite, and except for an incident or two of running out to 'play' with the geldings (collies :rolleyes:) they were both generally very well behaved!

[goodhors]

Ideas sound good. My concern would be if you are successful in getting them QUIET while crated or contained while you are not around. A noisy dog is more than just annoying and the sound carries quite far.

If you plan to take the dogs with you to horse shows, they NEED to be reliably quiet for long periods of time, to prevent the other exhibitors from hating you. Complaints about ANY dog, make it bad for ALL dog owners, which leads to dogs being excluded from more places.

I love dogs, but I HATE listening to noisy dogs, even my own. I work at getting them to be quiet, except in their warning of strangers or "something is up" mode. Even then, a couple barks, my saying "alright" and they should pretty much cease the noise. I do respond to the dog when it barks, acknowledge it. Then they can be still alert and watching, but not needing to bark steadily. My responding to dogs is why I don't want the false alarms! Takes time and pulls you away from what you are doing.

There are various types of "barky" collars available, if you need to resort to that. Our Corgi had to wear it for a while, learn to warn and STOP barking. Collar allowed a couple barks, before punishment. She would not quit being noisy, using any other methods. Barked at everything, not just warning barks and would not stop. Those big ears hear EVERYTHING for miles around! She "got it" with the barky collar within a day. Had to wear the collar for reinforcement for a while, but did the job for us. She does still make a variety of other interesting noises, collar doesn't seem triggered by them.

[AnotherRound]

goodhors, that barky collar is interesting. I am grateful I have a dog only heard her bark 3 or 4 times, but if I had a barking too much dog, I would look into that to help with training.

[eponacowgirl]

I do have a bark collar for the spaniel- its citronella spray. It works for the "Woofs" but not the whines... Maybe a microphone one would be more effective?

[Go Fish]

I watched a dog trainer once...she used the word "quit" them squirted the dog with a spray bottle or squirt gun. It didn't take long for the dog to figure out the relationship of the spray, the word quit and the bark. I don't know how this would work though, if the dogs are barking when you aren't around.

I've got Corgis...they're GOOD barkers but seem to behave around the horse shows and barn. They only bark when alarmed, are chasing something off the property (mainly coyotes), or when chasing the ball.

[jnel]

The water spray is a good idea. My dogs have gotten so used to being kenneled that when I get ready to leave they are already standing next to or in their crates. Kenneling is not a punishment it was just something I did every time I left the house to keep the puppies from eating the furniture. I started leaving them for short periods and gradually increased the time. They know I'm coming back and I always throw a piggy ear in with them to chew on while I'm gone. No drama and no barking because its routine.

[cheval convert]

The water spray is a good idea. My dogs have gotten so used to being kenneled that when I get ready to leave they are already standing next to or in their crates. Kenneling is not a punishment it was just something I did every time I left the house to keep the puppies from eating the furniture. I started leaving them for short periods and gradually increased the time. They know I'm coming back and I always throw a piggy ear in with them to chew on while I'm gone. No drama and no barking because its routine.


jnel, you are so right on both counts. I had a female aussie who was a barker. I threw a little water in her face twice with the words, "That's enough" and she was all trained. (She was a smart dog.) After that, if she was outside barking, I could open any window in the house and yell, "That's enough" and the barking would stop.

My current aussie was a rescue and was not crate trained and used to spaz when we left. As of now, when he knows we are leaving he stands in front of the "treat" door. I take out a pig's ear and say,"Where do you have to be?" He runs to the family room and leaps into his crate all excited about getting his treat. I don't make him stay in the crate, but I do gate him in the room while we are gone. He now views our leaving him behind in a very positive light.

[Brio]

If it were my dogs, I'd be starting the crate training at home. With my dogs I make the crate a good place to go (in other words, there's food for going in the crate). I prefer to cover my crates. If my dog starts whining they get one warning by calling their name. The next time they whine a "mystery" fist is making a very loud noise on top of the crate without ever saying a word. But, the dog is always rewarded for going in the crate.

If we go somewhere like a dog show the crates and covers come with. They also have crates at our dog school. They get treats and rewards to going into the crate. They get so accustomed to crating at school it doesn't phase them.

My youngest is 9 months. He's gone along to the older dog's agility classes, he comes along with me wherever I go and even traveled with us when my SO moved. He stayed in his crate in the hotel and never whined when the housekeeper was present. He goes to shows with us and is happy to have a crate along and will sleep in the shade all day long never even getting up when a stranger walks by.

A few things to remember - start at home and be consistent. Reward for going in the crate and make it a happy place to be.