Velcro Dogs & Sa, SA Options

[squeekers8605]

How do you keep your "velcro dogs" from following you room to room and not ever being able to relax. The Separation anxiety is driving us nuts, with our newly adopted boy. I have read some excellent advise and training tips on the forum, and I've been testing them all out. You guys have great ideas.

My particular problem is when he cant see us(if we leave, or simply in another room) he barks, howls, drools excessively, shakes, pants continuously. He scratched up the door, so we are forced to have him in the crate each time we leave. Some people say to leave him in the crate until he calms down and is quiet before letting him out, so I don't re enforce the whining and SA in the crate. But he wont stop, he will go on for hours.

Any advise is welcomed!!

[2Whippets&2Greys]

I have a grey with SA and has been on clomicalm for 5 years. My other grey is fine. HOWEVER....for the past6 years that I have had those greys (and now with the whippets) it is always a greyhound/whippet parade when we go from room to room. I don't think the SA has anything to do with them following you from room to room. When I had the 4 greys and 2 whippets, I had a trail of 6 behind me at all times. (Let me tell you about going up/down stairs, realizing half-way you forgot something, then trying to get the other direction with 6 behind you in a line!)
They just like to be with people. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself. If I shut the door, the whippets will scratch and cry. (I was thinking of just having all my doors removed-lol!)
Once you realize you will always have a small parade...it gets better!

[zepher dude]

oh ya i have a whippet i.g tail every where i go.husband was just comenting about the fact that the i.g.takes up more room on the bed then the whippet,he has to be touching someone all the time,as far as the s.a i have no info my boys can go with me every where i go so they do.my husband says that when i do leave them home with him they whimper and pace untell i come back,i have left them in the house for 1/2 at a time and have not heard them howl,if i leave my whippet in the cruck for more then a few minutes he will start howling,but he does that if i'm there or not,he just wants out of the cruck and since he is spoiled he gets it.hehehe

[D0ggieM0mma]

My whippets usually follow me around too, but they sometimes stay put if they're tired etc. If you feel that his velcro tendancies are too much you can work with him on it. If he's food motivated it will make it easier!

One thing you can do is put a rope through a KONG and put a knot on the end that will be inside the KONG, then tie the other side around a chair leg or something. If the KONG is tied down he can't bring it with him and follow you.

With the crate howling etc. you can work on retraining departure cues and building up crate time. When you're not leaving, grab your keys or put your coat on then sit and watch TV. A lot of dogs start getting worked up when they see these "cues" so if you can break the cues it can help delay their anxiety.

Also when you're not leaving and not wearing your coat etc. you can work on crate time. Put him in his crate, give him a treat, walk out of eyesight, then IMMEDIATLY walk back in and let him out. You want to let him out before he starts fussing etc. After a few hours or a day, do it again. Slowly up the amount of time you are out of eyesight without actually leaving the house. You can also put lots of treat toys (KONG, twist 'n treat, tug-a-jug) in the crate for him filled with goodies like low-fat hotdogs and cheese to help keep him preoccupied.

Like someone else mentioned, more severe cases often need medications. The meds are not always used long term, but are often needed to break the anxiety cycle so they can learn you're not abandoning them! There are lots of great tips on this site as many of us have worked with SA with our own dogs. Each case is different so you may want to think about seeing a behaviorist as well. I really like Dr. Herron at Ohio State but there are great board certified veterinary behaviorists all over. Behaviorists are different from trainers and are actually vets so they can prescribe medications. If your kiddo is freaking out as bad as you say, meds might be a good place to start.

Good luck!

[SquirrelDog6]

I've had alot of luck with my dogs. I make the crate fun with safe toys like Nylabones and stuffed, frozen kongs, but also, I will wear them out with excercise before leaving them. The velcro dog thing annoys me, so I simply won't put up with it. They are allowed to sit, or lay by my side while I work. If they get pushy and demanding of my attention, we will do a quick round of obedience work and they will be rewarded with a pizzle stick, a chewy bone, or a food dispensing toy, if that doesn't keep them quite, they go in the x pen, or crate, I have my two girls and a revolving group of babysat dogs. I run my small business from home, I go to school and I work part time, so when I've had it, I've had it! Gris - Gris will gripe and cry a little, but eventually fall asleep. Sometimes, I have trouble with a dog that comes from a senior citizen home, because they are used to being in the spotlight all the time. In that case I start slow, by tying the dog, giving him a fun goody and doing my work about a foot short of his reach, then I gradually increase the distance each day. They gripe, but it gets better. I did this with Gris - Gris and now she goes to her crate and just sits there whenever she's in the mood for a treat. Don't worry, the whinning will feel like it is forever, but he'll get it eventually. I used to work with horses in the weaning shed and in quarintine. They freak out until the food message realy sinks in, then they're more interested in eatting then you, or their buds!

[Cheryl]

Generallly Molly follows me everywhere but that is a beagle characteristic. The more comfortable she is getting though she is finding things to do like play, bother Andy, look out the window etc.

[reddijet]

burn them out! A tired whippet is a content whippet. Since a few minutes of vigorous exercise will last a few hours, do this before you go someplace. I have my guys( no SA problems, though) run up and down the hall chasing a toy for 5 minutes and they go nutty jumping around, onto and off the beds, etc. After 5 minutes, they are lying panting in the hall and perfectly content.

[squeekers8605]

Thanks for all the great input! more ideas I can try the better!

[Cheryl]

One thing I didnt mention before is the difference between them wanting to be with you and needing to be with you. Like yesterday I was home sick and they were just with me where ever I went. But when a dog is in SA stress they HAVE to be with you or they get upset. Some will have an accident, chew on something they shouldn't etc just because they can't get to you. My two SA's were like that at first but then it became them just enjoying being with me.