# Dog has severe separation anxiety:(



## BlueTaelon (Jul 4, 2011)

We adopted a 3-5 yr old German Shepard on the 4th of July and we have discovered she has psych issues, severe separation anxiety. Each time we have left her alone she has broken out within 5 minutes. Today she went though a window, sorta, she ripped the front off our large window A/C (broke it clean off!) then ripped her way through the accordion folding and squeezed out whats probably a 6" wide space. We got a call within 5-10 min of leaving she was in the front yard. She waits for us to come back but I worry. Tomorrow we will take her with us when we go out.

After talking to her foster mom about possibly returning her since she has broken out every single time we have left (busted through the fence twice) I am shocked. She has not barked once in the 3 days we have had her and its because she was crated up to 16 hours a day with a shock collar on and left alone in the crate while they were at work until a couple months ago when they moved out of their no pets allowed apartment where they were hiding 7 dogs.. I can understand the dogs issues now and we will work through it, she's a wonderful dog. Just can't leave her alone, EVER and she's become highly attached to my 10 year old and must have her in eye sight at all times. Right now she's in the bathroom with the door closed and the dog is whining for her at the door When she was "rescued" she was found running around with her collar so tight the skin was growing into it.  I'm just glad she didn't become aggressive being locked away like that. When I asked the foster mom for advice all she could tell me was to crate her when we leave right after admitting the dog was able to bend the metal and break out of the crate more then once.

How do I help her work through this? Is treating this like crying it out with a baby the way to go? Leave for a few seconds then return and slowly increase the time? We can take her a lot of places with us but sometimes we just can't and we need to get a handle on this, and I need a new gate since she busted that one.(6 ft wood fence)

On the upside she's stopped pacing since we've been taking her on several walks a day but it starts immediately if my daughter goes outside without her She's a wonderful dog, just wish we could leave her alone for more then 5 minutes before she breaks out!


----------



## ilovezoey (Jun 22, 2011)

You adopted this dog on the 4th. It has only been 3 days. This dog has been neglected and abused. It was left alone for up to 16 hours a day in a crate with a shock collar. It isn't going to be miraculously "recovered" just because it spent time with a foster family. I'm curious what you know about the breed.

Start practicing leaving her alone without actually leaving. How much obedience training has she had? If she can sit and stay, once you get to the point of approaching the door, tell her sit. Treat her when she does it. Tell her to stay and go out the door. When she starts whining, speak through the door. Tell her "wrong" or "enough". Pick one and keep that the signal. As soon as she stops, reenter, reward her, give her a toy and go out again. This could take hundreds of tries , constant consistency and determination. You aren't going to get a quick fix. Leaving and going back in, first within a minute and then over WEEKS or MONTHS you can build it up so she knows you aren't going to leave her for 16 hours at a time.
I don't want to sound mean, but you don't understand the dog. What she went through was horrible, and it left her in a state of panic when people leave her. It's fear. You need to read about lessening fears in anxious dogs.
If this is something you want to go away quickly, return the dog. If you truly CARE about this dog, be prepared to be in this for a long time......... teaching her to trust.
German shepherds very often choose one family member to bond with. They love the whole family but they almost always bond tighter with only one. Perhaps it is your daughter.
Try this link http://www.petlibrary.co.uk/1/separation-anxiety-in-dogs-how-to-treat-it/


----------



## BlueTaelon (Jul 4, 2011)

ilovezoey said:


> You adopted this dog on the 4th. It has only been 3 days. This dog has been neglected and abused. It was left alone for up to 16 hours a day in a crate with a shock collar. It isn't going to be miraculously "recovered" just because it spent time with a foster family. I'm curious what you know about the breed.
> 
> Start practicing leaving her alone without actually leaving. How much obedience training has she had? If she can sit and stay, once you get to the point of approaching the door, tell her sit. Treat her when she does it. Tell her to stay and go out the door. When she starts whining, speak through the door. Tell her "wrong" or "enough". Pick one and keep that the signal. As soon as she stops, reenter, reward her, give her a toy and go out again. This could take hundreds of tries , constant consistency and determination. You aren't going to get a quick fix. Leaving and going back in, first within a minute and then over WEEKS or MONTHS you can build it up so she knows you aren't going to leave her for 16 hours at a time.
> I don't want to sound mean, but you don't understand the dog. What she went through was horrible, and it left her in a state of panic when people leave her. It's fear. You need to read about lessening fears in anxious dogs.
> ...


No need to be rude, until we got her a few days ago I was scared of GSDs. All I knew was they were big, smart, loyal and their barking scared me. I had no intention of adopting a GSD when I went to adopt, we were only looking at the maltese poodle mix. We met Hazel at that time. When we left to finish our shopping (we live an hour from the major stores and wanted to get what we needed before taking the little one home) I couldn't stop thinking about Hazel and how she came right to us and it was like "I'm yours, take me home" and when we went back to pick up the little one I asked about her and she was very relieved, turns out the little one and big one are bonded. She said they are best friends, seems more to me the little one is Hazels baby not her friend. Either way, I can see why she was concerned about separating them.

It was the foster family that kept her crated with the shock collar on (they had both dogs for about a year). After learning that I refuse to return the dog and understand the behavior and I'm now willing to work with it. I did a lot of reading on GSD's yesterday and I really do think she will be a good dog for us and I think the dogs attachment to my daughter might actually be a good thing. I want to learn all I can, I can already see changes in Hazel, we were told she paces a lot and often in circles. She's stopped doing that, she was really bad about it the 1st day and after reading about how much exercise they need we have been taking her for walks several times a day. At the first sign of stress (pacing) we take her out and that stops it immediately (planning on getting a schedule going for walks 3-4 times a day so she doesn't learn pacing triggers walks). Since yesterday morning the only time we have seen pacing is when my daughter is out of her sight (this includes her going to the bathroom with the door closed). She only hits full freak out mode if everyone leaves the house which were now trying to avoid.

The dog can't sit (clicker will arrive today to start working on that) seems to know stay but I don't trust her with it. The only ones I know she knows well is "No" and "Down" when she gets up on furniture. I need to figure out what she's responding to for "Come" I don't know if its the hand motion, "get over here" or something else I'm doing as I only ask her to come when she's gotten out because my daughter left her behind and she escaped. Last night my daughter ran to the neighbor for a min with the dog still in the house then without thinking I walked out to talk to the neighbor on the other side and within 1 min she was out the window where she ripped the A/C up to get out to my daughter yesterday morning when we left her alone thinking she was secure in the house. Thankfully she went straight to my daughter and just followed her back home. I've made it clear she is to keep Hazel with her at all times now. Poor dog wont even go out to potty without my daughter sitting out there relaxed. If she's standing Hazel wont go worried my daughter will walk away.

I also hope I can work out some kind of barter with one of the local trainers that works with anxious/fearful dogs to help us though this. I am willing to work with this dog now that I understand more what she's been though and its not just misbehaving which is what it felt like yesterday morning before I started reading.


----------



## ilovezoey (Jun 22, 2011)

BlueTaelon said:


> No need to be rude, until we got her a few days ago I was scared of GSDs.


I wasn't being rude. As for the "foster" what on earth shelter hooked this dog up with a foster that has dogs in a no pet apartment?! Or were they people who just called themselves fosters for the dog.

In any event, it's just wrong for people to get a dog without FIRST understanding the breed and then the needs of the dog in particular. it's good you're reading about it now, but you should have done it before getting the dog.
Leaving the responsibility for the dog's behavior to your daughter while you learn what to do is not ok. You're just starting and rewarding a new bad behavior that you'll have to undo later. Do you have a fence or a kennel area so the dog could be safe outside?


----------



## Maggie Girl (Feb 27, 2011)

I think it is wonderful that you saved this dog from the deplorable conditions it lived in. And I think it's wonderful that you care about WHY she's doing this and want to help, not just "make it stop b/c it's annoying". I don't think you needed to be a GSD expert _first _in order to take in this animal, but you do need to learn more about the particular breed now so that you will have more detailed information on what is required to care for one and their characteristics and such. And your loving heart and willingness to work to improve its life is a great start 

Talk to your vet about your dog. Sometimes medication helps. The SA may never completely go away, but you can alleviate it some with work and time. The more this dog sees that you are her permanent, loving family it may help. Or for a while, she may be so thankful that you are good to her that she may be even more anxious when you DO leave. Right now she's still very new to you and unsure of whether this is forever or not. Good luck.


----------



## ilovezoey (Jun 22, 2011)

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/separationanxiety.htm This is another link you may find helpful.



BlueTaelon said:


> I also hope I can work out some kind of barter with one of the local trainers that works with anxious/fearful dogs to help us though this. I am willing to work with this dog now that I understand more what she's been though and its not just misbehaving which is what it felt like yesterday morning before I started reading.


I think that would be great for you and the dog. Anxious/fearful dogs need a different level of training than other dogs. You're doing all the right things.


----------



## BlueTaelon (Jul 4, 2011)

ilovezoey said:


> I wasn't being rude. As for the "foster" what on earth shelter hooked this dog up with a foster that has dogs in a no pet apartment?! Or were they people who just called themselves fosters for the dog.
> 
> In any event, it's just wrong for people to get a dog without FIRST understanding the breed and then the needs of the dog in particular. it's good you're reading about it now, but you should have done it before getting the dog.
> Leaving the responsibility for the dog's behavior to your daughter while you learn what to do is not ok. You're just starting and rewarding a new bad behavior that you'll have to undo later. Do you have a fence or a kennel area so the dog could be safe outside?


She finds strays and takes them in herself and calls herself a rescue. It wasn't until after we had the dogs for a few days and a few phone calls asking about things that I really understood what had been going on with Hazel. I honestly did not know there was a difference between her and a rescue un

I understand one should know all they can about a breed before getting a dog and as I pointed out we were looking for a little maltese which I had learned tons about, getting Hazel was unexpected. Its an hour drive and was one of those we need to do it now kind of things. We do have a fenced in back yard she can go in but she has broken though the 6 ft wood fence twice to get out when left alone (left the back door open so she could go outside) so we dont leave her alone at all anymore. My daughter is not responsible for the dogs behavior, just keeping her company. The dog is otherwise pretty well behaved and is content to stay at my daughters side. 

I will answer your PM shortly


----------



## Fuzzybutts (Jul 21, 2011)

Know this is an older post but had to mention something here...

GET HER DRUGS!!!!!

This is not mild "you-can-retrain-her" seperation anxiety! I know... we had a wolf hybred for a while that could be her cousin. That dog broke out of every crate made... even ones meant for zoo animals! She injured herself in the process. She ate halfway through a solid oak fire door. She distroyed a half room of drywall. She scratched up a bathroom of linoleum and then scoured the concrete below til her nails bled. She ate a computer!!!! All of this in 20 minute segments and with plenty of other training and calming or diversion methods used!

Retraining IS necessary. But until you get her some drugs it just aint gonna work. PUPPY PROZAC to the rescue! It makes a WORLD of difference. Take it from someone that paid over $5000 in damages to an apartment!!!!


----------



## grey (Oct 26, 2007)

I've had tremendous success with the 'thundershirt' for my corgi who had severe panic attacks during thunderstorms. While I have no direct experience, it is also supposed to be of value for other types of anxiety. Here is the link: http://www.thundershirt.com/ It isn't a miracle cure, but the more we used it, the better the results. Good luck.


----------



## Fuzzybutts (Jul 21, 2011)

Might be worth a try... but "Baby" would have eaten it! LOL


----------

