# New rescue dog, severe separation anxiety- could use advice.



## EagleRiverDee (Mar 14, 2011)

I am fostering (with intent to adopt) a rescue dog that has some pretty severe anxiety issues. He has developed a reputation in the rescue group and with his vet as being difficult (if not impossible) to contain. He chews his way out of crates. His last foster came home to find that he had chewed his way out of an airline crate, and then jumped out a second story window. He banged up his face and hurt his paw doing that. He's got scars all over his muzzle from fighting his kennels.

I'm told he's a GSD/Golden Retriever mix. He's quite large, probably 75 lbs right now and he's underweight. He'll be more like 90 when he fills in. 

I thought he might do better with us, as I've got a large kennel 5' wide, 6' high, 12' long or so. He is kenneled during the day with my other dog, who has never had kennel problems or separation anxiety. She's a boredom trouble maker, which is why she's kenneled- there is no height she cannot find a way to reach, and no door she cannot open. After a couple calls to ASPCA poison control, I opted to kennel her for her own safety. 

Back to the new dog- he's a nice dog. He's got a sweet personality. When I picked him up, he met my dog and they got along fine. He was good in the car, he planted his butt in the back seat, his paws on the floor, and laid his head on the center console and stayed that way for the 40 minute drive home. He's friendly with all people, and is dog and cat friendly was well. 

But despite only having just met me, he seemed to latch onto me immediately. If I leave a room, he has to follow me. If he's restrained, he cries. My DH can leave, and he doesn't care. And when I have to go to work, and he has to go in the kennel, he howls and barks piteously. 

I am trying counter conditioning by giving him treats in the kennel, feeding him in the kennel, and once I'm sure both dogs will get along and not fight over them, I'll move up to PB filled Kongs or marrow bones. I want the kennel to be a place he looks forward to being, like my dog is.

Instead, he seems to be rubbing off on my dog. She's starting to bark with him, and seems a bit anxious when I put them in the kennel, possibly anticipating that he's going to be howling and barking and disturbing her peace.

I don't want to give up on this dog. I've had problem dogs before, but he takes the cake. He's already on Clonicalm. He started that a week ago. I'm not normally a "med" person but the Rescue is the one that got the meds for him and in all honesty he definitely needs something. I got him a thundershirt which he wears during the day (I have no idea if it helps or not). We go for long walks each evening for exercise- several miles. 

I came home yesterday to find that he had shifted this large kennel 6' over (it is not attached to the floor) and had gotten ahold of a hefty bag full of winter clothing (the kennel is in our garage). I got home to utter destruction. The dog(s?) had pulled nearly all the items through the kennel fencing and destroyed them. He had even done a pretty good job of pulling a sleeping bag through and it was so wedged into the fencing that I had to cut it out, I could not pull it out. He had also clearly been at work on the door, because the carabiner I use to lock the door was badly damaged.

I'm afraid that if I give up on this dog he may be in trouble. What he really needs, probably, is someone who doesn't work and is home all the time. But with his size, he's not the type of dog that many retirees are looking for. Even then, there are times he'll have to be alone so this needs to be worked on by someone.

I don't think his problem is just kennels. He cries if I leave him in the house and go outside without him. He cries if I leave one room to go into another. If I go to the bathroom, and shut the door, he cries. If he's out on his cable in the backyard and I go inside for any reason, he stands at the back door and stares in. He seems mostly incapable of being alone, and although he and my dog get along great and love to play, he seems to find little comfort in her presence. If I thought he'd do better in the house, I'd try leaving him out but I suspect the damage would be immense if I did so.

These are the things I'm already trying:
•He's on Clonicalm
•He wears a Thundershirt
•I feed him prior to leaving
•He goes potty prior to leaving
•I don't give a lot of affection prior to leaving- it's a matter of fact approach. 
•I leave the radio on.
•I give both dogs treats upon going into the kennel as a reward.
•He gets a long walk every night
•He gets fish oil in his food (for the Omega 3's) which is supposed to help with depression/anxiety
•I go home every day for lunch and the dogs get to come out and play and go potty, so he's only in the kennel for four hours at a time.

What other things can I do, immediately, to help this dog? I'm just at a loss, and he seems to be getting worse rather than better.

One option that is on the table is putting him in doggy daycare. There are two local outfits that offer this, but it's expensive. Taking him to work isn't an option- I work in a home-based business at another couple's house and don't think they would want me to bring my dog to work.

I need to get him to:
•Stop injuring himself/damaging the kennel
•Stop teaching my dog bad habits (barking)
•Stop him from the howling/barking/whining because although we have a house I am afraid that when he's at high volume he will still disturb the neighbors.
•Start making him realize that it's ok when I leave
•Start making him see the kennel as a safe place 

I would particularly like to hear from people who have dealt with similar situations. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Is there any chance I can help this dog, or am I just not the right person for him since I work?


----------



## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

First of all, I would not kennel him with your dog. It is not worth it to teach your dog bad habits or get your dog injured for any reason. 

Second, this severe of SA needs meds (which you have) on top of a strict training schedule. I had a friend with a dog that was the same way and tried everything on your list and more. She sought advice from a very good trainer, and even he admitted that it is a very long and difficult journey to desensitizing a dog like that. The dog cannot be left alone at all, like ever, if they are going to get over it and then slowly desensitized to the leaving. If he can't be babysat or put in dog daycare, the training might be useless since he is freaking out every time he is left alone which sets his desensitization back.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? For that severity, it would take a very long time. I'm talking a good year or so. Even then, the dog might not be able to be left a full work day. My friend's dog got months of desensitization, and never made it past 30 seconds before panicking. Eventually they had to give him up because they didn't have a dog-sitter anymore and my friend couldn't ever leave. I don't blame her. The rescue he was given to lost him, because he busted out. He ended up in a pound and was adopted, but he will probably find himself dead or in another pound. Nobody can keep a dog like that.

If you can find a home that never leaves, well, good for the dog I guess. I'm pretty skeptical if a dog like that can be saved after witnessing a great effort being useless first hand. Still, if you don't want to give up on the dog, you need a good behaviorist that has dealt with extreme separation anxiety. That's my opinion.


----------



## bowie (Apr 26, 2010)

This link has a lot of info, some of which you are already doing but I figured it may help. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/separation-anxiety


----------



## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

A few questions. Does he panic when left with another person or is he much calmer? Does the presence of your dog change the anxiety level?

I'd recommend Pat McConnell's ebook I'll Be Home Soon. It was a huge help to me personally. There are a few factors you might want to consider when building a desensitization program for him. Is he better crated or left in a large room? With a dog or without? With another person or without? Does routine calm him or does he anticipate the anxiety? Are any treats able to distract him (Kongs etc)? Music, Thundershirt, Rescue Remedy, DAP Diffuser, Medication dosage...

I would echo a lot of what ForTheLoveofDogs has said, SA is a really, really rough thing to deal with because you can never just set it aside. Your every moment becomes about the dog's anxiety level and that's just not healthy. Even in a retired home, its just an unreasonable expectation to think one person can be with a dog 24/7. Such a home does not exist. What kind of a life can you live when you can't even go get groceries? The reality of never leaving your house to meet friends, work, go to a movie or the bank is pretty stark. No, this is not a problem that will be solved in a new home, it needs to be addressed through training. There is some hope though. My dog came to me with severe separation anxiety and through a lot of desensitization work I've been able to move past most of his symptoms. He can be left alone for a workday without panic. It did take almost 8 months though, and I was able to be home during that time to train him.

One thing to consider is that it takes a while for the Clomicalm to kick in. My understanding is that like other antidepressants its up to 6 or 8 weeks, so you're likely not seeing its full benefit yet. I think you've done the right thing in medicating him, some dogs (like some people) have a chemical imbalance that needs addressing. Rehabbing this dog was one of the toughest things I've faced thus far, and I do believe that sometimes the more compassionate thing to do is euth. A life of daily panic and self mutilation is just no life for any living thing. I will tell you I considered it for my dog at one point. 

Hopefully your dog, like mine, can work through the issue.


----------

