"Separation Anxiety"

[Irena]

I have heard a lot of owners (mainly first time owners of pet Weimaraners) complain about the dogs being unable to stay alone in the house, being destructive and all that, to the extent that the dog has to be put on antidepressants. PLEASE post your experiences and what could be done to prevent it. A good friend told me "not to write my own horror story" before I've even gotten my puppy, but reading such things really makes me scared. Please share your experiences.

[Sylvia]

My first Weimaraner (Lara) had never a problem with staying alone. She didn't "eat" the furniture, never barked when we weren't alone.
So we didn't have a problem with that at all. She was a very good puppy ;D

[seddie]

As a behaviourist I see quite a lot of weimies, usually bitches, displaying separation problems.

Separration problems in any breed are best prevented rather than cured, and if breeders and new owners get their puppies used to being left for short periods from day one, a dog should not develop this problem.

Apart from not being used to short periods of isolation, other causes can be if dog gets told off on owners return or dog gets bored, which is different from anxiety but can still cause destructive behaviour in owners absence.

Leaving a stuffed Kong with the dog or puppy should help to alleviate boredome. Use this only when leaving the dog, no other time or dog may become bored with it. Cardboard boxes [staples removed] or margarine cartons can provide cheap amusement to alleviate boredom and protect furniture etc.

Also make sure puppy or dog has plenty of mental and physical stimulation daily.

The drug that vets use for SA probs is Clomicalm which is a trycyclic anti depressant which will increase serotonin levels in the brain and induce relaxation. It also has anti anxiety properties.

[Irena]

Thank you Sylvia and thanks a lot Wendy for your commentary!
Would be great if everyone could post their experiences or at least tell us that their Weim has always been just fine and what they did to achieve that, if anything. Thanks in advance!

[smokeybear]

I have had four weimaraners and none of them have had separation anxiety problems and I work full time!

[Alkemist]

I have had problems with separation anxiety - mostly in my bitch. She would pee if we left her, and destroy things, and sit in the window for the rest of the time until we returned. I think it was partly hormonal, but partly my fault. I used to 'baby' my dogs. They slept in my bed, could sit on the sofa, could follow me to the loo etc etc. I cage trained her and she's so much better. I also invested in a kennel and run and she knows that she has to be in there sometimes. I also think that her litter sister suffered from it, as does some of her pups from her litter. (Jensen is mostly OK but he howls if we leave him in the car on his own - but I'm hoping to use a clicker to get him out of that habit....).

[whitney]

I have a major problem with SA. Sit back and get ready to read, read, read...
I got Max at 5 months from a "breeder" in Oklahoma. I didn't know what I know now about breeders or the breed. I went to a book store and looked through a book and found a dog that I liked the looks of and went after it. I called this "breeder" to see if she still had any puppies left. I found them on puppyfinder.com and called. She had a price of a lousy $200. I called and said I was interested in a male and if she would take $150 for it b/c of it's age. She said yes that she just wanted to get rid of them. They were getting to the point where she couldn't sell them. I told her I would call her 1 week before we would come to get him. I called and she stated "I'll go pick on up." She had apparently given to this kennel to try and sell. She didn't want to deal with it. Still not knowing anything I said "OK" and said I'd be there on Sat. So on sat my ex-husband and I went to pick him up. I didn't get to pick him out or anything. So we got to her house and walked in. When we saw him I knew that he wasn't the best dog in the world (for showing or whatnot) but he was obviously malnourished and dehydrated. Little did I know that he also had worms and MANGE!!! So we took him home and started to put him in his crate when we left. It started out horrible. He would run as fast as he could to the office and hide under the desk. His entire body would go limp and he would just lie there. I would have to physically drag him to his crate. When we came home he would have so much drool in his crate that he would drink for about 10 minutes or longer. After several months of this we decided to try and leave him out of his crate. When we returned he had shredded and entire wooden mail holder, ate a hat, dumped a bottle of body soap on to the carpet, shredded a coaster and who knows what else. Not too bad, but still I decided that couldn't happen again. So we started with the crate again. Only instead of one of those big plastic ones we went and bought a metal wire crate. Bought him a bed, invested in several toys that we could rotate out for entertainment. Then one day he just went in no big deal. That was the end of that...so I thought. Then one day, my husband came in and asked for a divorce. This was about a month ago, so I had to move in with my grandparents. It started all over again, only about 10 times worse. No instead of drooling and barking, he is slamming his entire body into the crate wherever he thinks he can get loose from. Well I would come home to a dog with a bloody nose (the top of it) and cuts all around his face. Even small holes around the edge of his ears. I put 12 locks on the hinges and he continues to hit. I had been told to use zip ties and tie the door shut, so I tried them. He busted through 2 of them and got out. I've tried all kinds of things. Rotating toys, mentally exhausting him, I've recently tried training before hand, and playing with him to try and tire him out. That helped, but I made an appt with a vet and got a script for clomicalm and we're going to start over when his mind is clear and can understand that I WILL be back.

Now with all that being said, it's not everything. It's a very generalized overview of what I've been through with him.

I am NOT like some people that claim their dog has SA and then dumps him/her into a rescue. I don't think that that will ever happen. I'm willing to try just about anything. The harsher things though will be reserved for a last resort, but I'm more than willing to give them a shot. So I'm not the type of person not willing to try someone's suggestions. I'm in the process of trying someones suggestions now.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[marjolein]

This can make me sooo furious!!! Stupid breeders, just breeding for money. They don't give a shit about the welfare of their dogs or pupsters. And that results in a dog like Max. I really hope you'll find a permanent way to solve this Whitney!!!

[Weims]

Hi Whitney, Sounds like you have a big problem. Ihope you dont mind but working with rescue weims I have a coupleof suggestions that may help. Have you tried covering the crate with a blanket on three sides leaving the side with the door uncovered, This can sometimes help dogs to settle and see the crate as their "den". You could also try recording your voice (reading a book, or a conversation with a friend) onto a tape recorder and whilst you are in the house, put the dog in the cage and the tape recorder in another part of the room where he cannot see if you are there or not and leave it playing. occassionally on the tape you could slip in the dogs name and tell him he is a good boy if he is quiet. feed him in the crate leaving the door open. make the experience of the crate a good one by showing him nice things can happen in the crate whether you are there or not.

I definately agree with marjolein, we have a big problem in the UK with these types of people.

Lynn

[syrinx]

We get two Golden Retrievers who suffer from SA into the kennels. One tries to mount her owner when she realises the family are going to leave her, and we used to dose her up on Valerian to calm her. Her family is her problem. There is no leader, so she filled the position. In trying to mount him, I think she is saying, 'But you can't leave me, I'm the boss!' Now I go out and meet the car in the driveway, take her, walk through the office into our house yard. The family leave and she doesn't see them go. Then we walk her down to the runs, and have no problem. The other is a total baby, too. I find so many more problems in people who own dogs but are not the leader of the pack. My dogs are spoilt rotten, and are treated like a member of the family, not a dog, but I don't have a problem with them not knowing who the boss is LOL. I have a Sargent Majors' voice!

Mind you, appart from Lara, I would NOT leave any other Weis in the house with me away. They go to bed in their crate. Riley ATE two huge 80's style lounge chairs in 20 minutes. It looked like it had snowed in the run, about knee deep white foam.

[whitney]

I actually have forgotten to try to cover the crate. However, I may try it, he has drug his bed that is HUGE into the crate from outside. So I'm sure he'd pull the blanket in. I'll try it though. Thanks for the reminder.

Maybe I'm not alpha. I actually think that could be part of the problem. The other problem is kind of like what Fred said on the other thread about him needing to take care of me. So what are your suggestion on becoming Alpha?

Now that I know about breeding I recognize ALL the signs of crapy breeders, and they are crap for doing this kind of thing. I understand that my problem is based on the issues that come from his bad breeding. I'm fully aware. But belive me when I tell you that he is mine forever. He will not be thrown into a rescue, and if an issue comes up that needs to be taken care of I will take care of it. He's an awesome dog when he's not being seperated from any people. My trainer actually was bragging on me about how well we're doing in training.

groups.msn.com/Weimaraners/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=45433

That's the thread to it on the MSN board. And I felt like I needed to toot mine and Max's horn.
He has made great strides when it comes to training. We will get this resolved and it will all
be ok.

[sdwlucas]

I have the same problem as Whitney with my female weim "Sadie"! She was adopted when she was 7 months and I have had trouble ever since, however she is way better now (3 years old). I have tried all kinds of crates as I have crate trained her since I got her. She has gotten out of everything that I have put her in. I have tried giving her toys while she is in there etc. One thing that works is if I cover the front and one side of her kennel. She still pants non-stop and has a mess of drool. I just got the new weim "Austin" (6.5 months) he is not nearly as bad as Sadie was when she was that age, he does not go to the bathroom in his crate however he does howl. He is still 10x's better than Sadie was. I have several old blankets that I use and wash amlost daily that I put in their kennels. I use a Vari-Kennel with the locking sides and twist door handle because she gets out of the vari-kennel with the latches and the spring in the door often goes bad. I am a dog warden here in PA and see lots of dogs with this behavior. I think the vari-kennel is the answer and try the blankets covering the kennel. I'd like to hear and update on your dog whitney to see how he is doing.

[marjolein]

I think the answer should be at the breeders. There are too many dogs suffering from some kind of SA, although I really believe some people use this word too easily.
Anyway, to make sure this won't be an issue, I think the breeder should already start to seperate the pups before they're even off to their new owners. And the new owners have to work on this from the moment they get the pup.
I don't think this is a Wei problem, but more a problem of breeders/owners not knowing how to prevent this. Unfortunately, the dog is the victim.

[whitney]

Wow it's been a LONG time. I agree with you 100%. I think alot of it is the breeder and the owners fault. Neither seem to get the whole concept of seperation.
Max is doing great. He has started crating himself up with NO fits at all. He no longer beats the holy crap out of himself. He drools very little if any at all. He's just doing loads better.

[Faust]

I agree with Marjolein absolutely!!!!
Allegro came to me at the age of 7 months and now I am having BIG problems with his separation anxiety and I can't leave him even with my parents arround (when I want to go out with Norman alone) - as he cries, barks so loud (and is so very much upset), that he disturbes the neighbours so much, that I don't dare to go anywhere with Norman alone anymore. This is a real nightmare for me as I live in a flat...
If anyone knows how I could possibly cure this problem, pls help me...

Big hugs,
Kristina

[Ilana]

Hi Kristina,

I don't have this kind of problem with Roy,

But Roy is barking like a crazy when i give him to someone for a few minutes to hold him for me ,and if i put him in a crate in a show and in the back seat in my car when Zippo is in the front seat,

So i solved this problem with a lemon collar,
when the dog is barking ,a lemon sprey go out from a small box in his collar but not direcly to his face !
just around and it's work exellent on Roy,after the first time that he smelled it he stoped barking!

You can't do it when another dog is around because if the other dog will bark ,the one that will get the sprey will be the one that has the collar !!!

[marjolein]

You've got to start from scratch I'm afraid Kirstina, just like he where a tiny puppy. I think this is a good article on how to start:
www.canineconcepts.co.uk/ccp51/cc/dog-training/dog-crate.shtml

[baileyboy]

Hi everybody!

I love reading your posts and especially looking at pix of your gorgeous Weims!

I have 2 Weims: Bailey is the dad, he is 4 y.o.; Murphy is his daughter, she is 1.5 y.o. Bailey never had a problem w/ SA until Murph came around. She is destructo-dog. We have to dog-proof like crazy when we're leaving them. (He gets in on the act, too) Even then, she can reach the top of the fridge! I've had to buy Tupperware for all my cereal, etc., b/c she was pulling them off the fridge and spreading them all over creation!

We tried a crate, and like Whitney above, Murphy made herself bloody.

We've just read Cesar Millan's book & realized we (the people) were not being very effective leaders. So now we're trying. Actually, the problem is more a lack of exercise. We try to run them morning & night. I haven't seen any progress yet, but I'm hopeful!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

-trish

[marjolein]

Trish, I removed your piccie b/c it was a bit big. You have to make it smaller first, before you upload it to the internet.

[baileyboy]

thank you! sorry about that!