Hello,
My 5 month puppy has started to develop a seperation anxiety from our adult dog when we go out. HELP!!!
They are together at home. When we leave them they are either both in the kitchen but with puppy in a crate or in a run together with puppy in a crate. I walk them seperately as my adult runs around and it just wound up my puppy. If we do walk them together then they walk quite nicely. They are fine at home and on walks (if they stay together).

Our problem occurs when we go out with both dogs and then seperate them even by a few metres. The puppy starts screaming and will not take treats or play and cannot be distracted. I go to training twice a week with them. I have been training tonight. Sometimes at trainng I take puppy in and OH takes adult dog outside so that they are seperate and then we swap for the adult class. They are fine with this. Tonight we took both dogs into the same class. Our puppy was a nightmare. I did not let him back to the adult if he was screaming but he just kept screaming. I feel that this is affecting his training.

Should I continue training and walking them seperately as I feel that this is just avoiding the problem. I have a real worry as we start showing our puppy in 3 weeks time so I don't want him screaming around the ring.

HELP!! GG :rolleyes:

We had a similar problem with our girl when she was young and our boy 12 months older was either working or in the ring.  She would cry and struggle to get to him and it made classes and showing a nightmare.  She was the same when separated from me in the ring and would run out when doing her down stays.

I am sorry to say it took months to get her out of this and even now (she is over three) there are times when she is fretfoil in the OB ring and will break her stays to come to me. 

It is very hard but I have had to ignore it and not even look at her when she does it.  I feel I am betraying her because she obviously wants to be near me or the other dog but it really is the only way to get over it.  Even distraction did not work.

Put her in the situation as often as you can, for short intervals, where she or he can see the other dog but not get to it.  Ignore the screaming, allow the other dog to approach you, not the other way around, and try not to make to big a thing of it when they get back together.  When you get the behaviour you want, treat and say quite as softly as you can.

It  takes ages but you will get there.

Oh, I'm so glad it isn't just me. Our GSD boy does this with our other dog, and I mean screams, even if she is just a few feet away. It is SUCH a pain. He is gradually getting better, and does his training on his own. My other girl goes off with OH to her agility training and he's OK with that. I think it's just a case of persevere and get the pup doing things on his own, and gradually I hope :rolleyes: he'll grow out of it.

I must say he is the first dog I've had that has done this and it is frustrating, especially when he's so strong

Kat

Yes he most definately screams !!! And does backflips trying to get out of his collar
I have been practising with him over the last few days by doing his ringcraft training on a local field with both dogs. OH takes older dog and trots in circles coming back to us and then we trot in a circle coming back to them. He seems to be letting me do the circle bigger each time.
I don't know how our training classes will go. I don't know whether to take him in on his own or with adult dog.

God knows what this will be like when we start showing him in under 3 weeks time!!!! Only 3 weeks left - where did the 6 months go???

GG

Hi GG - my 7m old is fine in the ring with me but when I go in with the older boy he makes a right racket!  Not sure if it's me that he's missing or the older boy?!  But when in the ring he doesn't bat an eyelid!  So fingers crossed he will be fine.  Luckily this doesn't put off Max but drives my OH mad who can no longer stand ringside and watch and has to keep wandering - mind you he needs the exercise OH that is not the pup!! :-D

When at ringcraft on his own again he is fine - perhaps your little one will be better without the adult dog around?  Less distracting?

All the best,

Rach

Definitely only show without your other dog around. I tried to show the youngster at a long coat GSD rally with my girl in the car, and he was a hooligan and kept barking for her when he was in the ring (still won best teenager tho ) but that was because the judge was so impressed with him he got it despite his behaviour. If he hadn't behaved so badly, he could have won best GSD that day, but I am quite sure she just couldn't award it to a dog who was behaving so badly

I also take him off to obedience training on his own, visiting people etc. We try and take that in turns as well as together. He is much, much better now. But it's still really noticeable if we're at a country show or something which is unfamiliar to him. Which means he's going to be a pain at the Edenbridge & Oxted show next weekend :rolleyes: We only go for fun and socialisation
K