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Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / Separation Anxiety
- By kboyle111 [gb] Date 26.11.09 09:58 UTC
I've had Jess my patterdale now for 2 years, she's now 3 and a half years old and we got her from another home so has been well trained/behaved etc.  The problem is she's recently started showing signs of separation anxiety when I go out of an evening.  I work part time so from the moment we got her she's been left in quite a big kitchen during the day (only 4 hours) and she's been great, always goes in there without a problem doesn't get upset when I leave her, she's never chewed anything she's been perfect I'm convinced she just sleeps a lot. 

I'm the one who I think she responds to the most as I'm strict and consistent with rules and she does obey when I give her a command.  Of an evening when I go out which has been occasionally over the last 2 years (I like staying at home watching tv usually, boring I know!!) she's been fine, paced the room a little but has soon settled down.  The problem has occured now, I've recently started a night class and this has left her alone with my husband and son and her behaviour has been getting worse.  Last night she started barking the minute I left the house, my husband (who adores her and walks her equally as much as me but is softer in the fact he lets her get away with not obeying his commands) is getting really fed up as this has been happening since I started my class 6 weeks ago.  Last night she started barking so he put her in the kitchen and she kept throwing herself against the door to escape until he let her back in which he didn't as he put her in the garden to get a bit of peace, when he did bring her back in after half an hour or so she was fine, when I got home I would never have known what had happened. 

She's beginning to make him really fed up of her when I go out now as he feels he can't cope, I'm more worried about the fact that she's controlling him not the other way round.  Can anyone advice as to what he should do?  She is due to have a season so whether or not she's hormonal I don't know. 
- By bear [gb] Date 28.11.09 12:49 UTC
the fact that she maybe coming into season could affect her as her mood will be different.
have you tried restricting her attention from you and your husband, so that when you leave her she doesn't feel left out or upset?
i always ignore my dogs for a good while before leaving them and this makes them a lot less stressed. i also don't speak to them or look at them when i return for half an hour or so. therefore it makes no difference to them whether i'm with them or not.
also a good walk before i go out, so any excess energy has been removed and they settle better, generally just sleeping while i'm away.
basically you need to be the one who decides when the dog gets attention from you or your husband. if your husband tries to give affection when your dog gets stressed then this will only make the dog worst and also if he gets angry or stressed with her she will also pick this up from him and get more stressed herself.
have you got any chews or something thats not an every day treat that she can just have if you go out so she is distracted ie a kong stuffed with something. anything that will keep her busy for a long time.     
Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / Separation Anxiety

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