Don't get me wrong, I love my dog, and in every other way, she is absolutely perfect. She is super sweet, an excellent snuggler, and a champion napping partner. She doesn't bark, she doesn't lick, and she doesn't even have the ability to snarl, let along try and bite someone. She's patient as a saint when Cadence climbs on her or accidently pokes a finger in her eye.
But then, we try and leave the house, and our sweet little Jekyll goes seriously Hyde on us.
After four dog beds destroyed, three shredded towels, two torn up blankets, the paint clawed off our bathroom door, and dozens of land mines left in our absence, we decided to set up a video camera to see just when the hell was going on while we were gone.
We could only bear to watch the first fifteen minutes of the footage. The whining begins shortly after we close the door. By the time we pull out of the driveway, the whine becomes a full-blown howl. If she is kenneled, she claws and bites at the cage. She paces and pants so hard that she nearly passes out.
We've tried every solution we can think of. We left out articles of our clothing for her to sniff. We left dog cookies and treats around the house for her to find. We bought a hollow ball that we fill with a handful of dog food so pieces fall out randomly as she pushes it around the house. We tried filling another hollow toy with peanut butter to keep her occupied. We installed a dog door so she could have access to both the house and the yard in our absence. We even tried giving her a dose of Benadryl to calm her frazzled nerves. Yet, the only thing that transforms her back into our sweet, doe-eyed dog is for all of us to be home together.
There is a fine line between love and obsession, and Electra just might have crossed it.
But just look at that sweet face!
Ahh ... a good old case of puppy separation anxiety. I went through this with Roo. How to make it better ... are you ready?!?!? First of all it's very important to not make a big deal out of leaving the house or returning home. The second and only other way to defeat this is the kennel. Dogs are den animals. It's their safe place. I suggest a metal one. That's the only one that Roo did not eat her way out of. Make sure it's covered on three sides, they do not feel safe if it's open. So use a blanket, towel, sheet ... whatever it takes. Still with me :) Make sure that during the day when you are home it's open so that she can go in and out as she pleases. Roo naps in her's, it's where she would rather be ... it's her den, her "safe" place. Now. Anytime you leave she must go in the kennel. No exceptions, it's like a kid as soon as you break pattern it's all down hill and you have to start over. Start with small stays in the kennel. Don't make a big deal of it, put her in there and leave the house then return in 5 minutes. Don't make a big deal about leaving or coming home (THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART)!!!! When you come home let her out but do not pet or acknowledge her. After she calms down then you can have her sit and give her love. It's a miserable process but I can guarantee you that if you are consistent in a month it's going to be so so so much better! Good luck friend!
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Oops I did not realize that I was signed in under Matt, it's Lacey :-)
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