Update: adopted dog with separation anxiety

19 years ago

I thought I'd give you an update on my friend's dog. We discussed his situation in this thread.

My friend bought a crate and read up on the training process. But I don't think he was very consistent with the training, and it didn't seem to matter (to him) because he works mostly at home and had no occasion to leave the house for a week or so. When he did leave for the first time after that period, his brother was visiting. Mikey was put in his crate, my friend left, and the brother went to take a shower. When he came out of the bathroom, he found Mikey out of the crate and the crate door still latched.

I meant to mention that the vet had sold him D.A.P. Â pheromones said to have a calming effect on anxious dogs. The diffuser was pumping out pheromones at the time Mikey escaped from his crate.

The next day my friend and his brother went out. When they came back, Mikey was once again out of his crate. I'm guessing something was amiss with the crate assembly.

Anyway, today they didn't bother putting him in the crate. They were gone three hours, and at some point Mikey peed by the front door. He hasn't done anything destructive, though.

The most important part of my update is that my friend is totally in love with Mikey. I don't blame him...I got to meet him last week, and he's a big, beautiful sweetheart. Very much attached to his new person. While I was there Mikey slept on the floor with his head on my friend's foot. Awww....

Susan

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Comments (4)

quirkyquercus
19 years ago
Is it a crate or an exercise pen? Ex-pens have an open top and some dogs can easily get out.
alisande
Original Author
19 years ago
No, it's a crate. Six sides. He hasn't been in it since...
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quirkyquercus
19 years ago
Well I don't know what to tell you other than it sounds like the crate that was used was either not sturdy enough or not assembled properly.

I have an adopted dog that used to get very anxious when I would leave. To this day he often curls up by the door that I walk out of and waits there the whole time by the door until I come back but not always.

Before he demonstrated he could be trusted alone in the house he had to stay in his crate. I made the crate a very rewarding place to be because he got Kongs stuffed with peanut butter, slices of bread and other goodies to work on while I was away. Fun fun fun. And it involves chewing so he'd calm down. Then by the time the Kongs are cleaned out he's wiped out and in need of a nap.

The crate should be used frequently before you actually have to leave the dog alone. Feeding the dog in the crate and giving him treats for going in there teaches the dog that being in the crate is a reward and not a punishment. It should never be a punishment.

Dogs do not know what cages are. They see wire or chainlink like walls of their safe little cave. But humans know what cages are and have preconceived notions about cages being cruel. If this is the case, decorate the room that the crate is in with happy doggie related decorations so that there is a feeling of happiness that overwhelms any wire cage crulety feeling the dog owner may have. This is solely for the owner.

After a while he graduated to bedroom and had freedom to the entire bedroom. Then eventually the whole house.

Then it just becomes up to the dog. The first night I gave my older boy rights to the whole house and an open crate, he wandered around for about 30 minutes then guess where he decided to sleep.... He went back in the crate all on his own decision.

These things take time. After a while the dog will start to figure out that the human is coming back. Setting up a routine helps.
mazer415
19 years ago
glad everything is going well, apparently the dog does better out of the crate, and suggest to your friend he take the pup out for walkies BEFORE he leaves on a errand and to leave a kong filled with treats or another type of puzzle food toy out while he is gone, it will give the pup something to do even for a little bit