My dog can't handle me leaving the house.

Otterama

She gets incredibly upset...whining, howling, crying...it's so loud! We live in a townhouse, and I don't want the neighbors to complain. It's like I can't even leave the house because she gets so upset.

I bring her to her spot (crate training has not been successful so far) and try to give her some comforts before I leave. 

What can I do to make her calm down when I leave? 

MissusTexas

As hard as it sounds, you'll have to avoid the comforts before you leave and when you come back. Making a production of coming and going is only going to make it more painful to her when you leave.

You can calmly give her a treat when you leave, but nothing more.. no kisses, love, etc. during the time immediately before you depart. This give her less time to build anxiety as you grab your keys, pick up your purse, etc.

I'll Be Home Soon is a must-read to help with separation anxiety. I hope this helps!

NEgirl1811

You should check out my dog trainer's page. He does call in webinars every Wednesday and radio shows on Saturdays. 

He's awesome, good luck

 http://solidk9training.com/

Caz1221

I don't have much experience with separation anxiety (it sounds like that might be an issue here), but many posters have recommended "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell for help with SA issues.  The FAQs might have some good info on that, too (they are in the green banner at the top of the board).

Some general thoughts I had: How much exercise and mental stimulation is she getting?  If she's tired, she will be more likely to sleep/rest while you are gone.  Do you give her a super-special treat like a frozen, stuffed Kong when you leave?  It should be something she only gets when you are away.  Also, how are you leaving and returning?  If you get very excited when you come home and make a big deal out of it, it could make her more anxious when you leave.  Stay calm, ignore her while you take off your coat, etc. and only greet her when she is calm.  You can also practice leaving for a very short period of time, gradually lengthening it.

What have you tried with crate training?  What do you mean when you say it hasn't been successful?  Is she anxious in the crate as well?

Otterama

Caz1221:

I don't have much experience with separation anxiety (it sounds like that might be an issue here), but many posters have recommended "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell for help with SA issues.  The FAQs might have some good info on that, too (they are in the green banner at the top of the board).

Some general thoughts I had: How much exercise and mental stimulation is she getting? She gets a lot, as I'm home all day and spend much of my time with her.  If she's tired, she will be more likely to sleep/rest while you are gone.  Do you give her a super-special treat like a frozen, stuffed Kong when you leave?  The only treats she is interested in is people food...I don't really want her having people food, though. It should be something she only gets when you are away.  Also, how are you leaving and returning? I make sure her blanket is out and then I put on my shoes, grab my purse and keys and leave. If you get very excited when you come home and make a big deal out of it, it could make her more anxious when you leave.  Stay calm, ignore her while you take off your coat, etc. and only greet her when she is calm.  You can also practice leaving for a very short period of time, gradually lengthening it. I'm practicing that now, but that's a great idea about not making a big deal of coming home!

What have you tried with crate training?  What do you mean when you say it hasn't been successful?  Is she anxious in the crate as well? She won't go near it...she isn't interested in treats, so I can't lure her in that way...she shakes and gets so nervous. We think there was some abuse with her previous owners and I wonder if they used a crate as punishment? It's highly upsetting to her to be crated.

NotJennay

Otterama:

She gets incredibly upset...whining, howling, crying...it's so loud! We live in a townhouse, and I don't want the neighbors to complain. It's like I can't even leave the house because she gets so upset.

I bring her to her spot (crate training has not been successful so far) and try to give her some comforts before I leave. 

What can I do to make her calm down when I leave? 

If you try the suggested SA training and it doesn't seem to help, you can also talk to your vet about doggie prozac.  It can be very helpful in the more difficult/extreme cases. 

OfficiallyHollyC

Otterama:

Caz1221:

She won't go near it...she isn't interested in treats, so I can't lure her in that way...she shakes and gets so nervous. We think there was some abuse with her previous owners and I wonder if they used a crate as punishment? It's highly upsetting to her to be crated.

Reactions like that aren't an indication of previous abuse. She is probably just unfamiliar with being left alone. Its a 'self esteem issue' as my vet refers to it. You need to build her confidence with being alone. My Lola had severe crate anxiety/separation anxiety and we sought help with our vet and a behaviorist. I'd recommend doing both as well. Your vet can probably refer you to a good behaviorist. My vet happens to be both (SCORE!) and not only prescribed meds for her but also helped us with tips on how to help change her behavior.

Also what kind of crate do you use? The wire crate is terrible. Its better to use the enclosed crate for a dog who has crate anxiety.

wlfpkbride

We're working through the same problem. Our dog doesn't mind being in the crate, until we leave. We also live in a townhome and a neighbor has complained (a lot). We have been practicing not making a big deal out of leaving/returning, along with some of the other things that have been suggested. We talked to the vet and he also recommended leaving a radio or tv on for them, possibly recording your sounds and playing them while you're gone, and finally medicating. We do not want to medicate her until we try EVERYTHING else. He gave us a supplement called composure and we've been using that for a few weeks now. We are seeing some improvement, but I'm not sure if it's more from the supplement or the training. I know it can be frustrating. GL!

eshee8198

In addition to the wonderful suggestions from PPs, we've also found that peanut butter stuffed Kongs or stuffed bones help our anxious pup when we leave. We've also had success crating her in an exercise pen with a crate attached, so that she has a little more mobility - but she's also a high energy dog.