Separation Anxiety - barking

gettingready

Ok, now I am at home (lost a job) need some advice on how to work on Zara's separation anxiety - barking the place down whenever I am the last one to leave the flat.

We have dealt with this so far by ensuring someone was always at home but this is impossible to sustain as everyone needs to go out at some point and she needs to be able to stay alone for a bit without barking like a psycho/howling.

She is not destructive at all- she just barks like mad, ALL the time.

When does she bark:

1) When the intercom rings/someone knocks at the dor
2) When she wants her ball, on a walk with ME (not when she was going out with dogwalkers)
3) In the car with me (not with dog walkers)
4) When I am the last one to leave the flat (does not bark when I leave first and my daughter later after me - still stays alone but does not bark then)

Short of getting a husher for her - what can I do to sort this out?

Home all day now so open to suggestions/ideas.

Tried the ultrasonic thingy that makes noises when she barks - no effect. Tried the citronella collar - no effect.

The issue is psychological, this is very clear - she is VERY attached to ME so I am the problem here.

She does not need to stay in the same room as me and is a couch potatoe when I am in, sleeps most of the time ignoring me but the second I TRY to go out - the hell breaks loose (and the neighbours complain of course).

I have tried the going out for a bit and coming back but again - no luck.

Zara is nearly 4.5 now.... sigh.....:(

PRINCESSX87

I once watched victoria stilwell's TV show, and a boxer had the same issue.

All she done, Was walk into a room in the house where there is a door & shut it behind her, Leaving the dog on the other side. Timed 5 mins, Walked in with a treat.

She then extended it around the house, Using the front door last. For each new door, Came an extra 2 mins.

Once at the front door - She timed 10 mins, Just listening.

I dont know if this will work for you, It might / Might not, Other then that there is nothing else i can suggest!

sarabe

Get a raw meaty bone or perhaps a stuffed Kong, whatever she will turn somersaults for and put it in the fridge.

Every time you go to the fridge get really excited about what is in there until you get her interest.

Then let her have a peek at it, just a peek.

When you have built sufficient enthusiasm for it, when she's ready to fight you for it, take it out of the fridge, tease her a bit with it and then give it to her and walk towards the front door. If she leaves the prize and follows you pick it up and put it back in the fridge.

If she doesn't just open the door and close it again before taking the prize from her and putting it away.


Repeat this as and when gradually getting closer to actually leaving.

Open door - step out - step back in - close door.

Open door - step out- close door - open door - step back in - close door.

I sec pause outside, 2 secs, 3 secs etc.

This will only work if she really, really wants the prize and she only gets it when you leave and she loses it when you come back and of course if you do it so gradually that she doesn't fail (i.e. bark at you).

gettingready

Thanks for replies ladies, very much appreciated.

Sarabe - Zara is not very food motivated to be honest.....she even lets the cats nick her own food... The only thing she does somersaults for is a ball - she is ball obsessed...she will get 3 tennis size balls in her mouth to stop other dogs having any - and run off with them.... But ball means "we are going out" so no good. At home she is not interested to chew on it or anything I mean. No good as a "priceless prize for being good"

Princess - Zara has no problem being behind closed doors in the flat if I am anywhere in the flat too. It is me out of the front door that sends her into a panic mode... she howlsssssssssssssssssssssss....

Honestly her barking is driving me insane - she is a barker full sstop. Sees me putting "our walk" shoes on - barks happy on top of her voice. Outside walking barks like mad - just because.. no idea why, just barks.... Me leaving - barks AND howls.....

sarabe

I just knew you were going to say that which is why I really emphasised how you have to get excited about it and you don't use it until she is ready to fight you for it.

If you still think that isn't going to work then I'll give you some ideas on how to increase the value of food, if you want me to of course.

gettingready

Sarabe - what I really want is for YOu to move in with us for a while

On a serious note though, I know I am the problem here, always was...

Zara does not get fed on time - Zara has food in her bowl 24/7 and picks on it whenever she feels like (I know, a big no no) so it is difficult to motivate her with food.

With the 4 kitties at home now, she has their food too. No, she does not nick it of them - sha patiently waits and clears the leftovers from their 4 little dishes when they eat moist food.

Shall I start by feeding her on time? Mornign and evening or just morning?

I really need to know back to absolute basics with her - she is spoilt rotten and I admit it is all absolutely my fault....

sarabe

Well then you don't need me to tell you why she isn't motivated by food do you?

gettingready

Me bad I know.... on my knees and apologising ....

Wrong kind of love my dog (telling myself "Zara is NOT a baby, she is NOT a baby, she is a DOG) geting from me.....

So, where do I start?

Yeas, read all CM books (both I mean LOL) and enjoyed reading them as "stories", watched most of his TV series as well as the Dog Brostel and VS series.. but what looks good (probably heavily edited anyway) on telly does not necessarily work with Zara....

And you know, she gives me THAT look.... hmmmmm

sarabe

She should be on two meals a day and pick up the bowl as soon as she walks away from it.

Meanwhile when you give the kitties their wet food stand there with her waiting for them to finish and beat her to it.

Don't tell her no or leave or anything like that. You want her to want that cat food but you get it first. Then let her watch you stuff a kong with it whilst telling her "nah, nah, it's mine, I got it first, you can't have it.

Then put it in the fridge and proceed as above.

I'm sure you know how I feel about CM and Dog Borstal so we won't go there.

http://beyondcesarmillan.weebly.com/

gettingready

Sarab - of course I know how you feel about this type of "training" methods and I hope you know I would not use it on my baby I mean on Zara who is my DOG

Will be feeding twice per day - from tomorrow. Morning before or after walk? We go out at 6 am for the first time for about an hour.

Ok, maybe I can describe our routine, maybe something is wrong there too?

Food - always there for her, fed Burns at the moment (dry) but will be switching to Skinners as out of work have to save a bit here and there. Anyway, she gets around 330g of Burns at the moment, all goes in the bowl with her Seraquin (3.5 tablets per day, crushed into food). Water always there, changed twice per day for clean one.

Walks - 6am for about an hour, around midday for around an hor (used to go with a dog walker but had to cancel now so me and her), around 5.30 pm for a quick pee and last toliet trip around 10pm again for a quick pee/poo only.

The 6am walk on a lead as dark now (waiting for a fluorescent coat to arrive), the midday walk off the lead, with other dogs, with a ball - recall non existent, 99% dogs ok with but sometimes come across one she does not like and then she is off with her teeth out chasing the dog away. NEVER nipped or bitten a dog, just chasing them away. She comes back when she sees I got the lead out to clip her onto it back - she comes back, that she knows is the end of the walk. I am lucky where I live as Wanstead Flats/Wanstead Park are very safe for dogs to run off lead.

With the walks - she liked walking with "her" pack with the dog walker, got on with all dogs, played with them non stop etc. With me - another story, she seems to be guarging ME and just walk around me ignoring other dogs when we are out and does not really pl;ay with other dogs - even the same ones she used to share walks with the dog walker. Puzzling a bit.

When I get ready to take her out - she starts barking happy bark like mad and does not stop till we are out of the door. When my daughter's b/f takes her out - she is quiet and just goes out with him.

At home - Zara and 4 kittens who she adores and "mothers" - she sleeps mostly in my bedroom doorway with the door open, or by the front door or on the settee/armchair - not bothered really.

Visitors - loves everyone and anyone, barks like mad but all know it is a "happy" bark... still - very annoying...the level of noise

On a lead - pulls like a horse unless on a halti, every dog is an enemy (even the ones she knows - off lead she is fine with the same dogs, on a lead - she wants to kill them).

Uffffffffffffffffffffffff - ok, admitted, my dog is spoilt rotten and has no respect for me.....

Harmless couch potato at home unless I go out - howls barks till I come back.. can do for hours.

amibovvered

I know this sounds really stupid, but is there any way you can leave the house without using the front door? I'm sure I heard of this somewhere once - someone climbed out of a window rather than use the front door because the dog knew the sound of the door. Except I have this feeling you live in a flat - hmm, maybe not such a good idea?!

Only other thing I can think of is leave her with things that smell of you - coat, jumper etc. Perhaps leave the TV/radio on?

Are your neighbours complaining? If you could just leave her barking perhaps she might eventually stop?

Sorry - not really being much help, am I!

Just had another thought - record your voice onto a tape/cd and play it in another room so she will think you are in there?