Dog messing when occasionally left alone-nerves?

Unorganized

Hi all. I have a three year old small mixed breed boy who I've owned since he was a pup. Until recently we also had another dog who we sadly lost, we'd gotten him as an adult about six years ago, so my little guy had never been alone before.

The little guy was obviously very lost and confused without his friend, was very clingy, constantly climbing on me, licking, I couldn't stand up to move across the room without him instantly being up and raring to come along-he even followed me to the loo and tried to scramble up on my knee repeatedly! He's now been a lone dog for three weeks now and lots of reassurance have calmed him down and he seems to be feeling a lot more secure, I can now walk around downstairs and into other rooms out of sight without him following (I don't make him stay, if he's comfy he's quite happy to let me potter about) and I can go upstairs for a couple of minutes before he follows me.

I'm a SAHM, and don't drive so he generally comes on lead beside the pushchair whenever I pop to the shop, or PO etc, at least once a day, plus he gets 2 what I call good walks per day, morning and night, just the 2 of us, while hubby's home, then another mid-day walk with the toddler too, though he doesn't get off lead time on this walk as I like to have 100% attention on him off lead. We decided against getting another dog, as he really seems to be flourishing with being the only dog, he has recall, has calmed down a lot as he was very excitable, has stopped yapping and is 'best friends' with my dd!

The only problem we've had, and I wouldn't call it a problem, more unpleasant really, is in the last 3 weeks he's been alone I've had to leave him alone on three seperate occasions, the first time was for about 15 minutes, as I had to pop and help a friend and she has non-social dogs of her own. I shut him in the kitchen where he has a bed, run of a large kitchen and utility room. He'd had access to the garden all day in the run up, plus his walks, and he peed and messed. I said nothing, cleaned it up and thought no more of it.

The second time he actually had the run of the whole house as I hadn't closed the kitchen door properly. Came back about 45 minutes later and all was fine, he was asleep in bed, no pee, no mess, nothing.

The third time was only 10 minutes again, I shut him in the kitchen/utility room area simply because I struggle to get out the front door with the pushchair and keep him in, it looked like rain and I needed milk for the little one, didn't want him outside the shop if it chucked it down. I was straight there and back and he had messed. again, had been walked plus the back door had been open and he's happy enough to go out for what he needs to alone.

He also has a large dog crate, and he's a small dog, JRT size, but if put in there for anything will mess all over it and paddle around in it so he doesn't go in there anymore, he has a pad in there and sleeps in it sometimes with the door open.

Sorry to ramble on for such a quick question, but I wanted to give all of his background info etc. As I said it's not so much a problem as unpleasant, as being left alone is quite rare. He can hold it, so it's not that that's the problem, it's just like he's choosing not to only when in the kitchen. He wasn't phased by being left alone in the whole house though. The kitchen is light, comfortable and airy and he spends a lot of time in there with me so as far as I'm aware he doesn't associate it with anything 'bad' as such.

Does anyone have any ideas?

tizerbelle

He's a pack animal. You are part of his pack and he can't cope being alone and is suffering seperation anxiety. You need to start doing seperation training - every day. Have to go back to work now so not time for a full reply but read up about separation anxiety and training. You start locking him in a room on his own, initially for a very short period of time - minutes and then go back and gradually increase the time he is left alone. Eventually even though you are a SAHM you will have to leave him at home on occassions when you would normally take him with you so he gets used to this. He has to realise he cannot be with you all the time and that it is fine and safe for him to be left alone and that you will come back to him.

Unorganized

Thanks for taking the time to reply tizerbelle, I shall look that up now. I did think seperation anxiety but wasn't sure as it only seems to be kitchen related.

Raksha

Am I right in saying he messed when shut in the kitchen, but not when he had the run of the house? Guess what this would tell me....... Being shut in makes him stressed.

tizerbelle

Raksha wrote: »

Am I right in saying he messed when shut in the kitchen, but not when he had the run of the house? Guess what this would tell me....... Being shut in makes him stressed.

Sorry, I missed that potential nuance as I was in a rush and probably didn't read it fully.

Unorganized, if this is true it might be worth getting a safety gate put in the kitchen doorway so that he can be kept in there but not feel "shut in". Also consider whether he needs any stuff in there with him - blanket / toy etc so that he is reassured by having his things with him.

My old little dog was a bit like this, if I shut the dining room door he would whine, use the safety gate and all well with the world.

scheming_gypsy

One of mine would do it all the time as she suffers from seperation anxiety. When they had the run of the house she'd do it on the landing at the top of the stairs, but when i shut the lounge door she'd do it in front of the tv; always those two places; no idea why though. I went through a stage (2 years? ) of leaving the back door open so she could go outside, but my luck has to run out soon so i've started locking them in the house again unless out for a long time. Now i'll put them both out in the morning when i'm getting ready so she has time to 'go' before she's left in the house.
Since i've started locking them in again there have been two occasions, once a wet present and once a wet and stinky present, but both of those times i hadn't locked her out first.

Fire_Fox

You might try a DAP (pheromone) diffuser.

Unorganized

Raksha wrote: »

Am I right in saying he messed when shut in the kitchen, but not when he had the run of the house? Guess what this would tell me....... Being shut in makes him stressed.

I was asking if people thought it was nerves, thanks for the advice given.

Unorganized

tizerbelle wrote: »

Sorry, I missed that potential nuance as I was in a rush and probably didn't read it fully.

Unorganized, if this is true it might be worth getting a safety gate put in the kitchen doorway so that he can be kept in there but not feel "shut in". Also consider whether he needs any stuff in there with him - blanket / toy etc so that he is reassured by having his things with him.

My old little dog was a bit like this, if I shut the dining room door he would whine, use the safety gate and all well with the world.

Thanks for this, I have a spare gate so will pop it up. I guess I never thought of that as I have a glassed door, but definitely makes sense. He has a bed in there, and often goes and sleeps in there, he has his toys everywhere lol, they tend to be wherever he last had them but will make sure they're in with him if he has to be in there, he also has a bone in his bed.

Unorganized

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

One of mine would do it all the time as she suffers from seperation anxiety. When they had the run of the house she'd do it on the landing at the top of the stairs, but when i shut the lounge door she'd do it in front of the tv; always those two places; no idea why though. I went through a stage (2 years? ) of leaving the back door open so she could go outside, but my luck has to run out soon so i've started locking them in the house again unless out for a long time. Now i'll put them both out in the morning when i'm getting ready so she has time to 'go' before she's left in the house.
Since i've started locking them in again there have been two occasions, once a wet present and once a wet and stinky present, but both of those times i hadn't locked her out first.

Interesting, his is also in a specific area, I've never shut him out but he always has constant access to outside. If left alone he'll do it in this spot even with the back door open to go out.

Unorganized

Fire_Fox wrote: »

You might try a DAP (pheromone) diffuser.

Thanks, I had good results with a feliway a while back with a rescue cat, never thought of looking for a doggie one, I'll order one on thursday, has anyone used one? If so how did you find it?