Treatment to Reduce Seperation Anxiety in Dog

bigpallooka on 09/10/2017 - 01:22
Last edited 11/10/2017 - 12:48

Our Bichon Frise (small white dog that looks a lot like a poodle) gets very stressed when left alone (evidenced by pet cam and heavy panting and over-reaction to our return). Someone I know recommended a product called Behave that they used on their Maltese who acts the same. Apparently it has a sedative effect on dogs and horses and can be purchased at a rural supply store. I haven't been able to locate it online (which is my preferred method of purchase). Can anyone recommend an online source or an equivalent product? If not we will have to see if my friend can post it from interstate or see what the vet recommends at triple the price.

EDIT: I found a product called Bach Rescue Remedy online at Petbarn that seems to have good reviews. Anyone used it?

EDIT 2: Just an FYI both the Thundershirt and the Rescue Remedy are 30% off at Petbarn when I ordered today 11/10/17

Pets

Comments

  • AdosHouse on 09/10/2017 - 02:49
    +1

    Looked at these yet?
    http://vetproductsdirect.com.au/thundershirt-grey-small-dog?…

  • chumlee on 09/10/2017 - 06:34

    Find some old Dr Harry clips. I'm sure he's treated this problem a dozen times on Better Homes

    • theHMASfriendship on 09/10/2017 - 10:41
      +1

      If there's a pet with a problem, he'll sort it out.

  • barbarella on 09/10/2017 - 08:38
    +1

    Yes….I recommend Rescue Remedy (you could buy from your local pharmacy - just make sure it is suitable for animals, but I think its all the same) - completely safe and it does not have a sedative affect. You could also try putting a thunder jacket on him/her.

    • coco1458 on 09/10/2017 - 09:04
      +2

      The human version of rescue remedy contains ethanol whereas the pet version is alcohol free

    • bigpallooka on 09/10/2017 - 18:57

      Thanks for the feedback. I'll give it a try.

  • Randxyz123 on 09/10/2017 - 09:29

    How old is it??

    Perhaps try a buster cube as well to distract them while you’re at work. There are also pet cams on the market that let you speak to your pet and give him/her a treat remotely.

    Does your job allow you to work from home ? Perhaps you could try leaving in the morning , coming back at lunch time , then push it out till 2pm, 3pm etc so they slowly get used to being alone.

  • CLoSeR on 09/10/2017 - 10:17

    Some breeds are like this.

  • Kangal on 09/10/2017 - 11:18
    +1

    How about toys or distractions?

    You could also leave the TV on playing something the dog enjoys watching?
    Maybe even Skype call her when you're on break?

    Or lastly, get a companion.
    Having two dogs means double-trouble, but it does mean they can baby sit each other.

    • citygal on 09/10/2017 - 13:58

      How can you Skype call a dog? It knows how to answer the call?

      • Kangal on 09/10/2017 - 14:27
        +3

        If your dog cannot answer a Skype call in 2017, then you failed as a Pokemon trainer.

      • bigpallooka on 09/10/2017 - 18:57

        The pet cam has the facility to send audio back to the dog. I just don't think it is a good idea. It would make the dog think you are close by and would increase the barking and jumping on the door we get as soon as the front gate is opened. We leave the TV on trying to trick the dog with background noise and it makes no difference. I'm not getting another dog to solve this problem. In my mind it's asking for 2 distressed dogs instead of one.

        • citygal on 09/10/2017 - 20:13
          +1

          How about hiring a person to walk the dog on a regular basis when you're not at home? I saw a few ads on Gumtree about this. Maybe a good idea to distract your dog as it can connect with a real person and getting it out of the house may reduce his focus of missing you guys since there're a lot of memories in the house.

  • bigpallooka on 09/10/2017 - 21:07

    I started to write a whole story for the original post but thought it would be better not to overshare however to clarify some of the general issues people have mentioned in their replies:
    * She is only ever alone for a few hours once or twice a week (shopping/movies/appointments)
    * She is generally very relaxed and quick to settle once she has alerted us to visitors
    * She is walked regularly
    * She is 7 years old and we have had her and she has lived in this location for 3 1/2 years
    * As an adult dog she seems disinterested in toys etc. (which she has and ignores) that are used successfully to distract younger dogs
    * I know she is stressed by our absence because she poops and pees in the house only (and not always) when we are out as well as;
    * The pet cam has only short segments of video and audio over the mostly 3G reception we have here but still shows her barking and staying in one central position for most of our absence
    * When we return she jumps on the door, barks frenetically until it's opened, whimpers and pants rapidly and immediately dancers around my adult wheelchair bound son (she is actually his dog) and when he stops jumps onto his lap and refuses to get down until she is sure we are settled back in to stay.
    * She knows when we are leaving the house by our actions (how we are dressed, hats, keys, shoes etc.) and the stress starts then as she gets up and starts dancing around us with panting etc. Often she jumps onto my sons lap also which makes it harder to leave.
    * As the issue is regular but of short duration we are hopeful that there may be a simple, inexpensive solution such as the Rescue Remedy drops.

    Thanks for all the comments though.

  • PVA on 09/10/2017 - 21:23

    Our Bischon is fine, never had a problem.. they are great dogs aren't they.

    I suggest you dont make a fuss when leaving and especially when returning - just ignore them for 5-10 minutes or so, dont let him jump up until later even if you need to push him down.
    Also go out more often , go for 5 minutes and come back. another time ten minutes, vary the time away. They know by grabbing keys etc so do that and just go out the front and come back etc. Mix it up. do the same actions to just wash the car.

    Its not a real pain to do, just dont give in and he'll be fine.

    our dog (now 10) still loves his soft toys (has two) and usually meets us at the door with one in his mouth.

    the bach product is also at chemist warehouse (its not just for animals) but you are best to train the dog, the drops will give the dog another signal that you are going out.

    • bigpallooka on 10/10/2017 - 00:29

      Yes. Keesha is great if a bit of a snob. I'm happy to hear your Bichon is so well adjusted. Keesha came from a breeder who cried when she handed her over so we think she was well loved for her first 3 1/2 years and this is the only issue we have with her general behaviour.

      The friend who uses the Behave has 2 Maltese and only one of them needs it. I don't think breed is necessarily an indication of the temperament you can expect from any individual dog except maybe in generalities.

      We don't make a fuss when we leave. We do all the getting ready and dressed actions out of her sight and hearing and then just leave however leaving isn't always fast and easy. It's very difficult for my disabled son to prevent her from jumping on him without hurting her because his chair is powered and a sudden movement to avoid her jumping up could result in hitting or running over her.

      We have tried most the behavioural tricks however there are many limitations and exasperating difficulties involved in managing life with the wheelchair that could be complicating the lessons so we are trying to find a least risk/difficulty solution that centers on the dog first.

      According to the directions of the Rescue Remedy (found online) you just put it in your dogs water so I don't think it will indicate anything to the dog unless there are spray versions that are used as needed. There is a Chemist Warehouse within walking distance. I might see if they have the animal version which I believe uses something other than alcohol as a preservative or at least check to see it won't be harmful for dogs. We buy her Advocate treatment there as it the cheapest locally.

  • Scab on 11/10/2017 - 13:26
    +1

    We do all the getting ready and dressed actions out of her sight and hearing and then just leave however leaving isn't always fast and easy.

    What you should do is let her see you getting ready to go out and then stay home, dogs pick up on cues and you have to desensitise them to the stimuli so she learns that getting dressed, grabbing your keys and so on doesn't always mean you're leaving.

    You will need to do this repeatedly and it can take many months and a lot of hard work, but there is no easy solution.

    My dog had this, he would sit and howl at the side gate until I returned, leaving in the car was worse as he would go ballistic.

    Toys and hidden treats didn't help as he was so anxious, the only thing that worked was to pretend to be going out by getting dressed, grabbing my keys and then just sitting down.

    Once those cues no longer made him anxious I progressed to leaving the house, but returned after 20 seconds and then gradually extended the time.

    Took me almost a year until I was able to go out and he was ok, now I can leave him in the house without him chewing things or crying.

    Really wouldn't recommend any sedatives as you're just treating the symptom and not the underlying cause.

    • bigpallooka on 11/10/2017 - 18:29

      Yeah we tried a version of this where we get ready and go into the yard for 10 minutes then just go back in side, then the next day we get ready and just stay inside and keep changing the pattern we did this for a while. Maybe not long enough. It actually worked for a short while but she quickly figured out that it was a ploy and went back to being distressed whenever we went outside. I think she played the odds that we weren't going to stand out side with the sand-flies indefinitely. As I said before we tried most of the recommended behavioural tricks. There are limitations with what we can commit to do while still managing day-to-day life with a serious disability not to mention the fact that going out requires a great deal of planning and timing and some of those preparations and the time of the day we go out can't be changed. If these drops that I bought today don't help much we will have to go back to those behaviour modification tricks and maybe try them for longer.

      The behaviour dosen't bother me or my neighbours (a small dog does small messes which are easy to clean up and nobody but the pet cam picks up the barking) however it's not good to think of her being distressed.

      These Rescue Remedy drops aren't sedatives apparently (or so it says on the box). I'm not much for homeopathic remedies myself but I'll see if they work.

      • Scab on 11/10/2017 - 18:38

        There are limitations with what we can commit to do while still managing day-to-day life with a serious disability

        Yeah, I understand, it's a of work and time to deal with this problem, good luck.

        Dogs are awesome.

  • Word on 11/10/2017 - 15:46

    Recommended technique is throwing the dog in a dark room alone and leaving the dog in that room overnight or two.

    • Scab on 11/10/2017 - 18:02

      That won't do a thing.

    • bigpallooka on 11/10/2017 - 18:33
      +1

      That seems too reminiscent of rubbing a dogs nose in it's mess. They can't relate your action as a reaction to their past behaviour. Every expert I have ever read on the subject of behavior modification in dogs says instant diversion or reward as everything else apparently just confuses them.

      • Word on 11/10/2017 - 21:44

        What?

        The particular method works on sensory information being blocked and is not supposed to work as a form of punishment.

        Why would the room need to be dark otherwise?

        Please know that this method is based upon the social interactions of wolves and their pups.

        The method is cruel and not recommended for most owners despite being the most effective.

        "They can't relate your action as a reaction to their past behaviour"

        Incorrect as this will depend upon the aptitude and breed of the dog. This is especially true for Basenji owners as the dogs can be somewhat spiteful.

        • bigpallooka on 11/10/2017 - 22:56

          I'll have to defer to your expertise as I am unaware of this method despite the considerable interest I have in learning about training and behaviour of dogs. Can you please tell me where I can find out more about this method as I can't find it in any of the literature I have or a basic internet search. I'm happy to be proven wrong and find it has merit.

        • Word on 12/10/2017 - 02:39
          -1

          @bigpallooka:

          Let me guess, a science major?

          How you guys love to research everything.

          Moving on:

          The information was obtained from a
          Veterinary in effort to treat my dog's separation anxiety and ADD.

          This method has never been utilised by myself and so I cannot speak from personnel success.

          So treat this as an first approach method on treating a dogs with anxiety and if the treatment is not successful try a adaptil collar or ASMR (another sensory treatment).

          Information on sensory deprivation therapy is available from:

          "Manual of Clinical Behaviour medicine for dogs and cats."

          "Comprehensive pet therapy treating separation anxiety in dogs."

          Health.com "7 ways to relieve dog's anxiety".

          Main points from sources:

          Increase the intervals of a leaving a dog in dark or low light room.

          Play calm music during the sessions.

          Create a dark safe sport after the sessions have been successful to emulate a dog's den.

          Believe the idea is based upon the mother or father wolf leaving the pups in a dark cave. The hunts are increased in intervals until the pups are self efficient.

          Remember each dog is an individual so success rates for each treatments will vary.

        • bigpallooka on 12/10/2017 - 03:24

          @Word: Thanks. I'll look those up. On face value it seems counter-intuitive to everything I have read but what do I know? I'm not a vet or a science major just someone who thinks 9 out of 10 people are happy to quote hearsay as fact. When it comes to health (human or otherwise) I prefer to have something more than an anonymous comment on a forum to base my decisions on. I appreciate advice more when it is verified. Thanks for the links.

        • Scab on 12/10/2017 - 05:27

          Please know that this method is based upon the social interactions of wolves and their pups.

          Dogs are not wolves, dogs have been domesticated longer than any other animal.

          And wolves never leave pups on their own in the dark, there's always other pups around and usually an adult to protect them.

          Teaching a pup to be on its own is fine and should be done to prevent separation anxiety developing, but once it's established it is too late and the only way is to desensitise the animal, and that takes a lot of time and a lot of hard work.

          Leaving them alone in a dark room will only traumatise and distress them.

        • Scab on 12/10/2017 - 05:35

          @Word:

          Believe the idea is based upon the mother or father wolf leaving the pups in a dark cave. The hunts are increased in intervals until the pups are self efficient.

          Nonsense, as I posted dogs are not wolves and wolves don't leave pups on their own, so this approach is rubbish.

          And the OP's dog is not a pup, it is far too late for this approach to work in an adult dog.

        • Word on 12/10/2017 - 17:09

          @Scab:

          "Dogs are not wolves, dogs have been domesticated longer than any other animal."

          Scientifically speaking you are correct Wolves are Canis lupus while dogs are canis lupus familiaris.

          For this to be valid point dogs require to share no single traits with wolves, so are you suggesting this? Else similar responses to certain stimulus would be expected to occur between these two species.

          "don't leave pups on their own"

          When was this stated? Are you being confused over the usage of the words "or" to that of "and"?

          Even if "and" was used you'd still be absolutely wrong.

          "pups around and usually an adult to protect them."

          This is the only thing we agree upon so bronze sticker for you.

          Please know the adult guard the pups can be out of sight and out of kind the puppies and how this different from leaving them in a dark room?

          Additionally, pup care is usually shared between members of the pack and its common for the parents to be off hunting while another member watches the pups.

          "Leaving them alone in a dark room will only traumatise and distress them."

          Have you personally tried this? Are you a qualified vet? Or are you just annoyed because you were proven wrong?

        • Scab on 12/10/2017 - 17:21

          @Word:

          Scientifically speaking you are correct Wolves are Canis lupus while dogs are canis lupus familiaris.

          We aren't talking scientifically, don't be pendatic.

          When was this stated?

          You implied it by telling the OP "throwing the dog in a dark room alone and leaving the dog in that room overnight or two".

          Wolves don't do that, so why the comparison or example, you can't have it both ways?

          Have you personally tried this? Are you a qualified vet?

          What makes you think that vets are experts in dog behaviour, they're only medically trained?

          Most don't know shit about training.

          And no I'm not a vet, I train dogs both as something I enjoy and I used to do it professionally.

          I've owned over a dozen dogs and help out at doggie school for my local council, I've heard some ridiculous myths but yours is a beauty.

          you were proven wrong

          Where exactly have you done that, all you've posted is nonsense based on little experience and myths?

        • Word on 12/10/2017 - 17:47

          @Scab:

          "Wolves don't do that, so why the comparison or example, you can't have it both ways?"

          Actually wolves occasionall leave pups along in a den.

          "And no I'm not a vet, I train dogs both as something I enjoy and I used to do it professionally.

          That's nice so you have no real knowledge of dog behaviour outside pup sitting, while:

          Completed degree in Environmental Science. Both my honours and PHD research focused on studying the behavioural differences find within Dingos and hybrids.

          Experience: Research lead and operations at a dingo sanctuary.

        • Scab on 12/10/2017 - 17:53
          -1

          @Word:

          Completed degree in Environmental Science.

          Don't believe a word of it.

          But regardless, none of it gives you any expertise with dogs, your suggestion of leaving it in a dark room to cure separation anxiety shows that alone.

          You obviously have no experience or expertise whatsoever, that's blatantly obvious from what you've posted.

        • Word on 12/10/2017 - 18:15

          @Scab:

          "Don't believe a word of it."

          It won't be hard to validated I'll just send you my transcript and my research papers.

          In return I expect that you'll validate your claims? Else I'm just going to assume that you lied and which explains your little outburst.

          "your suggestion of leaving it in a dark room to cure separation anxiety shows that alone."

          Don't get over excited. There are different opinions on how to best treat separation anxiety for dogs
          And the based treatment varies based upon breed and thebindividual.

          "You obviously have no experience or expertise whatsoever, that's blatantly obvious from what you've posted."

          Feel free to disagree, but you got leatn to relax and stop having a go at everyone.

        • Word on 12/10/2017 - 20:16

          Before stating something else please keep in mind I'm not morally for this method.

          This is a method which has been recommended by vet and is a method that some people reported as successfully.

          The reason for posting said method was for OP to have another method to explore.

          That stated I am a strong believer of trying behavioural therapy before attempting to medicate any animal for personality flaws.

        • Word on 12/10/2017 - 20:34

          @Word:

          Mods you deleted the wrong post.

          Fixed:

          This is not a hard claim to prove, because I can simply upload my transcript and research papers.

          In return please validate your claims of being a puppy sitter.

          Else it's very clear that you have lied about your experiences, which explains your little outburst.

          Fixed:

          Please refrain from getting over excited. Different opinions exist regarding the best method to treat a dog for separation anxiety.

          Fixed:

          Please feel free to disagree.

          Nevertheless, you have to learn to control your anger and be relaxed
          because if you ever become my employee you'd be fired on the sport.

          Delete the other post please and not this one.

          That post was typed when waiting for NRMA to fix my car and I didn't get chance to check for grammatical errors.

        • Scab on 13/10/2017 - 06:27

          @Word:

          There are different opinions on how to best treat separation anxiety for dogs

          Sure, dogs are different and some things may work or work quicker for certain individuals, but leaving an adult dog already with separation anxiety in a dark room would never work.

          That only helps prevent anxiety in puppies.

          Anyway, I'm done with this conversation.

        • Word on 13/10/2017 - 15:27

          @Scab:

          "Sure, dogs are different and some things may work or work quicker for certain individuals, but leaving an adult dog already with separation anxiety in a dark room would never work."

          In you're unprofessional opinion and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to opinion be it wrong or right.

          "That only helps prevent anxiety in puppies."

          So you went from never works in any situation to only works in puppies, a no true Scotsmen you are.

          "Anyway, I'm done with this conversation."

          Because you were caught spouting lies from your very mouth?

          Regardless, it's good you're leaving, in my professional opinion you should not be commenting in this thread or any other relating to animals.

          That stated everyone is still entitled to their own opinions, especially who are wrong give contrasting support those who are right.

        • Scab on 13/10/2017 - 15:34

          @Word:

          "That only helps prevent anxiety in puppies."

          So you went from never works in any situation to only works in puppies

          You're either trolling or have trouble reading, I said that in my previous reply to you: https://goo.gl/qxrWj1

          "Teaching a pup to be on its own is fine and should be done to prevent separation anxiety developing"

          3rd line down, let me know what word you're struggling with?

        • Word on 13/10/2017 - 19:55

          @Scab:

          "You're either trolling or have trouble reading, I said that in my previous reply to you: https://goo.gl/qxrWj

          Did you also not post that you were done with this conversation? And here you are posting.

          So please explain why anyone should
          believe a word you have posted?

          Especially, considering this is
          black or white response exhibiting a lack of sound argumentative logic. However, this is expected from a person at your level of calibre.

          Not only have you failed to display any reasonable arguments, you've never provided any relevant source materials or links to back up your these futile points.

          So in the interest of saving myself valuable time. We are now done with this conversation.

        • Scab on 13/10/2017 - 22:28
          -1

          @Word:

          We are now done with this conversation.

          You should have done that to begin with and saved yourself the embarrassment.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join