Separation anxiety

[flmagi]

I have 2 dogs, a Pit and a Rotty, both I have been raised since they were puppies. I have a few problems with each of them , but I"ll put each problem in a different post.
The first problem is with my female Pit, MiMi. When I leave the house, she cries and barks the entire time I'm gone, non-stop. I live in a cottage next to rest of my family, so I'm often over at the big house and I can hear her crying the whole time. If I'm out in the yard, she's crying and barking so on and so forth. I feel bad that she's so upset at my absence but it also drives me crazy. I never make it a big deal when I leave, I don't give her treats coming or going. It's not easy to correct her because she stops the second I walk in the door. The Rotty doesn't react like this in my absence, he has the opposite problem, but that's another post.
Help!

[Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.]

At 8 years of age this behavior is deeply ingrained and she is deeply attached to you.  That anxiety will surface anytime you are separated. You may try medications when you have to be gone very long.  

Continue to watch here to see if our behavior specialists chime in.  

[flmagi]

Thank you for your response.
1. It's hard to take her with me, especially in the car, since she hates the car and gets very upset. The rest of the family has small dogs which she doesn't get along with, so I can't bring her over there. I have a fenced back yard, so if I'm out there, I do let the dogs out with me.
2. Been there, done that and still do.....doesn't help.
3. Always leave the TV on for them and sometimes put the animal planet on so as to maybe distract her.....Doesn't work.
4. Treats of any kind don't work for her. I could trow her a steak and she'd rather cry at the door....and then the rotty would eat the steak..LOL.
5. She does go in the back yard for a short while, but if I'm not out there, she wants in pretty quick.
She is quite the mama's girl and is always wants to be right at my feet, so I may just be stuck with the problem. Unless there are other suggestions to try.
I really appreciate you responding to my post.

[Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.]

Thanks for the smiley reminder!  I'm sorry your question did not get answered quickly.  

This does sound like separation anxiety.  Some dogs have very severe and violent reactions to this type of anxiety.  Barking and nervousness etc is one of the more mild reactions.  (we all seen dogs that literally tear up the house or chew through doors with such an anxiety) It can be very severe.  

However the question here is what to do?  

Because of her age this will not be an easy fix, if fixed at all.  You will most likely be able to damper it some.  

I would suggest several things done over several months.  

1) take her with you on occasion.  
2) do departure training sessions where you leave, and come back at varying intervals so she knows for sure you are returning.
3) I would strongly recommend TV or white noise in the house when you are gone so she does not hear you or the other family members at the other house.
4) I am a real fan of the KONG filled with peanut butter (sometimes frozen) given to dogs just as you leave.  This gives them a very tasty treat and they have to work on it for hours to get it all.  Occupies their little anxious minds during the time you are gone.  This would be a great thing to do during your departure training sessions.  She will learn to stay busy with her mouth and you are guaranteed to return.  
5) if all fails, talk with your veterinarian about using some of the anti-anxiety medications if you know you have to be gone for several hours or in a situation where you know it will elicit a severe anxiety episode.  
6) also if there is a yard she can be in that is more mentally stimulating than inside the house, you might try that.  

Let us know if any of this works and post back here.  We do have some good behavior specialists and I suspect they just missed your post.  I apologize.  

[flmagi]

:)