New Dog Problem

We have just re homed a lovely 3 year old Cocker Spaniel. He is a lovely dog, well behaved and great on recall. He is also very well behaved in the house and can be left alone whilst we are in. Even though he slept on the previous owners bed he quite happily sleeps on the landing outside our bedroom door without so much as a peep until we get up. He does get slightly jumpy at unusual noises on the TV and will bark at times when he hears car doors outside or sees people walking past the house.

The main issue we have is that if he is left alone in the house when we go out of the main door he immediately becomes anxious and fretful. Being left alone in the house immediately upsets him and causes him anxiety. He is left alone at most for 2 hours at any time over 3 out of the 7 days and we need to sort this out before it becomes a major issue.

Can anyone please suggest someone that may be able to help us deal with this.

There's some good info on the Greyhound Gap website on dealing with separation anxiety:

http://greyhoundgap.proboards.com/thread/29758/okay-late-seperation-anxiety

It involves building up the length of time gradually which I guess may or may not be possible for you (if you have to go to work, you have to go!)

Other things you could try are making sure he's super tired out before you go out, both physically maybe with some ball chasing, and mentally with some training. I'd give him time to calm down before you actually leave though so he's hopefully in a relaxed, sleepy state.

You could also try leaving him with a Kong toy stuffed with something tasty such as a bit of his kibble ration mixed with peanut butter (make sure it's the no additives kind, read the label) and frozen solid overnight to keep his mind occupied.

Also some people have success with creating a 'den' for their dog, such as a crate covered in a blanket (you don't have to shut the door), or a cave type bed, where the dog can feel safe and secure. You could try giving him treats in there, and maybe put a stinky tshirt of yours in there too so it feels really nice and has a positive association for him.

Some people recommend leaving the radio on as well, never tried that myself though as I personally didn't want to be stuck having to leave it on all the time.

You could also try leaving him with a Kong toy stuffed with something tasty such as a bit of his kibble ration mixed with peanut butter (make sure it's the no additives kind, read the label) and frozen solid overnight to keep his mind occupied.

Please, please do not leave your dog unsupervised with a Kong. I know of a dog who has been very poorly and has just had to have major surgery to resect part of it's small intestine in order to remove the top ring of a Kong. The dog had chewed it off and swallowed it. It is only due to the experience of one excellent vet that it was identified and the dog treated. They do not show up on X-ray because they are not radio opaque.

An Internet search for this problems will provide many references to people who have had the same issue. Use Kongs if you will, but please don't leave a dog alone with one and always check that it is complete. This is particularly important with ardent chewers. Personally, I would never give one to a dog again.

Please, please do not leave your dog unsupervised with a Kong. I know of a dog who has been very poorly and has just had to have major surgery to resect part of it's small intestine in order to remove the top ring of a Kong. The dog had chewed it off and swallowed it. It is only due to the experience of one excellent vet that it was identified and the dog treated. They do not show up on X-ray because they are not radio opaque.

 

An Internet search for this problems will provide many references to people who have had the same issue. Use Kongs if you will, but please don't leave a dog alone with one and always check that it is complete. This is particularly important with ardent chewers. Personally, I would never give one to a dog again.

Strange I've never heard of that, I've always used a kong and they're recommended by loads of people.

So long as you select the appropriate size and toughness and check it each day for wear and tear I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem.

If your dog is a really bad chewer, likelihood is they could chew up and swallow any number of items in your house anyway. Unless you keep them locked in a crate with no toys or bedding they'll never be 100% safe when unattended...

Strange I've never heard of that, I've always used a kong and they're recommended by loads of people.

I hadn't heard of it either but if you are in any doubt about this, take a minute to read this. There are more references to this problem on that page and also via a search. Just because 'loads of people' recommend them it doesn't mean that they are a good thing. That is just herd mentality.

Because you have never heard of it doesn't mean that it is not a problem. Now you have heard of it so do a search, think about it and decide whether you are 100% happy to recommend that a dog is left alone with these toys.

The dog referenced in my previous post would have died had it not been for a first class vet and emergency surgery. The Kong was the correct one, not a replica. Kongs are not indestructible and dogs should never be left alone with them. BTW this particular dog is not destructive and does not chew anything in the house so I believe your comment about never been 100% safe when unattended is incorrect too. Checking the Kongs regularly is a good idea but it may come too late if the dog has already swallowed a piece of it.

I'm not getting at you vwkittie - just trying to prevent other dogs suffering as this one has.

Have you considered crating him?

We have considered all the above. The Kong issues are well documented along with some dogs getting their tongues stuck inside the Kong which sometimes causes a vacuum meaning the Kong "sticks" to the dogs tongue.

Yes we have considered a crate but that will be a last resort.

It's early days at the moment but funnily enough he has been left with the run of the house today and on 2 occasions has been found asleep behind the front door.

He doesn't get left for too long so hopefully he should get used to being left. In his previous home he was supposedly used to being left all day (due to a sudden change in circumstances) before we re homed him.

Thanks for all your suggestions

Moving homes is a big upheaval for any dog, even more so when new people are involved too. Give him time I'm sure he will relax, I'd e tempted to give him a den to go into to feel safe, if you dont want to use a crate x

Separation anxiety can be difficult to treat but I agree that it is early days for your dog. There is plenty of information on the Internet about dealing with this, one being Victoria Stillwell's Positively website. If you cannot sort this out with behaviour modification it may be worth considering seeing your vet. There are medications that can settle the dog down without tranquillizing it.

I am sorry about hi jacking your thread with the Kong discussion but it is in my mind at the moment due to this unfortunate dog. It is good that you know about the risks. Is this the Kong toy that you refer to regarding the tongue getting stuck? It was due to suction and I imagine would occur with other balls or toys with a single opening.

I second the crate. My cocker loves it. However my cocker, Alice, cannot be left alone. She is absolutely fine when she is with the other dog but she will howl and get very stressed when she is completely alone.

Use the crate as a training tool rather than a 'cage'. Fill it with blankets and toys and put it in a quiet place where it can always be. Leave the door open and let the dog go in and out freely. Reward your dog with treats and praise when it goes in there. Then when your dog is familiar with the crate, lock the door on it for five minutes, praise and open. Build up he length of time your dog is locked in there before you use it to leave the house but I think you will find that your dog loves it.

I find dogs only hate crates when they only go in one when they visit the vets or groomers they aren't familiar with etc. As then they associate the crate with negative experiences. Otherwise dogs generally love a crate.

Being a cocker though, who are super sociable, needy dogsm you may find that it needs a companion and you will have to decide if you can provide that. Hopefully that wont be necessary,

Use a crate as his bed. We were advised to do this when we got our first dog and it has been very useful. We used to cover it when they were pups so they would sleep better. They knew we were there but were not as stimulated as they couldn't see us. One dog used to go in his covered crate when he heard fireworks, he saw his crate as his bed, as a place of safety.

If our dogs see a crate being unfolded they try to get in before its even opened properly.

I think people wrongly think of crates as punishment when they can just be a safe dog bed. As long as its used as a dog bed and not a prison its fine.

I hadn't heard of it either but if you are in any doubt about this, take a minute to read this. There are more references to this problem on that page and also via a search. Just because 'loads of people' recommend them it doesn't mean that they are a good thing. That is just herd mentality.

 

Because you have never heard of it doesn't mean that it is not a problem. Now you have heard of it so do a search, think about it and decide whether you are 100% happy to recommend that a dog is left alone with these toys.

 

The dog referenced in my previous post would have died had it not been for a first class vet and emergency surgery. The Kong was the correct one, not a replica. Kongs are not indestructible and dogs should never be left alone with them. BTW this particular dog is not destructive and does not chew anything in the house so I believe your comment about never been 100% safe when unattended is incorrect too. Checking the Kongs regularly is a good idea but it may come too late if the dog has already swallowed a piece of it.

 

I'm not getting at you vwkittie - just trying to prevent other dogs suffering as this one has.

But as I said, a dog that's chewing obsessed could just as easily chew up a shoe and choke on the rubber while you're not there, they could raid the bin and choke on a bone - no dog left alone in a normal home environment is totally safe, that is a fact.

Life is about risk management, there are risks in everything and you've just got to weigh them up. Thousands of people use Kong toys to help with separation problems/boredom every day without having any problems at all. My dog has a filled Kong every single day, she loves it. The current one is around a year old and shows no sign of wear at all as she isn't a much of a chewer at all.

Sighthounds run into trees and break their necks/legs, I still wouldn't keep mine on a lead her whole life.