Boxer with seperation anxiety

hi peachesandmoose and thanks for your post,

getting your dog used to its crate will certainly help. You can also try giving rescue remedy or using a DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) disperser available from your local vet to help reduce your dogs stress. Along with this you can help your dog with its separation anxiety by changing a few little things. This will help your dog adjust and realize that it doesn't need to panic when you leave as you will be back.

[B]Information on Separation Anxiety[/B]
Separation anxiety is an intense fear or dislike of separation (usually from one family member in particular to whom they have become very attached), which often manifests itself as destructive behavior such as chewing, digging, barking, etc while they are apart.

You may find separation anxiety easier to understand if you bear in mind the fact that dogs are pack animals - they’re social by nature. It’s normal for dogs to form intense emotional bonds with their pack. It is normal for a dog to miss bonded pack members when they are away, however some dogs find it exceptionally difficult and these are the ones that develop separation anxiety.

Typical problem behaviors include inappropriate urination or defecation, destruction, excessive barking and whining, hyperactive behaviors like tail-chasing, compulsive behaviors like repetitive licking or self-mutilation (for example, pulling out fur, gnawing at nails and skin), and depression, signified by withdrawal and lethargy.

Here are some guidelines that use training to encourage greater independence.
Training involves a combination of methods, including:

1) desensitizing your departure cues
2) toning down your departures and arrivals
3) staging a series of absences, and
4) establishing a routine

Desensitize Departure Cues
Your anxious dog will sense any act or routine you initiate as you prepare to leave. Putting on shoes and picking up keys are the most common examples. These actions are like triggers for your dog’s uneasiness. You can easily break that association. Simply go through the motions of putting on your shoes, picking up keys (or whatever it is that clues in your dog to your departure) then don’t actually leave. Repeat this act until your actions no longer mean ‘owner leaving’. When your dog stays calm – the desensitizing is complete.

Tone down arrivals and departures
If you give your dog a wildly enthusiastic welcome every time you walk in the door you send the message that, yes, this is a HUGE deal. Extra happy returns will not cure separation anxiety; rather they will make it worse. Resist the urge. Keep things brief and casual. Even ignore your overexcited pet for a few minutes until they regain some degree of composure. Similarly when leaving the house don’t make a big fuss of the dog because you feel guilty leaving. Try giving the dog something it will enjoy such as a toy or chew and then leave calmly without paying the dog much attention.

Stage Exits

You want your dog to be alone and comfortable without you, so stage an exit. Practice leaving him confined to another room in your house for a few minutes while you’re at home - then gradually make your absences longer.

Try this: Walk out, but don’t leave – stay standing just outside the door, listening. If you hear whining, crying, or scratching, gently reprimand. This addresses the behavior right on the spot and helps them see that you don’t really vanish when you walk out the door.

Finally, time is on your side. Dogs will learn that you’re always coming back whether you’re leaving them in the car for a few minutes, or in the house for an afternoon. They will grow in confidence as they grow in maturity.

Establish a routine
If possible try to establish a basic routine for the dog to help reduce its anxiety. This will be especially important in your rescue dog as it will not be able to predict whether or not you will leave it forever or just for ten minutes. Have a time of the day for exercise, feeding, playing together and bed time and try to keep roughly to these times. This will help your anxious dog predict when events important to it will happen and therefore reduce the fear that they may not. Exercise before you leave each day will also help reduce all of that anxious energy.

Remember the basics
Remember the basics of keeping your dog happy while your out:
•Physical challenges – as with almost all behavior problems lots of exercise (before you go) will help reduce the symptoms.
•Mental challenges – dogs that don’t have much to keep them occupied while your away are more likely to get anxious about being alone. At this point your dog is not responding to some of these but as it becomes more used to being at home alone these things will become important. Try the usual chews, food balls and toys to keep them busy. They like company too. If they’re left inside, put the radio on quietly or play soothing music.
•Visits – if you work long hours, arrange short visits from friends. (The great thing about having a very sweet and very obedient dog is that everyone WANTS to see them). Alternatively hire a dog walker or arrange play dates with friend’s dogs.

I hope this helps and let me know how you get on. Thank you for rescuing a dog, I am sure you will both be able to enjoy each other a lot more soon.

he used to sleep in it at night without any issues but he has stopped doing that. I think that I will have to try that again. The odd thing is that he will walk into it when it is open and grab a toy or check it out when I am straigtening it up but as soon as he is in it and the door closes, he starts drewling and digging at the door, which I had to reinforce and add some clasps so that he couldnt open it. Its like a puzzel, just trying to figure out what works for the little guy. Thanks again for your help!

I have been working on the tactics you suggested and my dog seems to be learning quickly. He waits for me to go out the door and looks to me for direction. But we are still having the issue while being in the kennel. He will sleep in the kennel when the door is open but as soon as the door closes he goes nuts and drewls and digs at the door. Any other things I should be trying, or just continue to keep working in the things you mentioned above?
Thank you.

Initially I had him in a larger kennel (one that was for a great dane) and he would throw himself around violently and would move the kennel around about a foot in all directions. So then I tried putting him in the smaller kennel which he cannot trow himself around in, but he still drewls and digs at the door. We will continue to try to work through this. Thank you for all your help.