I sold my house and moved out with my 3 year old beagle last month and went to stay with a friend for the night. He escaped from her backyard while I went out to get petrol. After 3 days of intense heat, he walked all the way back to my old house and luckily the new owners spotted him and rang me. He was very timid and kept running away from them. We had to chase him down several streets before he knew I was behind him and then he stopped.
He wasn't hurt or dehydrated, but had a few bad blisters on his pads.
Since then he has been very very clingey and would not let me out of his sight. We have also moved to a much bigger city, a much smaller house with a very small patch of grass out the back. I used to have a big yard in a quiet neighbourhood and Rambo has spent all his life there since he was 10 weeks old until now.
I can't leave him for even a couple of minutes without him barking his head off, or howling or whimpering. The neighbours are quite upset by it.
I stayed with him all the time for 2-3 weeks since he escaped before starting my new part-time job this week. I have to put him in doggie daycare while I work and that's getting very expensive. I also got a trainer in to help me with his separation anxiety and she tried to convince me that he does not look anxious...she said he's more of a bully and being dominant and wants to dictate what I do. I am not convinced because he does look very stressed out when I leave. Even at daycare they have to distract him or take him to another room before I can make my way out.
M neighbour suggested a bark collar but I do not like the idea of zapping him when he is already stressed out.
A friend recommended sedatives.
He also has a habit of lunging at other dogs when we go out for walks. He is not aggressive although his bark is so loud and sounds so vicious. He is just highly driven and stubborn, wanting to get the other dogs' attention.
I don't want to give him away but the bills are piling up and I have been told separation anxiety is such a difficult thing to treat that I don't know how long I can afford doggie daycare for.
Any suggestions pleeeease!!! THANKS!!!