[Karin]

Hi,

I am a bit confused about this - I guess it was only a joke, but is Karin
now joking too?
Deborah's dog is showing symptoms of separation anxiety (typical for this is
that the dog urinates everywhere and destroys things) because it can't bear
separation.

**** In my opinion, the symptoms described by Deborah indicate there are
more possibilities .

May be:
1)The dog is scared of Deborah. She could have made some
educational mistake. (I don't think so.)
2)The dog is confused and doesn't know how to behave. The
behaviour of Deborah and her husband wasn't consistent- every time the same. They punished or rewarded her not always for the same
the same way.
3)The dog makes this on purpose. She made
something(Deborah) what the dog doesn't like or she does something what is not acceptable for the dog often. I couldn't watch the behaviour of the dog by myself. The combination of these is possible.Also the female does this even when they are at home. How Deborah wrote me, It is not just urinating but also doing a big job. Considering from this (and more written by D.) basic separaition anxiety isn't much probable. As you mention, urination and destroying things is typical for s.a. - but it doesn't mean that every dog chewing on your shoes and peeing in the hall is desperate without your presence.

The dog panics when left alone. You should never greet a dog
like that enthusiastically, in deed you should not greet it at all.

**** This I don't find like normal behavior between the dog and his
owner. When you behave to the dog like this for longer time, then he
thinks, you don't like him. He doesn't understand why you behave like this
to him. You are punishing him every time you ignore him after coming home. You push him away and he tries to attract your attention may be even by peeing when you see it.

Neither
should you give him any attention about half an hour before you leave home -
and no good byes. Leaving home and coming back should just be normal things
that constantly happen in dog's life - so there should not be big emotions
about that.

**** No, you, your family and your dog-that make the pack. All behaviour
should be natural and full of sense.
It should't be just a dog. It is a member of your family-pack. Don't
separate you and the dog, not even in your head.

If dogs have separation anxiety and are not just bored while
alone, they normally don't eat or chew anything suitable, so bones and toys
in this case won't do.

**** This is not separtion anxiety. You can try to give the dog some good
thinks to play or chew. We will see the result.
With a dog like this you should try to get the bond
between your and the dog little less intense.

Don't allow the dog follow you
everywhere when you are at home and give it generally less affection.

**** It is natural behavior for the dog to follow the leader of the pack.
He does't uderstand why he must stay separately and he find it again as a
restriction.

My male CsW also used to destroy everything - and I mean now e v e r y t h
i n g : clothes, furniture, dors, windows etc -, while he was alone. We
bought him a big kennel from it he can't escape (he is a real escape artist
but this is a different story) and that helped. Now I can even leave him for
a short time alone home but the problem is that he can open doors and
windows (without destroying them) ...

**** Have you already solved your problem Minna?

I dont believe in punishing a dog long after it has destroyed something or
rewarding it long after it has done something right. With dogs punishment
and reward must come simultaneously while the wrong/right behaviour is
happening.

**** The dogs are inteligent enough to recognise what is wrong or right
for you. But you must teach them this first. I could see this on my female
and dogs of my friends. I don't think they are so special.

The good advise from Karin was that you should put the dog to some place
where he must stay for half an hour at least - ignoring the dog really can
help. Karin also recommended to put him a muzzle on and install peaces of
destroyed thing into it.

**** This is not about ignoring the dog. You just show him taha his
behaviour wasn't right. That he can't do what he wants after his behaviour
was wrong.

Well, wouldn't it be better idea to leave the dog wear a good muzzle (so
that the dog can drink and pant when having it on) while alone?

**** This I see like qite big punishment for the dog. The way is not to
protect your flat and your things.

You should try to help your dog at first place. This can help you
but how does it help the dog?
You may need to buy a big crate (car box) where the dog must be when you are
not home. Of
course you can/should try to train you dog to stay alone first just a one
minute and then longer and longer.

**** Closing the dog in a box, that should help the dog with some psychic
problem to behave normal way? It is like closing someone who feels alone to
separate room.
Do you want to close the dog to the cage every time you leave for the
rest of his life?
This problem is also when you are at home. Do you find as a good
solution to close the dog to the cage also when you are at home?

Karin