Separation Anxiety is back!!

[Dooney's Mom]

Dooney is now 7 months old. I previously had problems with separation anxiety before where she was constantly peeing in her cage. I did all of the things they say to do to get rid of that: don't make a big deal about leaving and coming home, don't let her follow me around, more exercise, etc. She was doing great

3 weeks ago today I had her spayed , and I spent the first 3 days at home with her around the clock (she was very sick from the anesthia-so we had a few trips back to the vets office) Because of the "cone" of shame making so much noise at night in the crate- i slept in the living room with her the first week until the couch killed my back and i borrowed a baby gate to put her in the master bathroom (crate is in our bedroom as well). Well now she has taken to tearing her at cage while i am gone at work and rubbing her nose/muzzle raw. Is this happening just because i spent so much time with her and now I have to wean her off of me again? i give her a kong filled with peanut butter when i leave so she doesn't freak out as soon as i leave, it must be later. I have still kept up all the same stuff i did before (though she is back to following me around the house constantly), is there more i should be doing or do i just need to keep doing what i am doing until she gets over it again?

thanks!

[suzzyq01]

How long is she in the cage?
Does she eat the peanut butter in the kong or is it still there?

I would say if the peanut butter is gone she gets bored and anxiety kicks in. I would have some bones, rawhide, bully sticks, other things for her to do after she is done with the kong. What is her activity like prior to going in the crate? It sounds like she is bored, full of energy, and those two things are manifesting anxiety.

[Dooney's Mom]

she is in it about 4 hours then i am home for lunch (1 hour)- we play in the hose the first 15 minutes i get home- then i leave her in the backyard to dry off some while i eat lunch- then i towel dry her and bring her in, and she will lay down on the floor in living room then back in the crate (yes she eats all peanut butter) i have a bone and her "hoof" in the cage with her and then i come back home- she gets her dinner outside on the back porch, while i cook dinner, i'll let her back in after she does all her "business" and i basically ignore her until after dinner is done-then we play, go for walks, play with the neighbor dog, etc. In the mornings I take her for a quick 20 minute walk....

[suzzyq01]

Originally Posted by Dooney's Mom

she is in it about 4 hours then i am home for lunch (1 hour)- we play in the hose the first 15 minutes i get home- then i leave her in the backyard to dry off some while i eat lunch- then i towel dry her and bring her in, and she will lay down on the floor in living room then back in the crate (yes she eats all peanut butter) i have a bone and her "hoof" in the cage with her and then i come back home- she gets her dinner outside on the back porch, while i cook dinner, i'll let her back in after she does all her "business" and i basically ignore her until after dinner is done-then we play, go for walks, play with the neighbor dog, etc. In the mornings I take her for a quick 20 minute walk....

Well because she eats the peanut butter it is not separation anxiety initially. After she finishes the kong and maybe pokes a bit at the bone/hoof she becomes bored. The bordom then turns into anxiety, the only way to remedy the anxiety she is feeling is to exert energy. So she digs, chews, and tries to break out of the crate.

[Salix]

I can't really tell you what to do with your dog. I can only tell you what I do with mine. Denver gets at least three hours per day on average of walking exercise. I work 7.5 hours Tuesday to Saturday but I make sure that he gets at least two hours even on really busy days.

So many anxiety problems (to me) stem from not enough exercise. When we were both younger (Denver and I), I was stupid enough to think that him running around in the dog park was enough 'exercise' and 'discipline'/mental training to exhaust him. It just isn't. Dogs need to walk. Generally GSDs need to walk longer because of their energy levels.

I personally avoid all treats or peanut butter stuff to totally avoid any gum and teeth diseases. I'm not a fan of leaving all manner of toys or bones with him unattended either. Sometimes I'll occasionally throw in one hide chew as a treat but that's it. That's all he gets.

[Dooney's Mom]

Thanks for the info--- I will update the excercise on her and see if that helps-- thank God fall is almost here and it will be cooler for us to do more stuff. she broke out of the crate tonite when we were gone for 2 hours...