My beagle has severe separation anxiety. I cannot leave him alone without him howling nonstop for hours. It causes me stress because I feel like I spend as much time as can with him, but I have a life and have to be away from him sometimes for work and school. I am reluctant to get another dog as many people say because I don't want to risk doubling my problems. What are some good ways to help cure him of separation anxiety, or at leas keep him from howling so frantically?
I really need help.
If you have a crate you could put him in there when you go out but leave the door open because he would see this as his safe zone where no harm will come to him when he is there. I know that you'll think this is stupid but its not its worked for many people, Record a tape with your voice on and say his name in it, play the tape wherever you leave him i.e the living room , the kitchen but put the tape recorder maybe on a work top out of his reach where he can't see it but can hear it trust me it works say things like your a good boy oh your clever just things that you would normally say to him if he came up to you. There is no need to get another dog that won't cure it. If you feel that, that doesn't work to well for you you could try going in and out of the front door, go out for a few seconds and come back in again and give him lots of praise then this way when you go out he knows that you'll be coming back. Good luck
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August 12th, 2007 at 1:25 am
Use EFT. If you don't know what EFT is, go to
http://www.emofree.com/
In particular, check out the links in http://www.google.com/search?ie=iso-8859-1&oe=iso-8859-1&q=pets&domains=emofree.com&sitesearch=emofree.com
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August 12th, 2007 at 2:09 am
If you have a crate you could put him in there when you go out but leave the door open because he would see this as his safe zone where no harm will come to him when he is there. I know that you'll think this is stupid but its not its worked for many people, Record a tape with your voice on and say his name in it, play the tape wherever you leave him i.e the living room , the kitchen but put the tape recorder maybe on a work top out of his reach where he can't see it but can hear it trust me it works say things like your a good boy oh your clever just things that you would normally say to him if he came up to you. There is no need to get another dog that won't cure it. If you feel that, that doesn't work to well for you you could try going in and out of the front door, go out for a few seconds and come back in again and give him lots of praise then this way when you go out he knows that you'll be coming back. Good luck
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I am a dog handler.
August 14th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
To help with the separation anxiety, it can be a long process.
German Shepherd's comments are good.
Other ways:
Try leaving him with a toy like a Kong toy (http://www.kongcompany.com/) with wet treats inside, or the Molecuball (like this one: http://retailpets.com/moleculball.html) so he relates your leaving-the-house to something good.
Another way, which is a more thorough way, is to start "reprogramming" him. Do you have a routine when you leave? Like you grab your keys, and stuff? Here's a way to help them become less anxious:
First, train him to know that when you leave you'll come back–you do this using baby step. Say if you pick up your keys every time you leave–what you do is to pick up your keys in front of him, he'd probably get anxious right away, then you put down the keys again, and go about your business. And you repeat it enough that the dog stops showing any sign of anxiety.
Next, you do a lil more: You pick up the key, and grab your wallet (maybe? depdning on your routine), and you repeat the same steps.. pick up keys and wallet, wallk toward the door, then come back, put down keys and wallet, and go about your business.
Next, you pick your keys, your wallet and walk out the door, but then, you come right back in, and set down your keys, and your wallet and go about your business. Repeat til your beagle doens't show anxiety.
Then you lengthen the time that you're away—go out the door, wait for 1 minute, then come back in.
Next, 2 minutes, then 5 minutes.
Eventually, they will just think you'll come back when you leave and suffer less anxiety. But this takes a lot of work though it'd help him.
Hope this helps some.
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