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Separation Anxiety

Zeela

Well-Known Member
I have terrible separation anxiety when I leave Zeela for too long. At work, I am fine it is when I am out having fun say at the beach and I am far away from home. I also would maybe like to go away for a few days and I have some one watch her, I just get nervous when she is not by my side at night. crazy, I think she feels the anxiety to when I am gone too long. Just wondering if anyone else feels that way?
 

Bailey's Mom

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
We have several FUN doggie daycares in the London area, and I suspect that you have some in your area, too. I've not used them because I have other alternatives for day or night or weekend care for Bailey, but, they are available. They provide temporary housing for dogs while their parents travel, and include fun things like splash pads and agility training and...You name it, dog care has come a long way and in many cases resembles summer camp for our kids. I'd suggest that you review what you have in your district and the types of services they offer, and then get your girl comfortable about going to doggie daycare for afternoon or evening programs and then extend it to one night here and there. Like anything, it takes practice and it will free you up if there is a sudden need to be away overnight or to travel for a weekend.

I have friends that got their Weimer accustomed to going to one of these places and she has so much fun there that they feel fine going away for holidays. When they come back, she's bathed, manicured, has received training and enrichment exercises and she's gotten lots of love and fun times with other dogs. Molly is very high energy, but she loves the splash pads and the open play areas. I'm not sure how they assess the dogs that can easily play together, but they get it right and each pup is happily worn out by night time.

It is like anything new, you give it an hour or two with planned events and play, and your girl will look forward to it. Expensive...? Some of them are, but, peace of mind, priceless.
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
I do get separation anxiety when I have to leave my puppies. Even when I leave them at home with my husband for work trips I hate leaving them. We pick our boarding facilities very carefully when we go on vacation without them and I am that over protective mom calling the boarding place daily to check in on my dogs. I sometimes tell my husband I feel like two people. On the one hand I love to travel especially for fun and not work. I love seeing new places and I have a list of all the places I want to visit in the world before I die and it is quite lengthy. On the other hand I hate leaving my dogs and there is a part of me that wishes I never had to travel anywhere so I could have them by my side constantly.

As for the dogs. Diesel gets extreme separation anxiety about being parted from me. Kahlua gets some but she is quick to forget when we return. Diesel holds onto it and the stress of it for awhile. And that is even the case when he gets to stay home with my husband and it is only me gone. It has gotten much worse for him and myself since I got pregnant. The last work trip I had to take Sean told me Diesel just sat with his face glued to the window and whining for the week. When I returned he glued himself to my side for the first few days. Kahlua on the other hand exhibited how happy she was to see me and it seemed she forgot I had been gone after a couple of hours and everything was back to normal. Diesel also had the same reaction when I had to go into the hospital for just a couple of hours (braxton hicks contractions). In that case I think it was because he knew I was in distress and left without him.

So to answer your question.... no you are not alone in both experiencing separation anxiety and also in thinking that your dog experiences it too. I'm right there with you. :)
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
This made me smile, not quite what I was expecting to read. I'm leaving next week for 12 days in Scotland/England and one of the topics of conversation in our house is how the animals are going to react. As I'm the only one in the house going they all get to stay home. We do know that the dogs get extremely whiny and demanding of Vickey when I'm gone over night so it's not something she is looking forward to. Jiggers I think can tell something is happening as he has been higher strung than normal lately, almost like when he was a puppy. We know neither dog has separation anxiety but neither like their routine messed up and being gone for longer periods than normal messes that up.
One benefit of taking a trip away from your pets is that you can discover behaviors that you didn't realize had become habit until there is no reason to be doing them and you still do. A couple of examples:
1. I make sure to take a large step away from my bed when I get out of it as Kryten is typically sleeping on the floor beside the bed.
2. When visiting my Grandparents a couple of years ago I sat down on their couch and lifted my legs to rest them on something. After they hit the floor I automatically did it again since they were supposed to have been elevated. It wasn't until my Uncle asked what I was doing that I realized my foot rest wasn't there. I subconsciously expected Kryten to be laying there as at home 90% of the time I'm on the couch my feet are resting on him. We all got a good laugh at that.
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
This made me smile, not quite what I was expecting to read. I'm leaving next week for 12 days in Scotland/England and one of the topics of conversation in our house is how the animals are going to react. As I'm the only one in the house going they all get to stay home. We do know that the dogs get extremely whiny and demanding of Vickey when I'm gone over night so it's not something she is looking forward to. Jiggers I think can tell something is happening as he has been higher strung than normal lately, almost like when he was a puppy. We know neither dog has separation anxiety but neither like their routine messed up and being gone for longer periods than normal messes that up.
One benefit of taking a trip away from your pets is that you can discover behaviors that you didn't realize had become habit until there is no reason to be doing them and you still do. A couple of examples:
1. I make sure to take a large step away from my bed when I get out of it as Kryten is typically sleeping on the floor beside the bed.
2. When visiting my Grandparents a couple of years ago I sat down on their couch and lifted my legs to rest them on something. After they hit the floor I automatically did it again since they were supposed to have been elevated. It wasn't until my Uncle asked what I was doing that I realized my foot rest wasn't there. I subconsciously expected Kryten to be laying there as at home 90% of the time I'm on the couch my feet are resting on him. We all got a good laugh at that.

lol The missing foot rest!
 

Zeela

Well-Known Member
thanks for all your replies. I am not alone on this. I will consider the doggie daycare. we have them here too. I need to know what to do for my anxiety as well??? lol...
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
We have "nanny cams" (or security web-cams) in the house, so when I'm feeling lonely, I can sneak a peek into the house and see what the fur-kids are up to. It's not the same as being there, but it's comforting to see them just napping, or looking out the window.

We also have an AWESOME dog-walker, and I know we can ask her anything - like, if the nanny cam shows something amiss, I can text her to run over and look in on the house (even if the dogs are at a boarding facility, and the house is empty) - and she'll rush over to check on things for us. It's a HUGE anxiety reliever to know she's there for us, anytime. She's gone to grab amazon packages for us off the porch a bunch of times, too, when we've gotten a delivery in the middle of a vacation. :)
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
We have "nanny cams" (or security web-cams) in the house, so when I'm feeling lonely, I can sneak a peek into the house and see what the fur-kids are up to. It's not the same as being there, but it's comforting to see them just napping, or looking out the window.

We also have an AWESOME dog-walker, and I know we can ask her anything - like, if the nanny cam shows something amiss, I can text her to run over and look in on the house (even if the dogs are at a boarding facility, and the house is empty) - and she'll rush over to check on things for us. It's a HUGE anxiety reliever to know she's there for us, anytime. She's gone to grab amazon packages for us off the porch a bunch of times, too, when we've gotten a delivery in the middle of a vacation. :)
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
Nothing really cures my own separation anxiety other than coming home again. I request pictures and updates regularly. See them on cam.... doesn't matter. It doesn't go away until I can hug them again. But, I am also diagnosed with clinical anxiety and they are my support animals. So someone without that condition should be able to set their mind at ease with those methods I would think.
 

Zeela

Well-Known Member
Nothing really cures my own separation anxiety other than coming home again. I request pictures and updates regularly. See them on cam.... doesn't matter. It doesn't go away until I can hug them again. But, I am also diagnosed with clinical anxiety and they are my support animals. So someone without that condition should be able to set their mind at ease with those methods I would think.
I feel the same way, I suffer from terrible anxiety myself. I've been through too many not good life experiences. anyway, Zeela is a big help with that at home and at night, she keeps me grounded and gives me comfort.
I know that she is fine most of the time I am not home. she sleeps a lot...the dog's life...lol.
 

Sheila Braund

Well-Known Member
Nanny cam great idea..... I used my trail camera..... Sunny as I'm getting ready to leave the house starts to shake... I use to feel awful leaving her..... during the " right kind of weather... not to hot or cold I would take her and leave her on the car. Same thing and when I returned to the 15 minutes that I was out of the car she would be just shaking..... one day I snuck up on her....she was laid out in her sit sleeping/ relaxing. As soon as she seen me she started shaking..... such a drama queen! That's when I decided to get my trail camera out..... and yup she's a big faker drama queen..... I use to have anxiety leaving her.....not anymore!