More SA advice

So more then a few months back I made a post regarding Pans Separation anxiety when in his crate. At that time he was in our bedroom.

After I made that post I moved his crate into the living room, gave him a kong and treats every morning. Made his experience super positive when he went in the crate and he even started going into his crate just to hang out and take a nap. AND every morning 10 minutes before I was even ready to leave for work Pan would be in his kennel all happy waiting for his treats and kong. I was thinking the SA issue was behind us

Well.. Now the SA has started back up again. I've been coming home to a dog and kennel covered in slobber and today I came home to a nice hole in his kennel. And when I let him out of his kennel he has a freak attack and just and squeals and just full out freaks out. I am just super frustrated right now.

I don't know what else to do. Do you think it could be a growing phase? I know he will be going through a maturity phase here soon. And he was going through one when he went through his first SA bout.

Thanks guys.

I don't have the answers, but your idea of it happening as a growth spurt sounds feasible.

Someone suggested this book to read on separation anxiety:

http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Home-Soon-Separation-Anxiety/dp/1891767054

If it is something that is being triggered by a growing phase, is there any way to go back to basics, kind of like you did when he was a pup? Start with crate games again, associate the starting process of leaving with good things, reward calm behavior in the crate, etc., etc. Maybe try some homeopathic anti-anxiety remedies like Rescue Remedy?

The only other thing I could think of, before you go back to basics, would be to relocate his kennel/get a new kennel (which, if he chewed a hole through the side, you may have to do anyway?)/deep clean the kennel in order to try to eliminate any weird associations he may have with his current kennel.

Once he was doing better did you stop the treating, crate games, etc?

Frag went through a few weird periods of bad SA when he was younger and is all but fine at this point - I do think they can be phases as they grow, for whatever reason.

Thanks guys.

I think I just needed some reassurance.

I've talked to his breeder and a friend who is into Boerboels as well and they both feel its a fear period he is going through that has to deal with his kennel and not about us actually leaving.

I've moved his kennel into the kitchen where Teagan spends her day when we are away during the day.

I have also started with the basics again and playing games in his kennel, feeding him in his kennel and making every experience in his kennel positive we already are making progress. So hopefully that continues.

So a little up-date.

I am 100% sure that Panzer's SA issue was a fear period. I made the kennel seem like the best thing in the world and no more coming home to a dog covered in slime and an intact dog bed. YAY!

Hopefully that continues and he does not go through that fear period again. Dogs are weird.

So glad to hear things are going well.