Wwyd

So I have never had any concerns about Hank being left while I'm at work. He is crated during the work day and is let out for about 30 mins at lunch for a break. Usually we do training or play over lunch.

He goes into his crate eagerly every time. I feed him there and give him a chew or food toy and leave. He will even go wait in there for food and if he's tired he will put himself to bed. When I come home he's calmly chilling out and nothing seems out of place.

The only 'issues' we've had are that he shreds bedding and he also did have a meltdown when I boarded him at a facility for a few days. But he also shreds stuffed animals so I assumed he just liked to de-stuff things. In general he is a very happy, well adjusted little guy who is fearless.

Today I put him up and then had other things to do so I glanced at him after 10 minutes or so and he is balled up in his crate shaking like a leaf looking terrified. It broke my heart to pieces. I have no idea if he does this usually after I leave.

I mean I guess it could be something like he's not feeling well today but he was fine and normal before I put him up.

If it IS anxiety while I'm gone I guess it could be just anxiety that I am gone and not anxiety from being crated? I feel guilty and not sure what to do. I am going to check on him at lunch and will peek through the window hopefully without clueing him in that I'm home and see if he's relaxing or not. He DID know I was home this morning when he was in his crate.

If this is the first time you've noticed it, I (me personally) would attempt to 'spy' on him. Video Cam, or even attempt to 'leave' but hide out and watch.

Maybe you're right, maybe he just isn't feeling well. I would hate to think he is traumatized and expecting the worst from being left at the facility and will 'relive' it when you leave

EDIT: Not saying the facility did anything wrong to cause him trauma, his own meltdown/anxieties are the traumatic experience I meant. (wanted to be clear)

I second videoing him.

I had thought maybe the boarding facility had reminded him too much of the shelter. It looked eerily similar in the dog run area. They said he was fine when they moved him out of the dog runs and into the vet clinic.

He will scream sometimes if I leave him in agility class and I suspected he started screaming at the boarding place (it is the most awful noise so I can see why they moved him to where he'd be quiet).

I am off work starting at 12 today so I'll try spying. Maybe I can set up a camera next Monday. He has just always seemed fine when I leave him and when I come back. The first couple days I had him he would bark for about a minute in his crate but he got over that quickly. I used to listen to him when I left and he always settled down after a minute or two max.

Poor guy, I bet it DID remind him of the shelter

I know Phoebe wasn't anxious about staying home alone, she adored 'her kids' but she didn't mind doing things solo so no anxiety issues with her. She was rock steady about all but one thing. Even let her THINK she would be boarded or visit a 'shelter type' place and FORGET IT.

I don't know how long she was at the humane society shelter before we adopted her, but it was long enough for her to know she NEVER wanted to be there again.....so ya, I can believe it reminded him of the shelter with no problem

Poor Hank! I'm not an expert, but that usually isn't a sign of anxiety from being separated (the curling in the corner and shaking). To me it seems like it's more out of fear or a traumatic experience.

Shaking is a sign of anxiety, but usually the dog will try to get out of the crate instead of balling up in the corner.

Dog are all different though so maybe it is from being separated from you and maybe it isn't.

I agree that it sounds more like fear than anxiety, but hard to say.

I set up my laptop webcam and a Skype account to spy on Watson. You can set it to only answer "friends" and to answer automatically, then you can call in from another account.

The first time I called in I watched Watson bark for well over an hour with no pauses. He was 1.5 so I'd been crating him for a long time. It broke my heart. I totally understand how you feel.

Do you have a dog proofed room you could leave him in? Watson got much better when he was no longer crated though it didn't solve his anxiety completely. Having Skype set up made me feel more comfortable about leaving him out because I knew I could rush home if he was destroying my house.