Hi Chaz! It's me.
I haven't posted in awhile mostly due to having started a new job, busy with school, etc etc etc. However, I'm posting now, and I'm desperately hoping someone can help.
I have a six-and-a-half year old Collie/sighthound mix I adopted back in October. So far, she is absolutely everything I could have asked for. Gentle, responsive, affectionate, low energy, etc. There's just one thing - this dog has wicked separation anxiety.
So I'm thinking, okay. I can totally handle this. I picked up all kinds of books - Patricia McConnell, Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, etc. - and got to work. I have, quite literally, been attempting to desensitize my dog to being alone since the beginning of November. I've done everything step-by-step. I've started small and tried to progress and I am honestly getting nowhere.
Nowhere. At. All. Not even a little bit of progress. Nothing.
Okay, I think. Time to get a trainer. Off we go to find a trainer which was a PITA because most of them in my area "don't deal with anxiety". One recommended to put my dog on pills (I am opposed to this). Finally found one and after two months of trying and getting nowhere I was told flat-out that my dog has a "permanent problem" and I "can't expect to fix it". I was crushed, but refused to give up. I kept trying on my own to keep desensitizing her and again - no results. Not even an inch of ground. Same. Reactions. Each. Time.
So alright. Plan C is a dog sitter. Found a wonderful sitter within my budget and we tried that but nope, the dog barks at freakin' daycare because it's not me there. The sitter tried and tried over a period of two weeks to get my dog used to her and to no avail. Finally decided to stop wasting money on a sitter when it wasn't helping my dog at all.
Today I received a notice from my superintendent that my dog has to stop barking NOW because tenants have been complaining. I don't know what else to do. I've tried everything I can think of barring spray/shock collars (which at this point I'm frankly not opposed to if it will help) and I've gotten nowhere. She's totally fine until you leave the house. No pacing, no panting, no stress signals, nothing. It's hard to desensitize her when the only thing she's reacting to is me actually being gone. I've tried anyway, mind you, but she isn't interested in the kong or toys because she doesn't know I'm leaving until I am quite literally out the door with the door closed. I have been working with her prior to me leaving and with the door closed, but even it being closed a half second she's barking her head off. I have tried not closing the door fully but she knows I am there and does not react. :/
I'm at my wits' end. I can't just not go to work, I have bills to pay. I'm a homebody outside of work but the problem is that I am stressing at work knowing my dog is flipping out while I'm not home (and it's incessant barking, there is no lapses). I don't know what else to do. I'm not a professional trainer, I'm not someone who can work miracles, and I am willing to try anything to make this better. I don't want to hurt my dog but my positive-reinforcement-only thing is getting me literally nowhere. I don't believe in alpha theory or anything so I know that sort of thing won't help, but is there any kind of comfortable middle that I can at least try? The only things I know - trainer, sitter, consistency - have literally turned up zero results.
She also has just been to the vet and had her blood work and physical done and she is healthier than a horse with no medical problems, so it isn't something medical we may have missed.
Please, please, I am begging for help. If you know of anything that might help even just a little I am desperate to hear it.
Thank you.
I haven't posted in awhile mostly due to having started a new job, busy with school, etc etc etc. However, I'm posting now, and I'm desperately hoping someone can help.
I have a six-and-a-half year old Collie/sighthound mix I adopted back in October. So far, she is absolutely everything I could have asked for. Gentle, responsive, affectionate, low energy, etc. There's just one thing - this dog has wicked separation anxiety.
So I'm thinking, okay. I can totally handle this. I picked up all kinds of books - Patricia McConnell, Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, etc. - and got to work. I have, quite literally, been attempting to desensitize my dog to being alone since the beginning of November. I've done everything step-by-step. I've started small and tried to progress and I am honestly getting nowhere.
Nowhere. At. All. Not even a little bit of progress. Nothing.
Okay, I think. Time to get a trainer. Off we go to find a trainer which was a PITA because most of them in my area "don't deal with anxiety". One recommended to put my dog on pills (I am opposed to this). Finally found one and after two months of trying and getting nowhere I was told flat-out that my dog has a "permanent problem" and I "can't expect to fix it". I was crushed, but refused to give up. I kept trying on my own to keep desensitizing her and again - no results. Not even an inch of ground. Same. Reactions. Each. Time.
So alright. Plan C is a dog sitter. Found a wonderful sitter within my budget and we tried that but nope, the dog barks at freakin' daycare because it's not me there. The sitter tried and tried over a period of two weeks to get my dog used to her and to no avail. Finally decided to stop wasting money on a sitter when it wasn't helping my dog at all.
Today I received a notice from my superintendent that my dog has to stop barking NOW because tenants have been complaining. I don't know what else to do. I've tried everything I can think of barring spray/shock collars (which at this point I'm frankly not opposed to if it will help) and I've gotten nowhere. She's totally fine until you leave the house. No pacing, no panting, no stress signals, nothing. It's hard to desensitize her when the only thing she's reacting to is me actually being gone. I've tried anyway, mind you, but she isn't interested in the kong or toys because she doesn't know I'm leaving until I am quite literally out the door with the door closed. I have been working with her prior to me leaving and with the door closed, but even it being closed a half second she's barking her head off. I have tried not closing the door fully but she knows I am there and does not react. :/
I'm at my wits' end. I can't just not go to work, I have bills to pay. I'm a homebody outside of work but the problem is that I am stressing at work knowing my dog is flipping out while I'm not home (and it's incessant barking, there is no lapses). I don't know what else to do. I'm not a professional trainer, I'm not someone who can work miracles, and I am willing to try anything to make this better. I don't want to hurt my dog but my positive-reinforcement-only thing is getting me literally nowhere. I don't believe in alpha theory or anything so I know that sort of thing won't help, but is there any kind of comfortable middle that I can at least try? The only things I know - trainer, sitter, consistency - have literally turned up zero results.
She also has just been to the vet and had her blood work and physical done and she is healthier than a horse with no medical problems, so it isn't something medical we may have missed.
Please, please, I am begging for help. If you know of anything that might help even just a little I am desperate to hear it.
Thank you.