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After 2 weeks of "fake leaving" over and over for increasing amounts of time, 2 sessions with our trainer and lots of practice in between, and using many of the suggestions made on this board...Chase is improving with his separation anxiety! He's been here almost a month and is getting used to his new life/routine. No more crate for him...he does fine without it (so far) and it was when he was crated that his anxiety was through the roof. The longest he's been left alone so far is 3 hours so we need to work it up to a work day in the next 2 weeks, but I am confident he will continue to improve! We are so happy we decided to get a private trainer as we are learning so much from her. I'm trying not to get too excited just yet as I know he has more progress to make, but I'm hoping I can actually enjoy my last 2 weeks of summer vacay without worrying about leaving him behind in a constant state of panic! Thanks for all the suggestions and support!
That's really wonderful to hear. You also bring up a good point about crating: while it works for many dogs, and can even alleviate separation anxiety in others, every dog is different. I think that is the most important point in all of our discussions about our dogs. Most success stories seem to involve owners who listen to their dogs and respond to their dogs' needs rather than trying to make their dog into something that it isn't.
I'm so happy that Chase has found you and that you all are working it out. It is, indeed, so much work. But the rewarding feeling that you get from being able to effectively care for them and address issues in a way in which every one ends up happy is the best feeling in the world. Well done!
Thanks! Yeah, returning him was never an option for us he really is the sweetest pup and his only issue was the SA. He's doing great with housebreaking, he's not a chewer/barker/hyper dog at all, and we are absolutely in love with him!
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Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
he really is the sweetest pup and his only issue was the SA. He's doing great with housebreaking, he's not a chewer/barker/hyper dog at all, and we are absolutely in love with him!
