[Ag-eq] separation anxiety was ~Re: sheep and dogs

Wed Apr 17 00:10:06 UTC 2013

Jewel:

I've started leaving him loose in the house for a few minutes at a time.  He
can't be left in the yard because he gets out and tries to follow me.  He goes
in a crate or in what I call the dog room.  I can hear him barking and howling
as I walk down the street, but he hasn't torn up things, which I hear is
common.  He's been staying in the dog room while I'm at work and that seems to
be working o.k.  I would like for him to be able to go in and out of the dog
room, but until he stays in the yard that's not possible.

Monty came to me with seperation anxiety.  I know very little about his past. 
He was owned by an older woman who died.  Her family didn't want him and he was
just running around his neighborhood.  A friend found him and started asking
around.  The dead womans son said he didn't want the dog and didn't know what
to do.  My friend took Monty and some how he ended up at my house!  I've always
wondered if he had seperation anxiety before his owner died or if that helped
cause it.

Monty is a house dog and has very nice house manners.  He doesn't get on the
furniture, chew things or have accidents.  However I don't leave him loose in
the house very long at a time.  He has never bothered the cats, but I don't
completely trust him after the live stock issues.  My garage was converted into
a room that I use for the dogs, it has a dog door so they can go in and out of
their room while I'm gone.  This set up worked well until I got Monty.  As I
said I can't leave the dog dooor open or he will run into the yard and go over
or under the fence.  Once I get the rest of the electric fence up I'll try
leaving the dog door open and walking down the street.  As I said Monty is
going to be a long term project.

Nella

Quoting Jewel <jewelblanch at kinect.co.nz>:

> Nella!  The secret with preventing, or discouraging separation anxiety is to
> get the dog to
> understand that your departure from the house and later return is no big
> deal.
> Is Monty a yard or house dog?
> You can start at the beginning by leaving him for a  very short time and then
> come back in, but when
> you do, don't make a fuss of him;  just say "Hi!", but otherwise than that,
> ignore him and occupy
> yourself with other things for a few minutes before you pay him much
> attention.
> The more he pesters you, the more you ignore him!  and only when he is quiet
> do you give him a rub.
> With my dogs, I give them a signal phrase when I am leaving.  I don't know if
> it actually means
> anything to them, but I have never had a dog who is bothered by separation
> anxiety.  When I am going
> out, but the dog is not, I always say: "Keep a good watch!"
>
>          Jewel --------------------------------------------------
> From: <nfoster at extremezone.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 12:15 AM
> To: "Jewel" <jewelblanch at kinect.co.nz>; "Agricultural and Equestrean Division
> List"
> <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] sheep and dogs
>
>
> Jewel:
>
> The trainer did use an electric shock collar.  Monty is rather head strong
> and
> she had to turn it up quite high before he took notice.  First she used it
> when
> ever he tried to jump the fence and after 3 tries of jumping and shocking
> Monty
> decided that it wasn't a good idea.  Then we went into the paddock with the
> goats and Monty showed no interest.  Oliver, the sheep is stalled right now
> while he heals.  When Oliver is fully recovered the trainer will come back
> and
> if Monty acts interested at all, he will recieve some shock therapy!
>
> Monty had been getting out of the dog yard by digging under, so I put an
> electric wire around the bottom of the fence.  Then he started jumping out,
> one
> side is lower than the other 3 sides.  Now I will run a second wire around
> the
> top of the fence.  I hope my charger is strong enough to power that much
> wire.
>
> I've also thought about using a barrier fence.  It works by burrying a wire
> and
> then the dog wears a collar, that will deliver an electric shock if the wire
> is
> crosse.  Flags are placed along the wire so the dog can easily see his
> boundries.  I'm not sure how much of a jolt these fences have, so it might
> not
> work for Monty.  The trainer says that he is one of the less sensetive GSD
> that
> she's seen.  Her shock collar had settings between 1 and 100 and she had to
> use
> 80 before he took notice.
>
> I'm like you and if there is one more serious attack Monty will be a dead
> dog.
> I'm willing to give him another chance; he was a rescue and I don't know a
> lot
> about his history.  I'm trying to exercise him more and practice more
> obedience.  The trainer thinks that this can be corrected.  She says that
> Monty
> is just stubborn and needs more direction.  I know that I need to work with
> him
> more and am willing to invest the time.
>
> A couple of my friends seem to think that I'm terrible for using the shock
> collar, but they would also think I'm terrible if I have to put him down.
> People have suggested that I find him another home, but I think he would be
> hard to place.  He is an escape artist, he has seperation anxiety and cannot
> be
> trusted with live stock.  I'm not the kind of person that passes my problem
> dog
> on to some one else.
>
>  Monty isn't all bad, he has excellant house manners and is good with cats.
> He's also good with other dogs and likes to ride in the car.
>
> Does anyone have advice on how to work with the seperation anxiety?
>
> Monty is going to be an on going project.
>
> Nella
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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