My German Shepherd has separation anxiety, please help! - Page 1

I just recently adopted a 2 year old German Shepherd who has been through alot.  She was in a high kill shelter and 3 days away from being put down.  She was adopted by a family who cannot care for her now and we are adopting her to give her a forever home. The only problem is that she has major separation anxiety.  We have not brought her into our home yet but plan on doing so in a couple of weeks. Can anyone give me some tips on how to jump start positive behavior?  Even though I am a stay at home, I still have daily errands to run that keep me gone for several hours at a time. I cannot put a stop to my life, so I need pointers that will help us get her settled in quickly. Some of my questions include - Do infusers and calming collars work?, Will an indoor crate help for the first few days?, Would I do more emotional damage by sending her to a doggy daycare for the first fews weeks to keep the destruction level to a minimum? 

Don't get me wrong, when I am home I will be working with her diligently by making her think I am leaving and praising for appropriate behavior and ignoring bad behavior, as well as other techniques that may require an open schedule such as repetition of going outside and leaving her for minutes at a time. I am just worried about when I do have to be gone for a while in the first few weeks. I wish I could just free up my schedule, but unfortunately that is not an option.  Any tips are greatly appreciated!

I would buy a crate for her,  to eliminate some of the destruction, also it does give most dogs a sense of security( time off) . I don't know what an infuser or calming collars are .

hi mosley7303,
Just one question.  You said that you have rescued this 2yr female GSD who was on "death row" obviously with aggression issues/ probably bit someone.  Where you assessed by the rescue shelter people as a capable individual suitable to handle such dogs?   Separation anxiety is just minor issue compared to why the dog was in a high kill shelter as you have described.

I recommend against drugs, whether 'natural' or pharmaceutical, including a calming collar. It's too easy to rely on such methods and forego the training this dog not only requires but from which she will benefit for the rest of her life.

Is she eventually going to be an outside or kennel dog at your house? If so, you're wise to want to help her get over the separation anxiety because otherwise she'll become a kennel spinner, fence runner, digger and whatnot when left home alone.

Your thoughts of getting a crate are excellent as are your plans of the very brief absences, just step out of the room, wait 30 seconds, go back in and give her a treat. Lengthen the time by short increments and correct her with a sharp voice if she howls. Initially, I would not put any bedding into the crate because she might well tear it up in frustration.

Doggy daycare has its place but this dog needs stability right up front, not be sent off to be in a crate in a place full of other dogs. That would probably evoke memories of the dog pound she came from and not help the poor thing one bit. If you can shuffle your errands so someone can be with her at all times for the first 2 or three weeks that would be really good.

And good for you for adopting a dog with known problems. It'll take a lot of patience on your part to help her get over whatever bothers her. Sounds like she didn't have a very good start in life.

 Mosley..I work with one of the veterinarian (he's an ethologist on canine and feline behavior) that studied and help to create the diffuser and collar known as DAP..There is also a spay available that you can put on a bandana (instead of the collar).  We work a lot with those product and it sure can help a lot..It helps them to adapt to new situation by calming them with apaising pheromones..
It is not drug..those pheromones are secreted by the mother when the puppies are feeding and it is very natural..no side effect.

A crate is good but is she use to it?? Cause you can increase the anxiety if she's not use tp being crated..

Just an exemple..we have a cat breeder who rescued a dog that love to kill cats..she was thinking to replace the dog cause she was very scared for the cats..she put on the DAP collar and it was like magic!!  The dogs don't care about the cats anymore..

I would surely recommend it by experience.  Anxiety cannot be reasonned..like fears and phobias...sometimes you need to give the brain a little help to reajust the bahavior..nothing wrong with that!!

Good luck

Julie

My apologies to the OP if my line of questioning was offensive and that I had jumped into conclusion that such dogs placed in high kill generally have aggressive issues. It certainly surprises me to learn that such dogs of that age can be euthanized for just having slight nerve issues which does not pose any risk for adoption.

That said, separation anxieties can be fixed with patience and some of the previous threads have already suggested some good advice. Crate training with gradual time-out on its own especially after a walk/ play would be a good start. The crate must be the right size so that the dog can turn comfortably inside. I also find having the radio/tv on whilst being in the same room as the dog is in the crate helps to desensitised the environmental factors too. The crate must not be used only when you are planning to go out but as a routine for the dog. So lots of patience and consistency helps. Best wishes.

Nerve weakness cannot be fixed! Nerve weakness that has been created by external factors like lack of socialization during developmental periods can be minimized to some degree. Nerve weakness that is genetic cannot be fixed it can only be tolerated and controlled.