# Separation Anxiety



## Vizslamomx2 (Apr 28, 2015)

need ideas!
I have 2 vizslas, Jack & Shiloh they are 4 years old. Shiloh is in need of help. On march 13th (Friday) both dogs were crated (and have been since pups) while husband and I were at work. Sometime that day our CO2 detector started alarming low battery..... Shiloh got very upset and tried to get out of her crate by biting it and ended up breaking her K9. I got home to a very scared dog. After the clean up I realized what she had done and called the vet. We went to see the vet on Monday of the next week only to be told the tooth needed to be pulled since it was causing her pain and it was broken so low down. Since the incident neither dog went back in their kennel. (? first mistake) then had the tooth pulled before easter. In order to do that I left Shiloh at the vets all day. When I picked her up that evening she was very drugged still and had been barking all day locked in a crate, and had poop on her from meds and sedation. I stayed home with her for 4 days then had family staying with me for the holiday. I went back to work on monday and When the family would leave they would just lock her in the kitchen (as she has been since she had the bad experience with the alarm noise in her crate- and have had no issues). And then it started.... Pooping and barking and breaking out of the gates to get to other parts of the house. The gates have been there since day 1. 
After reading up on it I believe it is separation anxiety. But what do I do? I work long hours and so does my husband. Tried to put back in crate to stop pooping but that only left Shiloh with another broken tooth (not soo bad) and a chewed up bed. Have left out in kitchen only to have everyday I leave to go to work and come home at lunch to poop, chewed up gates or broken down gates. I have tried for over a month with no success. Have tried meds and was ? If that had something to do with her pooping so we stopped them after 3 different kinds of meds. But still Everyday poop. I am very stressed out and heartbroken this has happened. Jack has been wonderful. I need ideas on what to do. Because I have to go to work, I am not able to leave for lunch (work 30 mins away) nor do I think that works or helps solve problem. She is a great dog but seams to have changed, ? Depressed? I love them they are part of my family but causing many worried days and sleepless nights. 
Thanks in advance!!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

How sad for Shiloh that one event has changed her life, and yours.
I'm guessing that she believes the beeping will start again if your not home. Dogs can wait a good amount of time to use the restroom if they are at rest. But when active the amount of time is shortened. She probably is unable to wait until you get home to poop, because of all of the barking, and trying to escape. Is there a certain part of the house she goes to when she chews up the gaits? If it is, she may for whatever reason feel safer in that area of the house. Is it possible for you to try and gait her in that area, and see if it helps her?
Maybe do it when you are home for short amounts of time. Walk outside for 5 minutes, and come back to her so she can see nothing bad happened. I wish I knew more on how to help you, and her. I will sent you a private message, with the email of someone that has many years of working with vizslas that have separation issues. I don't post it openly of the forum, so she's not bombarded with emails.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

This isn't separation anxiety, it's PTSD. Seriously. They're reacting to a horrible event, the sound of the shrill CO2 alarm is very terrifying for dogs, especially those that aren't used to sudden, sharp loud noises that probably went on for hours before you got home. Poor things!

To say the least, change the batteries in all these alarms now and make a note to do it every 6 months (they recommend yearly, in half to be safe).

Then, move the crates somewhere else. Better yet, at 4 years, consider not using crates....maybe a 'safe room' where they have free yet limited freedom?

If these don't work.....and I don't often recommend this....consider medication for a brief time so they can lose the terror and acclimate to the house.


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