I've read The Q&A stuff on the board about Separation Anxiety. We even purchased a bark collar for our 8 month-old pound puppy GSD mix Buck. He has a crate and is in it unless he is under direct supervision, out for bathroom or walks/play session. We've had the bark collar for 2 weeks and he still whines with it on. It is set at level 3. What else can I do to deter this behavior? I KNOW it has got to be trainer error, I just need to know how to fix it. Any advice for helping him get the ghosts out of his head and keeping our sanity? Thanks.

Cat

Exercise! More, more, more, and more exercise.

Bumping ....

So sorry, Catherine, that this was missed for weeks! Lucky Kelly saw it.

I need to keep my eyes on this post. I have the same problem. I can say it has gotten better, used to be I even had to keep her in the bathroom while showering, with the curtain open because if she could not see me at all times she would cry like someone was killing her. It was that bad!

I exercise this dog all the time, as much as I can. Even when working I am tossing something across the length of the house to wear her out. She still whines in the crate and barks. Not for as long as she used to. I do not know what happened to that dog before I got her but she was a wreck!

I thought a couple weeks ago, maybe if I get her a play yard, it would not be so enclosed and she will not be as stressed out. It did help, but it is 36" and somehow just yesterday I came home from running an errand and she greeted me at the door. She learned how to climb it.

Because it is so large I am going to put her kennel cage inside the play yard so that she has open space at night (she will not climb if I am right there to correct her) and I can safely secure her during the times I am not at home.

If you find a magic solution, please let me know.

I have 1 with SA (bark like mad) and 1 that some would call SA (whines)

They are both very different but both need body and mind work.
Harley is flat out crazy if he can't play hard, full run but also need to use his brain. Some fast intense ob or tracking or agility. He needs to solve puzzle.

Dexter is much the same but less intense. A good run and some up beat ob will get him to sleep.

They both also enjoy a treat in their crate.

If I can manage their energy, no signe of SA but if I slack off mostly of Harkey, I will pay with a barking dog, all day and night even if I am just couple of feet from the crate.

I like to call that for my dog frustrated energy as I don't have the hard penting and wanting to get out of the crate stuff. But they can get loud.

Catalina is so upset about the crate that she will not even touch a treat. It is still there when I come back.. makes me feel bad.

have you watch the crate game in the video on demande section?

That was of great help for me

Keep in mind anxiety about the crate, and being loud in the cart (barking/whining) can be (usually is) different then REAL separation anxiety.

A SA dog is going to be a dog that begins stressing out when you start your regular morning routine. (Koenig would begin pacing if my alarm went off, and I got straight in the shower- he knew this was a heads up I was going to work) When left alone, a SA is likely to destroy the home- not in a boredom sense, but frantically chewing drywall or door to get out.

A good example is my dog Koenig. Before he was medicated (a very last ditch effort!) every option had been exhausted. Changing routines, crate games, unbelievable amounts of exercise, yummy chews in the crate, bark collar, muzzling - thats just the start) Koenig fractured a canine trying to get out of his crate, chewing at the wire. (Ugh, what a MESS!)

A dog that is under exercised, or has some anxiety/stress about a crate would be likely to bark and whine, but not be destructive. (puppies can be destructive no matter what though. )



Just some stuff to keep in mind.

To the Catherine, if you're still watching this post, can you give us details about your dogs day to day life? Exercise, training, time spent alone, previous crate training... the more info you give us, the more helpful we can be! It sounds like Buck is spending a good amount of time in his crate, and is just bored. Have you tried tethering him to you?

My airedale had SA. He became frustrated and pulled the cushions off the couch and pulled it away from the wall. Then he started ripping the foam. We had to replace the couch. He would start up the minute you would leave the house.
He was a teenager at the time,after he matured we learned to gate him in a room without furniture and the chewing ended. He had access to a bed ,bookshelf,ect.

 Quote: Cheryl Gee

He would start up the minute you would leave the house.

You're lucky! Before I got my dogs (severe) SA under control he'd start amping up the second I got out of bed. It was terrible. Now, I'm able to leave him in a crate w/ a bark collar (no muzzle!) so long as I turn the crates door against a wall.... otherwise he'll break out. It's a far cry from when this all started, and he was destroying this teeth!