Does Your Boxer Have Separation Anxiety?

[heidiho]

Palmer is such a wonderful little guy. We got him from a responsible breeder and it shows. He is really well behaved, for a 10 week old. He cried the first night we had him but that as it. Doesn't mind his crate at all. I voted no because I really feel that he doesn't have any sep. anxiety, just immaturity. I can tell that he won't have it as he matures. Getting a puppy from a good breeder really make a difference. They are handled and socialized, crate trained, and so much more.

 

[Jenn067876]

my baby Jasmine is 2 now. She used to have horrible separation anxiety to the point my landlord was going to evict me. She would bark, cry, yelp and tear apart the house. I bought a crate for her and now she is fine. I made sure to make the crate "fun" for her. Every time she goes in she gets a small treat. She also has her own blanket in there for her and one of her favorite stuffed animal toys. Now when she knows I am getting ready to leave she goes in the crate all by herself and waits for her treat. Oh and I also make sure she goes to the bathroom before going in the crate. I find if she does not get to go potty she gets cranky (dont we all!!!). With plenty of patience and small treats it did work for us!!

 

[penny&seth]

Seth used to have it badly! He would literally scream when put in his crate. (all day!) He still has to follow me or his daddy everywhere we go (even if it's in the next room or the bathroom for a minute) but now that we have Penny he's much better. Especially in his crate. I think a big reason is because he's deaf.

 

[Capone's Mama]

I would have to say no but he always has someone home with him but when we have left him home alone we have had know problems. He is a rescue. he has more of the fear of the car with us leaveing him somewhere if we open the car door and there is another car close by he get scare that he is changing cars. But we are starting to get over that. Home is were he is safe. He had a 8 hour ride to get here and 5 different cars. that is were his fear come from. He is going on his first vac with us this weekend to maine. Hope everything goes fine!!!

 

[courtney323]

Seperation Anxiety

Maddie has seperation anxiety - but not too bad. She was a rescue, also.

She loves to go bye-bye, and is not scared of ANYTHING, but when we left her alone in the house she would get seperation anxiety.

I started by crating her in the kitchen every day. I could hear her bark when I left in the morning. After a few weeks I bought baby gates, and now she gets baby-gated in the kitchen. Her crate is still available to her, and often time when I peek through the window, I can see her lounging in her crate with a toy!

She is much happier w/ the baby gates b/cause she is free to move around the kitchen. But she still barks when I leave the house for the first couple of minutes. She is not destructive though. BUT I have tried expanding her area and leaving her to the ENTIRE house on short occassions and she usually pees somewhere or tears something up. I do not think she is ready for that yet.

I hear lots of Boxers don't reach that point until they are 2 or 3 yrs old. She is only 19 months. I still consider myself pretty lucky.

Although we are about to do a kitchen re-model so I have NO clue where we'll put Maddie. Any IDEAS?

Courtney

 

[kgf73]

Mabel doesn't suffer from SA, but I do. I'm the one who will start to whine and act simple if I can't get home to her. :rolleyes:

 

[Julie Mac]

Our Boxer Tigger was a rescue dog. He was 10 months old when we got him. He was a well loved dog as a pup and only given up to rescue because of a life change. He was very well behaved for the first few months. Now has is suffering from Seperation Anxiety. He cannot be crate trained. He has an aversion to crates. When his foster Mom tried to crate train him before he came to us, Tigger freaked out so badly that he cut his face up badly by ramming it into the door of the crate. Needless to say he has full run of the house.
He hates that we leave. He doesn't poop or pee in the house anymore-he has gotten over that part, bu he will destroy or eat anything left laying around. Shoes, paper(his favorite), toys. He has even broken into my pantry (yes, he has learned to open doors) and ate raw potatoes. We would love to be home with him but we both must work-any suggestions?

 

[SweetGirlie1400]

hiya :p
I'm new here and i dont have a boxer of my own.. but i've been watching dog training shows for AGES! and crate training is supposidly the best way of going about training a dog to get over SA <and a lot of other problems too> its gives the puppy or dog a safe place it can retreat to and its even better if he/she is allowed to go in and out whenever they like during the day <exept when they have to be locked up> because they consider it there own lil place :D thats what i've heard neway .

 

[jldodge]

what helped my dog

I have an English bulldog/boxer mix and well, she's just plain nuts! Her mama died in childbirth and she was bottlefed. She still sucks an old blanket when she gets stressed, or when she's going to sleep.

Everytime we went out, she had to be put into the crate, or confined to a room. She loved chewing remote controls, cell phones, etc. She would leave them in a pile in the middle of the floor. She also destroyed books and magazines.

She broke out in hives and other skin disorders, I was always at the vet with her. She was on anti biotics and a type of antihistamine.

A year ago, when she was a year old, I rescued a boxer. That was the best thing I ever did. She has calmed down, doesn't need to be in a crate, rarely chews anything, and will tell on her boxer brother if he does!

She is no longer on any medication whatsoever. She just needed a buddy, a brother. They love one another, but she's the alpha dog. Very patient with him, but puts him in his place when need be.

He is still in the crate when we leave for longer periods, but that is because he's so full of energy yet.

I suggest another dog. It's not that much more work, and they need the company, IMO.

Jane

 

[popps]

Bella had it as a puppy, got over it... now it's come back a bit.

Luckily, the damage is fairly minimal. She pulls the cushions off
the couch, and sometimes tears up the fabric underneath
the cushions. She'll also drag a shoe out now and then, or
tear up a magazine. (no pooping or peeing, though)
It's funny, it's like she's trying to make a statement.... without
doing too much collateral damage. :rolleyes:

I've tried some of the things mentioned here, without much luck.

But I'm a bit confused....

When people talk about crate training as a means of solving this
problem, do you mean just leaving them in the crate while gone?
That's something I don't want to do. I have at times, and she's fine with it....but sometimes
I'm gone for 4-5 hours or more... and it's not right that she shouldn't
be able to eat or drink or move around for that long.

Or.... does crate training lead to being able to let them out while
you're gone? Somewhat confused on exactly what people are talking
about.


???