# Upset :(



## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

I recently posted about my dogs having separation anxiety. They still have it  My one roommate is on my case about remedying the situation. Barking/Howling/Whining when I am not home. This roommate is in charge of the house so its very frustrating. 

I have been trying to limit my time away from home to the point were I was going in extremely late to classes on Monday and Wednesdays. Gone for maybe 4 hours. The last 2 weeks I have had to go back to school on Friday to play catch up so I do not fail my classes this semester.

What worries me the most before I moved into this roommate situation the "owner" of the house and "roommate" sat down with me. I initially signed a 2 month lease and moved in 2 weeks early. I have roughly 40 days left on the lease. Well she asked me what I would do if the dogs didn't work out here. I'm stressing at the thought of them making my dogs move out when I just got them back. 

I tried this ultrasonic egg ... I was hoping it would work. It seemed to work for a few days. They would bark and then stop. Went to school during the week didn't here a peep out of the one "roommate". Second week rolls around and I get a text message from him while I was at school asking if I got the "thing". I told him yes but I don't think its working anymore as the day previous to this they would just continue barking through it. I told him I returned it to the store and was waiting for the money to clear in my account. I also walked to the store about a half mile away from home and came back to whining/barking dogs the day before I returned the egg and asked another roommate if they had been doing that the whole time i was gone. She said they had been.

I'm on a very fixed income as I am not working right now. I would like to find a part time job in the near future but the thought of that right now scares the living daylights out of me with the dog situation.

Today when I left for school i thought i would try something different. I recently bought them kongs and thought it would be a good time to introduce them. I put a little bit of there dog food in it and filled the rest with peanut butter. I placed them in there kennels secured PP's door she has a habit of escaping and gave them the kongs. I went downstairs and waited a half hour before leaving my house. (a friend from school now picks me up and brings me home) Not a peep out of them. I normally can't leave them to go and take a bath/shower without hearing them. 

I go to school around 3 hours into my 5 hour class I get a text from roommate asking me if I will have something by Wednesday to stop them from barking. I hesitantly responded back "yes" ugh  He wants me to get them shock collars. I really need to pull him aside tomorrow (Tuesday) and speak with him. I just don't know what to say. 

I have 3 classes left this semester and next semester I only have one class a week as I already have taken the classes previously and there wasn't any other's I could take because of prerequisites.

So tomorrow I want to try something different with my dogs. I still want to utilize the kong toys as something special they get when I am gone. Even though Tyler didn't touch his today. Need to find something else to fill it with that he likes. Probably something "Cheese" based. 

When I was living in Virginia Tyler and PP never slept in our room after they were 10 months/11 months old. We had there kennels set up in our living room. They would sleep in them at night and be in there during the day if nobody was home. 

Right now there kennels are in my room. They no the difference when I am here verses when I am not. There calm at night while in there kennels. If i leave to go to the bathroom or downstairs for too long they start to whine/bark. Once I come back in the room they immediately calm down.

I'm thinking if i move there kennels to the living room and try to get them used to sleeping in a different part of the house that this might make a difference. Also while i was in Virginia we always had 3 kennels for them. 2 small one's and a medium size one for the most part they shared the medium one until PP had her puppies in April after the puppies went home my soon to be ex-husband still separated them but in the small kennels and gave the bigger kennel to a friend of ours 2 dogs (chihuahuas) that he was caring for. Needless to say when he brought Tyler and PP home that kennel didn't come back with them. 

Also today when I came home from school I stayed downstairs for a while instead of going directly upstairs to get them like I normally do. I wanted to get a feel for how they were acting. I didn't hear anything from them. At one point I was talking to the "other" roommates boyfriend about the situation and asked him how they have been since he got there today. He states that roughly every 15 minutes or so Tyler would go into these whining/howling fits that would last a few minutes then stop. Its hard to say if PP is doing this to as Tyler seems to overpower her voice. Sometimes I can hear he whine to but she is much quieter. So needless to say I after a while of talking to him (30 minutes or so). I finally hear PP upstairs. I could tell right away that she escaped her kennel yet again and she was doing this low whine at the bottom of my bedroom door. Like she new i was home. I immediately went upstairs and let Tyler out of his kennel and brought them downstairs. I did not pick them up, did not give them any attention and just brought them outside. They were SO excited to see me and trying to jump on me from the moment I opened the door. I waited for them to calm down before interacting with them.

I know this is getting really long. I'm just frustrated. I tried talking to my mom about it and her solution was to get rid of Tyler and see if PP would calm down. What kind of solution is that? My grandma was no help either she has me more worried about being kicked out of here then I already was. 

I don't have a car and petsmart is within walking distance to my house. So please if you have any ideas enlighten me. I'm willing to try anything right now. 

The other roommates boyfriend thinks i should leave them out of there kennels when I am not home and let them have full run of the house. He doesn't live here and his girlfriend works nights. The roommate that has been bugging me his room is right next to mine. I have a 3rd roommate she isn't home much but when she is I always ask her if the dogs bug her or if she here's them when I know they have been whining/barking or doing something if I am away from my room. She always assures me that she can't hear them.

The other roommates boyfriend asked me if it would help if he recorded them during the day to give me an idea of what they are doing when I am gone. I agreed to this only to help better understand what is going on with them. I just don't know how to fix it without a lot of practice and unfortunately with finals right now and being behind still in my classes I can't focus my undivided attention on PP and Tyler till next Wednesday. 

Ok I am going to stop writing if you have any question's please ask.

I am looking into moving again maybe in with one other roommate who hopefully works days. My mom also wants me to move back in with her but I cannot do that until she finds another place to live as her landlord will not let me have dogs there. Do to other circumstances right now my mom is looking into a bigger rental property in my sisters school district. So I am hoping this is an option in the near future to move back with her. 

Ok this time I am really done. Sorry I am rambling and this probably does not make to much sense.


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

Are they in crates while you are away? If so, I would try leaving them in a playpen or something. 5 hours is too long to leave a dog in a crate IMO. It might help them feel more comfortable if they have more room to move.

I think the separation anxiety will get better with time.. Since you were away from them for so long, they may think you are leaving them again.


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## charchi (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi, you poor thing, sounds really hard on you. Can you maybe get together with your mum and help her look for another home it might make it happen a lot quicker , i think thats what i would do. The sooner you get out of there the better, and would your mum look after your babies while your at school? or do you have a car ?if so could you drive them to your mums for her to look after them while your at school maby? what about a freind comming to take them for a walk. If i was nearby i would baby sit for you cause i love our little babies hey keep us posted good luck.-janet


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## Rocky (Jan 25, 2010)

I can understand that you are upset. I think this is a problem though that does not come with a quick fix.

What I straight away noticed was that you said when you were downstairs and you heard your dogs whine and that one escaped from the crate, you went straight away upstairs to let them out. Thus, you kind of rewarded them for whining as you let them out right when they were doing it. I would always wait until they are calm and only then let them greet you. As soon as they make a sound, turn around and go again. So they will realize that they will only get your attention while being quiet.

Also, did you ever try leaving your dogs outside their crates and with one of your roommates? Will they then whine as well? What is your routine before you leave them alone? I think you should have a long walk with them before you leave them and even play with them so they are proper tired once you are gone.

Have you tried rescue remedy? Its homeopathic and there is a special pet one (by Bach). Not sure if it really works but you could try.

Otherwise I might would consider getting a dog trainer to help you.


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## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

What about a radio with soft music? Are you taking them for walks to let them get exercise & tire them out?


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## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

Are they in small kennels separated in the upstairs bedroom? You could try putting them together to be able to play & snuggle with each other. If they know you're home & kept in the bedroom while you are downstairs & roaming the house, I would cry & whine too being kept in a kennel all day.


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## LittleGemma (Apr 1, 2012)

I was also going to suggest not leaving them in crates while you are gone. Block them off in one room or a large exercise pen while you're away, and maybe later down the road they can have free roam. Give them some toys and their kongs to keep them busy. They could just be upset that they're stuck in crates alone all day. They're in separate crates too, right? Then they can't even play with each other.


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

I'm really sorry to hear how hard this is on you. I'm sure they will improve with time but I'm sorry that time is an issue at the moment. I would try putting them both together,either in your room or a big crate like you said you used to. If they have each other to play with they might be ok? Before I leave I make sure that Mylo has had a long walk and/or play do that he's tired. I put a kong in there and also hide some treats around the crate for him to sniff out and find. He's too busy with them to even notice me leave! As long as he's tired before I put him in there he never makes a peep. I really hope you can find a solution. Never worry about venting on here. There are lots of people you can talk to here. Good luck.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

I still reccomend Bachs Rescue Remedy. 

As for the kong try putting easy cheese (the can squirt cheese) and freezing it in the kong. It takes longer for them to get it out. (I have basset hounds so we find creative ways to keep hounds entertained). I would also try leaving them out of the crate and maybe a radio or tv on where they have some kind of noise instead of just hearing your roomates come and go and they do not know whats going on. My chis bark whenever they hear a different noise. 

Example- house guest they know our footsteps so if they hear a different footstep upstairs they bark until they can see who it is and they know it is ok for them to be there. 

Hope it helps!


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## Babi.Greenwood (Sep 27, 2010)

I know how you feel. We rescued a chihuahua 2 years ago that had separation anxiety from me. We live in an apartment building. Luckily our neighbors all understood and were patient knowing we were trying everything. We tried rescue remedy, the bark off from petsmart, Benadryl, gravol, tv and radio. Nothing worked. We finally crate trained her and after about 8 months noticed she wasnt going nuts the whole time we were gone. 

Maybe they need to get used to all the different noises. Maybe there is another dog in the neighborhood barking that they are hearing. Maybe, I hate to even think it but , maybe your roommates don't want them there and are either lying. Exaggerating or making the noises they know will make the pups re act. 

I would Deffinately try all the things everyone has mentioned here. Maybe a friend or family member can babysit them? After all, it was this forum that helped me through Lilys separation anxiety. 

Good luck!


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## heathuhhhhwebbbb (Aug 3, 2012)

I just recently adopted a new puppy (Luna) about 3 weeks ago and she too has separation anxiety. Nothing like Zeus was when I first got him, he was/is the quietest dog I've ever had. Luna HOWLS and cries when I'm in the bathtub and she cannot see me even though she is sitting right next to me (it has gotten to the point where I put her IN THE TUB with me so I can get a relaxing bath!) LOL! But when I leave, we put he and Zeus in a play pen, where they have beds, toys, food, water, and each other as well. She will cry when I leave initially, but thankfully she doesn't cause such a big fuss anymore. The bath is still a different story....but hey, she seems to LOVE the water and I don't mind her hanging out.

You should maybe look into a play pen, I think they would like to be with each other then separated...or perhaps look into finding a puppy sitter like a friend or family member.


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## nicholeb5 (May 3, 2005)

I have unfortunately been going through separation issues since adopting Remington in April; I think I have read everything, tried everything and doubled my grey hair dealing with his issues! I promise there is hope it is not going to happen overnight but there is hope and with work it will change!!!

First off like others have said I would try them out of the crates and try leaving them in a pen or your room, if that works or even decreases the behavior then you can SLOWLY reintroduce the crates later. 
If that does not work I HIGHLY recommend getting the book “Don’t Leave Me” by Nicole Wilde, the eBook version is under ten dollars and it is available immediately, it has helped my situation immensely!!! Anyone that has a dog that has issues with separation NEEDS this book. GET the book!!!! I hope my experience can help you!!

You mentioned using the Kong’s… Fill them with a VERY tasty treat (i.e. something that they would do back flips for!!!!! Seriously!!!!) that they do not get for any other reason, before Remi I never gave my dogs anything but meat based treats, no fillers or grains or anything I consider not necessary for a carnivore. Since Remi’s issues his Kong is filled with JUNK (nothing dangerous but stuff I would never give them before!!) Freeze whatever you use about ¾ of the way and then right before you leave put some more so they don’t have to wait for any thawing. Remi is easily bored and would leave the Kong filled up if he couldn’t start right away. You want to give them something to entertain themselves while you are gone. Only use the VERY tasty stuff for when you leave, they can have Kong’s when you are around, in fact you don’t want to only give them when you leave or they could start to associate the Kong with you leaving. I also never left chews for my dogs when I left them, I now do leave bully sticks and other chews, I learned to pick my battles and while there is always a chance they could choke or something while alone you have to do what you have to do, right now you want them safe but being kicked out or possibly having to rehome one or both I think is much worse than a small chance of choking on a chew, if they are very heavy chewers that could go through a bully stick in a short time then you might not want to chance it but you need to think of the big picture.

Some couple of things that I discovered and continue to use: Bach’s Rescue Remedy (for pets) and also Comfort Zone plug in and/or the spray. 

Also, you want to make sure they are tired when you leave, not only physically tired but you want to make sure they are mentally stimulated as well, teach them, make them THINK, teach tricks, play games, I am a huge believer in clicker training, Google (clicker training and Karen Pryor) she has an awesome book Amazon.com: Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals (9780743297776): Karen Pryor: Books"]“Reaching the Animal Mind” that explains why clicker training works with regards to how animals learn. Also, while you want them tired give them at least 20-30 minutes to calm down before you leave and/or crate them, you don’t want to take them on a long walk and them stick them in a crate, let them get rid of the “high” you get immediately after exercise the idea is to leave them calm and have them STAY calm.

Leave some soft music playing or even the TV on, I use a CD that I play when I sleep that has ocean/nature sounds, so they are used to hearing it while I am at home too!

Sorry for the book i wrote, I hope some of this help, I understand the frustration you feel, seriously GET the book!!! There is a lot more to separation anxiety that the books explains very well!!!


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Everyone has good suggestions. The only one I have is to freeze the kongs. Put kibble in and seal the ends with p.butter. It takes a little longer for them to eat. I'd try a playpen rather than keep them in crates too.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

A small update:

I first want to thank you all for your suggestions and input  I really appreciate it. 

Today I got some very insightful glimpse into what is going on when I am not home. My roommates boyfriend was visiting again and managed to record an hour of what they were doing smack dab in the middle of the day. 

It seems as though Penelope is my antagonist. I thought it was Tyler. Tyler does not start whining/barking until Penelope does. Its strange but I can differentiate there barks/whines even on a recording. 

My roommates boyfriend also told me that Penelope growls if he tries to go near the cage. IE: Lifting up the blanket. 

Last night I took Penelope and Tyler for a walk to Pet Smart roughly a mile away. I talked to one of the store associates about stuff for calming/separation anxiety. She recommended a few things. Calming Collars & Thundershirts. I ended up buying 2 calming collars and a Thundershirt for Tyler only. I really thought he was my main issue. He's really shy/timid/skiddish. I also asked if there were any treats that contained Chamomile. She pointed me to Pet-Eze Calming support for dogs. There chew-able and unfortunately neither dogs like them. So I wrapped them in some cheese. Tyler ate his but PP didn't. I only gave him 1/2 of it to start.

I also bought some treats I normally don't give them that I thought they would like. Penelope loved them Tyler turned his nose to it. So I am still on the search for something he will like. I did see a cream cheese filler for kongs but i am not sure if he will even like it. 

I do want to try a few things mentioned in the comments. Just need to wait till the first to get some more money. My funds are tight and the stuff I did buy I can return within 90 days if it does not work. So it put my mind at ease a little bit.

I also got to talk to one of the dog trainers at PET SMART today. I will be talking to the manager tomorrow about private lessons as they offer 4 one hour sessions for 219 or one 1 hour session for 89. I want to see if I can split the 4 one hour sessions between Tyler and Penelope so they can have some one on one time with me and the trainer. I feel very confident in this dog trainer. She is very familiar with chihuahua's and in fact has 3 of her own and also 3 Chinese crested.

So tomorrow begins operation get PP and Tyler to get used to me being gone. I am going to start off slowly leaving for 30 seconds at a time and coming back and slowly increasing it. As far as I know if they start showing any signs of anxiety stress while I'm doing this I should stop for the day and resume the next day or later on that day after a sufficient time has gone by. 

Ok this was a long update lol. Oh well.

Edited to Add: Today I walked PP and Tyler back to Pet Smart and I also bought PP a Thundershirt. So now they are both sporting them  I know a lot of people think they are ugly but I think they both look cute in them.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

missy_r said:


> Are they in crates while you are away? If so, I would try leaving them in a playpen or something. 5 hours is too long to leave a dog in a crate IMO. It might help them feel more comfortable if they have more room to move.
> 
> I think the separation anxiety will get better with time.. Since you were away from them for so long, they may think you are leaving them again.



Yes I think that is the problem also and I really do hope it gets better with time. It would be wonderful if there was an instant fix but I doubt there is.

Unfortunately Penelope is my escape artist and in the past has escaped from play yards that we have set up in the house. She is a climber. Maybe I can find something that has a top though. I'll have to look into that. 



ozziegirl said:


> Hi, you poor thing, sounds really hard on you. Can you maybe get together with your mum and help her look for another home it might make it happen a lot quicker , i think thats what i would do. The sooner you get out of there the better, and would your mum look after your babies while your at school? or do you have a car ?if so could you drive them to your mums for her to look after them while your at school maby? what about a freind comming to take them for a walk. If i was nearby i would baby sit for you cause i love our little babies hey keep us posted good luck.-janet


Yes it is. When my roommates send me text messages its like I want to drop everything and come home but I can't. I'm so far behind with my classes and the semester is almost over so I am playing catch up right now.

My mom works during the day and her landlord won't let her have dogs in the house. He lives downstairs from her so there is no real way to sneak them in. If they were allowed this would be a great option for the rest of the semester as my little sister could watch them while i was at school 2 days a week. 

Yup I am on the search for a place as much as my mom is for a new place  I look everyday and have even posted an apartment wanted ad on craigslist. Hopefully will hear something soon.




Rocky said:


> I can understand that you are upset. I think this is a problem though that does not come with a quick fix.
> 
> What I straight away noticed was that you said when you were downstairs and you heard your dogs whine and that one escaped from the crate, you went straight away upstairs to let them out. Thus, you kind of rewarded them for whining as you let them out right when they were doing it. I would always wait until they are calm and only then let them greet you. As soon as they make a sound, turn around and go again. So they will realize that they will only get your attention while being quiet.
> 
> ...


Yeah I agree that was probably a bad idea to go and let her out as soon as i heard her. I'm just Leary of her scratching at the doors again. She has done it since we moved in and has left scratches on the bottom of the door. 

My morning routine sucks. I wake up bring the dogs outside let them do there business. Brush my teeth. Make sure they have adequate things in there kennel. IE: Toy/kong/blanket. I put them in there shut the door gather my stuff and go wait out side for my ride to school. Told you it was bad. I normally shower at night and bring them for walks at night. I am open to a new routine in the morning for there sake. So any suggestions would be helpful. 

Yes I want to try the BACH stuff  That's one of my next things to get for them along with possibly a citronella spray dog collar. Just not sure if they make them in PP's size or Tyler's for that matter. I did hear I might be able to hook it up to the inside of there kennel though. Just not entirely sure on it yet.



woodard2009 said:


> What about a radio with soft music? Are you taking them for walks to let them get exercise & tire them out?


I can see what my cable provider has to offer for music channels. I do keep the tv on while I am gone but maybe music will be a better alternative. 

Nope not in the morning I do at night though. I really need to get into a better morning routine with them at night we normally go for a 2 mile walk I always stop before coming back and let them have a short rest and water break. 



woodard2009 said:


> Are they in small kennels separated in the upstairs bedroom? You could try putting them together to be able to play & snuggle with each other. If they know you're home & kept in the bedroom while you are downstairs & roaming the house, I would cry & whine too being kept in a kennel all day.


Yes they are separated in 2 small kennels. The kennels are right next to each other so they can see each other but that is about it. I don't tend to leave them in there kennel if I am at home unless it is night time. Ah I feel like a bad chi owner. I have been letting them sleep with me at night before i have classes though. 




LittleGemma said:


> I was also going to suggest not leaving them in crates while you are gone. Block them off in one room or a large exercise pen while you're away, and maybe later down the road they can have free roam. Give them some toys and their kongs to keep them busy. They could just be upset that they're stuck in crates alone all day. They're in separate crates too, right? Then they can't even play with each other.


Yup separate crates  I guess I can try leaving them out of there kennels and just in my room while I am gone.

Would you happen to have any recommendations to keep them from scratching at the door or something to protect the door with?



Buildthemskywards said:


> I'm really sorry to hear how hard this is on you. I'm sure they will improve with time but I'm sorry that time is an issue at the moment. I would try putting them both together,either in your room or a big crate like you said you used to. If they have each other to play with they might be ok? Before I leave I make sure that Mylo has had a long walk and/or play do that he's tired. I put a kong in there and also hide some treats around the crate for him to sniff out and find. He's too busy with them to even notice me leave! As long as he's tired before I put him in there he never makes a peep. I really hope you can find a solution. Never worry about venting on here. There are lots of people you can talk to here. Good luck.


Me to  and Thank you! I'm really going to try and change up there morning routine more so I can tire them out more before leaving. I am going to try and leave them out of there kennels and see how that goes for a few days once I can find something to protect the door.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I'm glad you are seeing some progress. These dogs have experienced a lot of change in the past few months, it isn't surprising that they are unsettled.
My suggestions are:
1. Lots of exercise (long walk) and mental stimulation (playing, training) before you leave them.
2. If they can't have the run of the house with your roommates watching them, set up an area in your room with their crates (open) and pee pads and toys.
3. Leave the TV or radio on.
4. Give special treats eg the filled and frozen Kong only when you leave.
5. Try a DAP diffuser or DAP collars. (Dog appeasing pheromone, they really do work)
6. Try Rescue Remedy or aromatherapy, lavender is good for stress.
7. Have a dog-walker come and take them out so they aren't alone as long.
8. Send them to visit a friend or relative with dogs of their own when you are in class, and do the same for them in return. You could even advertise within your college, someone else may be having similar dog-care issues.
9. Increase obedience training, it helps the dogs to know you are a strong pack leader.
10. Train them to be left. Do it gradually, and only return to the room they are in when they are calm and quiet.
11. Feed them just before you leave, full dogs are more inclined to sleep.
12. Consider moving in with more dog-friendly roommates.

I hope some of these help. Also try not to worry, these problems are not insurmountable. It will take time and hard work, but they will settle down. If you are tense and stressed they will pick up on it.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Lol we posted at the same time
You are so obviously not a bad Chi owner! You are doing your best for them. I wouldn't worry too much about the door, if the worst happens you can always replace it, it is only a door. You could try sticking some plastic (perspex/plexiglass) on the edges with double sided tape. Or maybe some old carpet.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

Huly said:


> I still reccomend Bachs Rescue Remedy.
> 
> As for the kong try putting easy cheese (the can squirt cheese) and freezing it in the kong. It takes longer for them to get it out. (I have basset hounds so we find creative ways to keep hounds entertained). I would also try leaving them out of the crate and maybe a radio or tv on where they have some kind of noise instead of just hearing your roomates come and go and they do not know whats going on. My chis bark whenever they hear a different noise.
> 
> ...


I am going to try Bach's as soon as I have some extra money so hopefully on the first unless my douche bag of an ex-husband sends me more money. lol.

I couldn't remember the name of the easy cheese today. Ugh I wanted to pick some up to for Tyler while I was out. Need to write that down so when I go grocery shopping I can pick some up.

My chi's do the same thing with unfamiliar noises. Since picking up a Thundershirt for Tyler yesterday and going back today and getting one for PP it seems to have mellowed out some. They do bark still but its not as long and they calm down a lot faster. 



Babi.Greenwood said:


> I know how you feel. We rescued a chihuahua 2 years ago that had separation anxiety from me. We live in an apartment building. Luckily our neighbors all understood and were patient knowing we were trying everything. We tried rescue remedy, the bark off from petsmart, Benadryl, gravol, tv and radio. Nothing worked. We finally crate trained her and after about 8 months noticed she wasnt going nuts the whole time we were gone.
> 
> Maybe they need to get used to all the different noises. Maybe there is another dog in the neighborhood barking that they are hearing. Maybe, I hate to even think it but , maybe your roommates don't want them there and are either lying. Exaggerating or making the noises they know will make the pups re act.
> 
> ...


After today I know the roommate isn't lying  Especially after listening to that hour long recording it was so heart wrenching to hear and yes I listened to the whole thing. 

I am going to talk to my older step-sister about her husband possibly watching them next semester while I am at school and her sons are in school. She does not live far from the school at all maybe a 1/4 of a mile. We will see what they say. My older step-brother and his wife live in the same house in a separate apartment downstairs from the. I don't know if there landlord would allow it but it wouldn't hurt to ask.



heathuhhhhwebbbb said:


> I just recently adopted a new puppy (Luna) about 3 weeks ago and she too has separation anxiety. Nothing like Zeus was when I first got him, he was/is the quietest dog I've ever had. Luna HOWLS and cries when I'm in the bathtub and she cannot see me even though she is sitting right next to me (it has gotten to the point where I put her IN THE TUB with me so I can get a relaxing bath!) LOL! But when I leave, we put he and Zeus in a play pen, where they have beds, toys, food, water, and each other as well. She will cry when I leave initially, but thankfully she doesn't cause such a big fuss anymore. The bath is still a different story....but hey, she seems to LOVE the water and I don't mind her hanging out.
> 
> You should maybe look into a play pen, I think they would like to be with each other then separated...or perhaps look into finding a puppy sitter like a friend or family member.


Yes I am going to look into that  Both actually. I'm willing to try anything  Unfortunately I can't do it all at once 



nicholeb5 said:


> I have unfortunately been going through separation issues since adopting Remington in April; I think I have read everything, tried everything and doubled my grey hair dealing with his issues! I promise there is hope it is not going to happen overnight but there is hope and with work it will change!!!
> 
> First off like others have said I would try them out of the crates and try leaving them in a pen or your room, if that works or even decreases the behavior then you can SLOWLY reintroduce the crates later.
> If that does not work I HIGHLY recommend getting the book “Don’t Leave Me” by Nicole Wilde, the eBook version is under ten dollars and it is available immediately, it has helped my situation immensely!!! Anyone that has a dog that has issues with separation NEEDS this book. GET the book!!!! I hope my experience can help you!!
> ...


Thanks for all the info  I do plan on getting the book hopefully soon. I might have a little left over right now to get it will have to check. 

That's an awesome idea about the walks to I would of never thought of that. I do plan on implementing a morning walk with them along with there evening walk. They seem to enjoy there walks and no that were going for a walk as soon as they hear me grab there leashes. I am sure they will be eager for another walk in there day.



susan davis said:


> Everyone has good suggestions. The only one I have is to freeze the kongs. Put kibble in and seal the ends with p.butter. It takes a little longer for them to eat. I'd try a playpen rather than keep them in crates too.


I'm going to try and find a playpen with a top so I can keep my escape artist form escaping hopefully I can get one on the first of September or shortly after that. Money is really tight but I do my best with what I got all extra money normally either goes to my dogs or is being saved for (something really important to me! Can't say it yet but I am sure in time I will let everyone know). Also I dont have much saved in the saving fund for that (thing) lol so I can't even borrow from that at the moment. I am mostly saving all my change/soda bottles for that.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

Wicked Pixie said:


> I'm glad you are seeing some progress. These dogs have experienced a lot of change in the past few months, it isn't surprising that they are unsettled.
> My suggestions are:
> 1. Lots of exercise (long walk) and mental stimulation (playing, training) before you leave them.
> 2. If they can't have the run of the house with your roommates watching them, set up an area in your room with their crates (open) and pee pads and toys.
> ...


These help a lot  I never thought about trying to trade off with someone for pet sitting yet i hear it all the time with people who have kids among there friends. 

I might need to try and get them on a feeding schedule instead of free feeding they don't eat much and seem to graze at there food through-out the day. 

I think I am going to print this list off lol lots of good advise and I think it hits pretty much what everyone has said in a nice a neat organized list so thank you


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

Wicked Pixie said:


> Lol we posted at the same time
> You are so obviously not a bad Chi owner! You are doing your best for them. I wouldn't worry too much about the door, if the worst happens you can always replace it, it is only a door. You could try sticking some plastic (perspex/plexiglass) on the edges with double sided tape. Or maybe some old carpet.


I already told the owner I would replace it and she is the one that suggested me trying cheaper solutions to fix it lol. Which is awesome. My grandpa is a carpenter and I am sure he can point me in the right direction when the time comes.

I love your idea. I am going to stalk craigslist for some supplies see If I can get it cheaply lol. The double sided tape I would probably have to buy though which is ok. It will be worth it and put my mind at ease.


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## omguthrie (Oct 13, 2009)

If you are looking for an easy way to cover the bottom of your door look at scrap carpet. Most carpet places will let you get scraps from the big rolls for cheap, a couple of dollars. Another place other than craigslist would be freecycle for your city. People post stuff they are looking to just get rid of for free or are looking to find. Everything is free, you just have to pick it up. You might find some stuff that could really help you. 

Separation anxiety isn't easy to deal with but it sounds like you are a great committed owner. Just remember that they didn't get this way overnight so it isn't going to fix overnight. Be consistent and I bet soon you will start to see results.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

Today has been a big fail! Ugh.

Seriously could not walk out of my room without whining. I would leave come back 30 seconds later (used the stop watch function on my phone) let them see me and try it again. Repeated about 6 times in a row. The last time I came back I let them calm down completely. Me sitting in the room for a few minutes and let them come out of there kennels. I really think I chose a bad time of day to try this and really did not do anything special before hand. Think I need to ease them in this some more. 

Normally when I leave in the morning they are quite for the first 45 minutes to an hour. I know by the time I come home they are quite as I do not here them at all and when I come in the house they are quite. It's not till they realize I am home that I hear them. I do need to make it a point to go get them out right as I get home though when they are actually being good. (When I do get to there kennels though they seem to get really excited) I tend to ignore them till they calm down. Not sure if that is the best approach either.



So tomorrow I am going to try and start a new morning routine. Wake up, bring them out to due there business. Take a shower. They normally hang out with me in the bathroom. Let them eat while I am eating. Then go for a long walk 1/2 hour or so. 

Tomorrow my lab partner wants me to go to school with him to work on our final lab projects I am thinking about calling him tomorrow and having him come to my house to work on it instead. There's a part of the project I can't do without him as I don't have enough parts for it and we would have to utilize each other's stuff. We do have class time on Monday to work on it too but we also have our Final Exam Monday for that class. My Wednesday class has 2 classes left as the 4th of July fell on a Wednesday and there was no school.

I have been pricing out dog play pens. Might be able to order one on the first. As long as I don't get a 30 day eviction notice saying I need to leave at the end of the month. Which could be possible .

I am also checking into a dog walker that just maybe could come next semester on Thursdays half way through my day if I am still here. I would however have to get permission from my roommate (the one in charge) for this to happen. As the lease specifically says we cannot have visitors in the house if we are not there. Not even to run to the store. 

Doggy Daycare is off my radar right now there is only one remotely nearby that wouldn't be out of my way to drop them off at (I don't have a car) so I would be relying on lab partner to help me. Next semester he will not be able to pick me up on Thursdays and probably would only be able to take me home if I stayed late that day at school. Bus seems like a better option. 

I talked to my mom today and it doesn't sound promising her moving  Unless she finds something by October time frame at the latest. I will continue to look for myself. I also need to talk to one of my friends and see if he is moving soon we were talking about being roommates a few months ago. He just got a new job so hopefully that will open up were he can live as before we were limited on searching in only 2 towns so he could walk to work/get a ride.


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## Babi.Greenwood (Sep 27, 2010)

Can your little sister come watch them at your house? 

I got some lavender oil last night and put it on my puppy's collar ( one drop goes a long way!). I can't say how it will work for her during the day when I'm not home yet. Last night on our "walk" she didn't seem as anxious/scared of every little thing. When I put her in her crate last night there was no whining or crying or barking. She settled in right away. I think it worked on my husband too cuz he fell asleep while the puppy was on our bed before I put her to bed lol.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

I doubt it  My mom is a little over protective of her at the moment. I would also have to get that approved through my roommates as I am not allowed to have guests in the home when I am not here. I still need to talk to them about next month and have an animal behavior specialist come to my home. I would it if they were all there so they to could understand better what is going on. 

Then again I have no clue if I am going to get the 30 day boot on the first of next month. Which sucks. My lease is up at the end of next month. So in the mean time I am keeping an eye out on new places to rent. I don't have that much money and if for some reason I am told i have to leave next month it is going to post pone me getting an animal behavior specialist which sucks. I would need to put that money towards renting a uhaul truck. 

I really need to find a part time job right now to offset next semester as I can only take one class and I don't feel like I can do that right now with what is going on. So I am just hoping for the best right now and preparing for the worst.


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## ggtina (Jun 24, 2012)

Some more progress.

Yesterday I did the same exercise going and coming back. I did four 5 minute time frames. There was a little whining in the middle but I made it a point to come back when they were quite. I did let the stay in the downstairs area of the house and went out the front door for 2 of the times. Out the back door for one of the times. Then I tried to leave them in the son room and went to the dining room were they could not see me to mix it up a little.

Today they have been a lot more calmer in general. They're pretty much ignoring noises in the house that they would normally bark to. Occasionally there is a small bark but if I tell them no barking it's stopping. 

Today I was able to leave there site for more then 5 minutes without any protest. Had to get some laundry done and for some reason they never follow me into the basement. 

Tyler finally found something he will actually chew on and enjoy. I hate to say it but its raw-hide.  ugh. I did have to offer it to him 4 days in a row before he would actually even take it from me and try it. 

Hoping to next week re-introduce him to bully sticks. PP loves them but will eat them in about 15 minutes. Which makes it hard to keep offering them to Tyler because she loves them and I feel guilty only offering Tyler one and not PP. Raw-Hide seems to last for a few days on end.


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## Frankstjeanjr (Aug 26, 2012)

Ggtina, 

If all fails you might find a lonely elderly person to "dogsit" ? 


Sent from my iPad using PG Free


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