Behaviourist coming on Saturday (separation anxiety)

Well I have decided that Archie's separation anxiety has gone too far, and we haven't been able to solve the problem on our own, so I rang a behaviourist who is coming on Saturday to assess Archie and give me some advice.

I really hope we can sort this out soon She sounded optimistic when I told her a bit about the situation

Also I ordered a homeopathic remedy for separation anxiety which has got Valerian and Ignatia in it, and it seems there is a small improvement... I told this behaviourist about it on the phone and she said it was a good idea...

Wish me luck on Saturday!!

Hope she can help get things sorted Tuti.

Yep so do I.... I have to go back to uni at the end of September and he will need to stay on his own occasionally..... I just wish he would relax and understand that he can have fun on his own

Good Luck Tuti, hope it goes well

thanks wh

just a thought but do you use a dap diffuser?my pup had severe seperation anxiety(left him for 5 mins he ripped up my mum and dads living room carpet and ate 2 pairs of knickers and a sock)i use a dap spray 15 mins before i go out and he seems a lot better,i originally got one for my bitch to help with firework stress.i hope you find the behaviourist helps

Wow Tuti, I didn't realise his SA had got this bad that you need a behaviourist
I hope you can work through things!
Keep us updated, it will be interesting to see how you work through the problem!

Yep Hevvur.... the problem is that we have tried everything we can think of and allt he advice given on here and from books, articles etc. Nothing seems to work, and he gets very upset even if we leave him in the car for 5-10min standing where he can see us

Griff we have a DAP plugged in in the kitchen, and we have been using the spray in the car. I have to say I haven't noticed any difference in his behavious with or without it I suppose every dog is different.

We are lucky that he doesn't tear things up or worse, injusre himself, but he is clearly distressed as he whines and howls nonstop until we get back And I can't stand to hear him so distressed.... also as you might know the neighbours complained so we really need to sort this out.... I hope this behaviourist can offer good advice

Thanks guys for your good wishes, I'll keep you all updated on this. Fingers crossed cos if this doesn't work I don't know what I will do... to be honest I'm feeling claustrophobic these days as I cannot go out without first checking that my mum will be around. It's driving me nuts

Hi Tutu , I thought you had got it sorted before you went away. .the absence desensitisation technique of ignore/leave the room for a few moments/ignore/increase the time ? You have to persist with a method and not stop when it starts to work so that you reinforce it .. and it can take quite a time.

Hi Mini.... we are still using the method you recommended... and my mum and sister were in charge of continuing it while I was away.... but I'm not too sure they followed it to the letter

I'm still doing that every day but past 10min and he gets very upset

I have a feeling that they key thing is not to allow the dog to become distressed, and to come back before he starts howling..... unfortunately I think gigi and mum, with best intentions, have been leaving him to cry maybe thinking he will get bored of it....
And of course sometimes it is inevitable that he needs to be alone for more than 10min and starts howling... which I feel is counterproductive but obviously it can't be avoided sometimes

I try to do it more than 5 times each day, increasing in roughly 30sec increments... yesterday we went over 7min and he hardly howled... but then the next day it's back to square one, like he has forgotten it all I don't think my going away helped very much either