Sharing a little success story

I'd like to share this success stories with you in the hope it gives some people who might have had the same problem a bit of hope.

When Ella came to us, she was nervous, hyperexcitable and had separation anxiety.

Since then, she's calmed down so much. And she went from being anxious and shredding the carpet, soiling and being restless to being downright asleep when I'm not there. Quite regularly she's now asleep when I'm out of the house. I know this because today, when I came home over lunch, I panicked for a minute because she wasn't there to greet me. I went into the front room and there she was, bleary eyed still half asleep! Then obviously overjoyed to see me
Same again tonight after work!

I'm so glad she can relax when we're not here. I never leave her longer than a few hours though and she can still get anxious if I leave her longer, if I leave her at night (hence the carpet accident) or if me or my boyfriend leave suddenly.
For her, it's all in the routine. As long as she knows what's going to happen, she seems to be fine. If we leave her on a Sunday, she's less happy (Sunday is her day).
Different things work for different dogs, but she's really improved and I'm so happy she's more content and independant.
So if you have a dog with separation anxiety: don't give up, there's still hope

Good for you Florence your patience and commitment is being rewarded
Well done to Ella xxx

Its the consistency in here life I imagine I don't think dogs have a sense of time as we do so to her "you have gone" seems she is now a lot more settled in her relationship with you ad she trusts you to come back and is happy to be asleep while you have gone.

Well done.

Thanks Eileen

Yes, I suppose her being rehomed was also quite traumatic for her.
She really is a creature of habit though and I think her routine is really important for her. There are moments where she's like 'what, you're going? Now? But it's Saturday!' lol. So when she's not expectim me to leave, she worries more. For example, she's much more likely to go through the bins if I go to the shop after I've already come back from work. But I guess every time she's alone and nothing bad happens, it gets a bit easier for her.

I am lucky in that my rescue seems to settle very easily when we go out. I think though the opposite in that no one really got into her life enough for her to care if they left.

In that program about separation anxiety (The Secret Lives of Dogs) they concluded that dogs that come from breeders are more likely to develop separation anxiety than dogs that have been through a rescue shelter. Perhaps for the same reason as you stated.
It's sad to think she's not had anyone in her life to care about but at least she's got you now and has finally come home

What a result - well done!

No dogs that I have owned have had true SA, thankfully. Jadey girl is very nervous/jittery but she is fine when left by herself. Things scare her easily and she has fear aggression issues sometimes, as well. Lot better now though.

Nigredo is a bit clingy when I am around, following me all over, and constantly trying to jump into my bed, chair etc. but he's fine when left alone. He is only a yearling and he still likes to chew, so I close off the upstairs rooms and all is well.

If I filmed myself at home on days when I don't go anywhere, you'd find Nigredo stuck to my side 100% of the time.

Jade goes off on her own, not paying me any mind. Admittedly I tend to baby my puppies and this can cause the clinginess, but, oh well.

Good work with your girl, I'm sure she's much happier now that she's settled down nicely