Changes to the pack - she's not happy!

[ourveryownporthos]

My boyfriend has gone to Europe for 6 weeks and ever since he left Holly has been in a VERY bad mood! She's pretty much got two modes right now - depression or destruction.

Up until now she'd been doing really well...I was able to trust her on her own in certain parts of the house more, and in the backyard unsupervised for longer periods of time. She'd been pretty well behaved.

Since my boyfriend left she has been moaning constantly...huffing and puffing and walking about the house whining at the top of her lungs. She'll do that until she either plonks herself down looking miserable or finds something to destroy.

She's getting the same amount of walks, lots of outdoor play time, I'm trying to pat her loads and let her snuggle with me on the couch like normal. I'm home pretty much all day every day so it's not like she's being left by herself to hours on end. Half the time she doesn't want to play, and on some of the walks she's just plain refused to budge.

Is this normal behaviour when there's a change in the pack? Or do I just have an ultra emo puppy on my hands?

I thought she would have snapped out of it by now (It's been 8 days so far) but no, it's almost getting worse!

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[btomlin75]

It sounds like seperation anxiety and it is not unusual. The pack leader is gone and the other members are confused. Best you can do is comfort her.

[ourveryownporthos]

ARGH...I just took her for a big long play in an of leash park which she loved! She had a big grin on her face the whole time and had a huge run around. The second we got home she tried to grab a billion things to destruct and then when I took them off her she had a snap at me (not really aggressively, more assertively, showing me she was annoyed) and then started howling and whining at the top of her lungs.

This is how it's been all week! How long can I expect this separation anxiety to last?! She's normally such a happy, funny dog.

[brandypup]

Are you doing any training with her or was it all your BF? I would get into an obed class with her while he is away it will giv eyou both somethign to do and it will show you ways to help her out of her destructivness.

If that isn't something you can do then you need to start training her yourself. Use 5 minute sesscions after a good long walk. Work sit and leave it. Crate her when you can't watch her.

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[BUDDYTHEBEAGLE]

I'm off on holiday tomorrow for only 5 days but I am so worried about Buddy being miserable when i'm gone. He is staying at home with my 18 and 16 year old sons with my parents next door but i'm still panicking. I have drawn him up an itinery and left lots of chew toys and distraction tools to try and help. So fingers crossed!

[ourveryownporthos]

Thanks for the replies.

She goes to training already, and I do a lot of training with her at home and on walks (when my boyfriend was here we'd both do training, but me probably more so) - sit, stay, lay down, shake hands, and she's very good at waiting for her food until I say she can have it.

The problem is, it's very clear that she knows full well how she's supposed to behave...there's a certain look she gives me when she's doing something wrong that just says "what are you going to do about it?" She's a VERY clever little thing and I swear she's just trying to punish me for the change, haha.

[Dawna]

Dillon here. FEED THE BEAGLE! And all will be well!

[brandypup]

The problem is, it's very clear that she knows full well how she's supposed to behave

this is were you will come in. Are you going to classes with her? You will need to learn how to teach her manners ect. Do not give her free run of the house. Keep her leached to you so you can re direct bad behavior into good behavior and then reward the good.