[LoAndBeholden]

When we leave for work in the morning, and we pen Starla up for the day she is excellent. She knows the phrase go to work, so she goes into the kitchen, sits on her blanket and waits while we put up the gate and leave. If we go out for a few hours on the weekend, she's just as good. Again we'll use the phrase go to work and she will take her spot on the blanket in the kitchen. When only ONE of us leaves, though, to take out the trash, or grab something out of the car or to go grocery shopping or whatever---even if it's just to step outside to pay the pizza delivery guy for ten seconds she GOES NUTS and starts crying and scratching the door. She continues to whine and semi-howl and is inconsolable for about an hour...sometimes a lot longer...even when one of us is there (and it doesn't matter which one has left and which has stayed). We've even tried the one who is leaving to use the phrase go to work so she would be a little more at ease but we're thinking that this may confuse and upset her because normally when we say go to work we BOTH leave, and she's not understanding why we are not BOTH leaving. Does this just come with the territory or is there anyway to help her not get so upset when just one of us has to leave?

 

[RosCole]

That is a shame she gets so upset. My thoughts:

Frequently have one of you leave for short periods of time.
Whoever is home with her, make it fun and exciting, treats, toys, etc. (distract her)
Maybe by doing this for awhile she will get used to being with one person at a time.

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

You know, I have the same problem. It is more about the fact that she wants to go too. Nothing I've done seems to help, but when I do leave Quinn for longer periods of time, I leave a kong full of dog food in her crate. She's so distracted when I leave that I don't get to hear if she howls or barks or whatever.

I wonder if it has something to do with being worried that the person who disappeared got lost, and she's trying to locate you. I dunno. LOL I just know I have the same problem with Quinn.

 

[Mollys Mom]

Pretty much the same here. Andy is always awesome no matter how I come or go...but Molly is nuts. We finally have her used to the work schedule - they are gated in the kitchen, they get a small treat, TV is on, and she has a kong toy. They know the difference for sure. Like today I have to go to the doctor and will have to act like its for work. But if I left her to go for a walk to the mailbox she freaks out. Its been 2 years and I am working on it! She is much better but does whine. If my hubby is out and I am home, she whines and growls, same if he is home and I am out.

 

[Faiers]

Originally Posted By: Mollys MomPretty much the same here... They know the difference for sure. Like today I have to go to the doctor and will have to act like its for work. But if I left her to go for a walk to the mailbox she freaks out.

This all sounds so familiar! Penny knows the difference between going to work and not! I tell her every morning that I am going to work and she has accepted that, but if I go to the mail box then she carries on like I am abandoning her, her nose is under the gate and she whines and howls. We have also started telling her we are going shopping and we will be back soon (for short outings)we started doing this, because we were sure she knows the difference between weekends and work days! I guess the difference in routine. Again, she seems to be accepting that - as long as we get in the car and go. As for our Corgi, Tuppence, she could care less - she seems to be much more at ease with us coming and going.

Would you believe it!? I just got called away from writing this post and I was talking in the front yard - usually Penny goes nuts - I told her I was going shopping and it worked! She waited calmly for me to return - just goes to prove persistance and patience pays off! Or .... maybe Penny is much smarter than me!

 

[Mollys Mom]

Well, when I got back from the doctor (only about less than 2 hours), she had gone PP in the kitchen! Grrrrrr. Prentending I was going to work didn't work.

 

[Faiers]

It can be frustrating, but hopefully not too long before she works out that you will be back soon.

 

[LoAndBeholden]

Glad to know that we're not the only ones. We thought of something last night, as to why she might freak out when only one of us leaves. Maybe it's because there is no ritual to set her up for one of us leaving. It's just be right back and an abrupt departure. For instance, in the mornings we get up, drink coffee and sit in our regular places for about an hour before we go. When we get up to brush our teeth, Starla heads for the kitchen because she knows it's time to go to work. When we go out on weekends, as soon as I grab my make-up case and start applying, she starts wimper-boofing (as we call it) because she knows that we are going to work soon. But when only one leaves, it's so quick and there is no regular schedule or ritual of gestures we have before we do an impromptu task, like taking out the trash. Do you think if we came up with a certain ritual to do before one of us would leave that might help?

 

[Faiers]

Originally Posted By: ShelleDo you think if we came up with a certain ritual to do before one of us would leave that might help?

Absolutely, I think they get used to the routines and a new ritual could be the answer. Good luck and let us know how it is going.