[Deenyb]

After this weekend I dont know where to turn or what to do.
I am in **LOVE** with this little guy. He is more than a dog or a canine companion.
We went out of state to pick up my husbands boat. We decided to make it fun for our kids and stayed in a hotel, a pet friendly hotel. We got ready to go to the pool, put bax in his crate and left. He started howling and arooooing. i stood outside the door for 20 minutes and he wouldnt let up, and I didnt want to get kicked out of the hotel for his noise. So I missed out on a fun time with my kids.
This is not an uncommon event. Baxter WILL not tolerate being left alone. I cant go across the street without him freaking out. There are times I have to leave the house (ie grocery shopping, dr appts etc.) that he just cannot go with. My neighbor has told me poor little Baxter howled for over an hour. I am mainly a stay at home mom. So that is why we decided a beagle would be ok for us. He would get the attention he needed. I am home 95 percent of the time. I knew beags are vocal and i am ok with that, I love his little voice.
But his acting this way makes me feel resentful of him and feeling like he is manipulating me (which I know deep down he isnt).
I hope this isnt coming off bad. I am so sad. I feel like I am not giving him everything he needs. I cannot become a hermit and not leave the house, know what I mean?
Anyways, I am not sure if anyone has been through this or have any words of advice, but I am ALL ears!

Thanks,

P.S. Dont think i am a heartless jerk.

 

[Smeagle]

Seeing as you are home 95% of the time, how much work have you done to get baxter used to being on his own?

Daisy was like this at first too - even though we had two other dogs here. Even though I was on holidays and home for weeks, I purposely left the house so she would get used to being on her own. I don't make a fuss when I'm leaving, I just put the dogs outside and leave - I don't say good bye, I don't give them a treat, I don't talk to them. The same when I come home - I ignore them completely and I don't make a fuss over them. This way, they don't see me leaving or coming home as a big deal.

I used to sit in my car in my driveway and listen to Daisy howl when she was a pup. BUT the more I left her and the more I ignored her completely, the better she became.

Maybe when you know you are going to leave Baxter alone, you can give him a nice, big, fresh bone to chew on to distract him when you leave? Or fill a kong toy with some treats, or get a treat ball to let him play with. Beagles are a breed that need mental stimulation otherwise they will get bored.

 

[Murphys Dad]

I completely understand where you're coming from!

Chloe has SA as well, and it's affecting me more than I would have thought it would. She cannot be crated (yet! - I'll explain) as she will howl defecate and won't settle for a second.

I have lately came up with a plan: it takes time and a lot of commitment on my end, but I can see some improvement. I wake up an hour earlier every day (Mon. to Fri.) and take her out for a 45 min. power walk. This way, most of her energy is wasted and she has less of it to howl and make a scene when I leave. She also has not pooped in the house since we've started this routine (she is completely housebroken, but will poop/pee out of panic when I'm not home), and it's much easier to leave in the mornings.

I have some time off in October and I plan on incorporating this new routine with trying to crate train her for when I leave in the mornings. I'm hopeful that she will work with me

A tired Beagle is a good Beagle - and it helps a LOT when they have exhausted their energy on exercise and not panic and destruction

btw - the walking in the mornings helps me too with controling my weight, so it's a win win situation

.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Heartless? I think not. Murphy was the same way when we got him, and very destructive. He grew out of it. Kali is that way too. She will howl and bark for a while then go to sleep (at least that is what my neighbor says). I feel sorry for Summer. She has to hear it.

 

[beaglesmom]

No, you are NOT heartless. I just wish I had some magic pill to give you to solve your problem. The only one of my pack that I've had problems with was my JoJo - her breeder (my friend Deb) was a stay-at-home mom, with 3 kids, a husband, and LOTS of company, as well as several dogs, cats, and just about any critter you could name. There was always someone home with her. When I brought her home, it was just me and my beagle pack, which I think numbered about 7 at that time. She was totally stressed out being taken away from her family when I went to work. Since my younger kids were accustomed to being crated, I just put her in with one of them and she was fine. My youngest, Angel (who is JoJo's daughter) also howled if crated alone - so she's crated with her half sister, Bella - so guess you'll just have to get another beagle???

. Seriously, beagles are pack animals, and they do better with another (so I got a little carried away). You've gotten good advice - wear him out before crating, if possible. Leave him something fun to occupy his time, and don't make a big deal out of coming and going. Here's something I found on my beagle group about separation anxiety - hopefully it'll have some ideas for you. GOOD LUCK! And just remember, you are A GOOD DOGGIE MOM so don't feel guilty!

Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit extreme behavior problems when they are left alone. The most common behaviors are destruction of property (sometimes injuring themselves in the process), especially around doors or windows, howling and barking, and urination and defecation from distress. The destruction and house soiling is not an attempt to seek revenge on the owner for leaving, but is actually a panic response.

Separation anxiety sometimes happens when

A dog has never or rarely been left alone.
Following a long interval, such as a vacation, when dog and owner are constantly together.
After a traumatic event (in the dog's mind) such as time at a boarding kennel or shelter.
After a change in the family's routine, like a move to a new home, or a new person in the home.
Dogs that exhibit separation anxiety follow their owners around from room to room and become anxious even if a closed door separates them from the owner. They dislike spending time alone outdoors. They act depressed or anxious to your getting ready to leave the house.

For minor separation anxiety problems the following may be helpful:

Keep comings and goings low key. Ignore the dog the first few minutes when you come home, then calmly pet him.
Leave your dog with an article of clothing that has your scent on it-- one that you don't mind if it gets chewed on.
Provide enriched environment to keep the dog busy while alone. A Kong toy (even several) that is stuffed with soft food is good-- unstuffing it will occupy the dog. Hide favorite chewies in the house for the dog to find.
Sometimes leaving the radio or TV on is helpful, if the dog associates it with your presence. Or make a tape of family kitchen noise and play it while you are gone.
Provide aerobic exercise before leaving, but let the dog calm down before you leave. A tired dog will rest better.
Teach a sit or down stay (or use a tether) and gradually increase the distance you move away from your dog. Your goal is to move briefly out of sight while he remains in position. You want your dog to be comfortable about spending time apart from you.
Some dogs may be more comfortable in a crate - if the dog has first been trained to regard the crate as a safe haven. However, in many SA cases, confinement only worsens the dog's panic and hysteria.
Some dogs do better if they have a companion animal to keep them company. But this is not always successful, so be sure you actually want another pet.
Punishing a dog for destructiveness is not effective and may actually make things worse, since it could increase his anxiety.

Severe cases require systematic desensitization to being alone. This can take a long time. Sometimes veterinary prescribed drugs are used as a temporary measure along with the behavior modification program. Because a dog with severe separation anxiety can do damage to himself and/or your home, you may have to figure out some interim measures, such as leaving the dog at a daycare facility, or with a neighbor or family member.

Copyright © Pat Scott

 

[Nolan]

Originally Posted By: SmeagleMaybe when you know you are going to leave Baxter alone, you can give him a nice, big, fresh bone to chew on to distract him when you leave? Or fill a kong toy with some treats, or get a treat ball to let him play with. Beagles are a breed that need mental stimulation otherwise they will get bored.

We didn't have Josie as a pup, but this sure did work for us when we first got her. She had some SA issues at first (though it was probably more due to just being in a new home). We started giving her a stuffed frozen Kong when we'd be leaving her and it kept her busy long enough so she wouldn't notice we left. Whatever issues she did have she's worked out though... She hardly lifts her head when we leave now...

 

[Deenyb]

Thank you Thank you for everyones advice! I have lots of new things to try! I do make a big deal of leaving, I say :Be a good boy Baxter, no crying. Mommy will be home soon over and over. And when we return, my kids go in and make a big deal of our returns. That will be stopping! No more excitement!
i have left him his favorite toys, new bones, new toys. All are untouched. I will try a kong though, because he is a little piggy and anything involving food would keep his attention.
Thank the good lord above, Baxter has never been destructive (though he is crated) or self harming (I have heard of animals bloody by the time owners have returned home).
He is more of a sulker, a pouting little kid who is mad he isnt part of the big plans..LOL
I know also that my telling him quiet when he freaks out is feeding his need.he is freaking out and I am acknowleding his barking etc which he rationalizes as hey my barking and getting upset is working, maybe if i do it louder she'll come back. Which I have stopped doing.
I was so frustrated with him when I originally posted this. He was a brat that weekend and had an accident the same day (after 2 months of nothing).
Im calm and ready to keep on chugging along.
though it is hard when you take 1 step forward and 2 steps back.
He is a puppy and I have to remember that, and a darned cute one at that

Now if I could only leave long enough to buy a kong..LOL

I should say that he does only seem upset when *I* leave. Even if my family is home and I run out to the store, he is struggling trying to get out to chase me. He loves his mommy!!

 

[cobismom]

You are not heartless nor a jerk. And is he manipulating you, wellll so some extent. Remember when our kids were little and they wouldn't go to sleep, would cry and scream for mommy or daddy to come sleep with them? Well, I think these little guys do the same things, even though they don't know that's what they are doing. So try short leaves, then longer and longer. Yes he is going to cry, whine, and maybe even chew some things, but eventually he will learn to calm down and nap or lay there until you come home. We had that problem with Cobi when Chipper died, he couldn't bear to be left alone. We left the tv on, or the radio on low, so that he heard noises, and then tried not to be gone for an awful long time (2 hours tops)...he eventually got used to being alone,and the crying and barking stopped. Now we have VAN/aka Casie, and he is having a little of that, but Cobi is laying in front of his crate for protection and nose rubbing....they are just little kids in fur coats so treat them as such in some things, and it works.

 

[Smeagle]

Don't leave him too many toys either -- this leaves him with too much choice and he can get bored faster. If you leave him with say a fresh bone and a kong, the next day when you leave you can rotate his toys and leave him with something else to keep it exciting.

Sounds like you are on the right track and you have a great attitude about it, good luck!

 

[Makaella's Mom]

wow, you all don't know how much i need help here too. there are other issues in my circumstances that make the exercize portion difficult - which is what every trainer/book/website has said was number one.

denise, not to highjack your thread but i have felt just like you for weeks and weeks now. can't tell you how much crying i've done at feeling like such a bad dog owner. i too am home most of the day and was leaving jack outside in a very big fenced in kennel when i would leave. jack was screaming and howling so much my neighbor complained, actually saying you need to think of getting rid of that dog. i was so scared she'd call the police, i moved jack inside and have been crating him each time i go out.

i've done everything mentioned above from bones to tv to ignoring him, short but frequent trips and it's not working. i tape record him while i'm gone and he just screams and screams the entire time.

now the bigger issue i'm feeling so bad about. i am having back to back major surgeries. i just had wrist surgery for a major fracture and tendon rupture and in three more weeks i'm having a total hip replacement. i just haven't been able to give the consistency of training and exercize he needs and i feel so bad. he's such a good dog and i've only had him since memorial day but he was living on a six foot chain outside when i rescued him. he'd never been in a house before, never had anyone pet him or care for him.

it's breaking my heart listening to the tapes and the fear and terror in his cry. i don't know what else to do. i WILL NOT give him up but i feel like i'm failing him. so the last thing i can think of is to pay to have him taken to doggie daycare if not every day, at least three or four days a week. i can't really afford it as i have no income at the moment but i don't care, my dogs come first.

what do all of you think? i honestly can hardly walk at this point and the recovery time after the hip surgery will be eight to twelve weeks. i just don't know what else to do.

thoughts?

 

[CarrieD]

No way are you heartless. I have the same prob with Menolly. She cries if I go to the bathroom, for heavens' sake! Luckily I have not yet had to leave her home alone but I know I will eventually.

Wish I had advice beyond what the others have said. It's tough to juggle school/work, family, and pets.

 

[Smeagle]

Originally Posted By: Star Wars BeagleNo way are you heartless. I have the same prob with Menolly. She cries if I go to the bathroom, for heavens' sake! Luckily I have not yet had to leave her home alone but I know I will eventually.

Wish I had advice beyond what the others have said. It's tough to juggle school/work, family, and pets.

I would start leaving her home alone now. You want her to get used to you coming and going at as young an age as possible, otherwise her seperation anxiety will get worse.