Can anyone help us, When me and my husband go out walking with our lovely black labrador. We like to stop for a coffee, as soon as we separate the dog barks. It's getting embarrassing. He is a rescue dog, we've had him 5 months now.
Hi Tracy, do you have much history for your boy from the rescue centre. Is it known whether he had any separation issues in his previous home? How old is he? Does he bark in the house if one of you leaves the room, goes in the garden etc.? How old is he? Sorry if it sounds like a lot of questions but knowledge can help with suggestions to improve the situation. What's your boy's name?
Hi Tracy, I had the same problem outside with my rescue dog, who had separation anxiety in the house too. Our strategy was: 1) Don't separate on walks - this is inconvenient but doesn't last forever! 2) Work on getting him used to one person leaving and coming back - first just taking one step away and returning, then 2 steps, 3 steps etc. I'd build up by 1 step a day, and make sure he is relaxed with this before moving on to going out of sight, and increasing the time out of sight. You can have the person who stands with him give him rewards for staying calm, but we found verbal praise and some attention was usually enough. Now he's usually fine and doesn't mind one of us leaving and not coming back at all. Sometimes, if he's feeling stressed out on a particular day, it is still a problem and we have to do a couple of pretend walk aways before actually walking away.
I agree with @lucky_dog. If he is uncomfortable, and barking when you separate on walks, then don't, well at least until he is happier with this. All that is happening, is you are reinforcing the behaviour of barking.The risk is that barking in this situation becomes a learned behaviour, and hey presto! Look what happens when does bark, your OH comes back. Try getting your dog to associate being left with positive things first, and reward being quiet. For example, sit on a park bench (or your garden..) with you OH. Then he stands up, and moves just behind the park bench, so close, but out of sight for a few seconds. Immediately (as long as there is no barking..) praise and reward. Rinse and repeat LOTS of times, then gradually extend by a few seconds until he can tolerate a few minutes. Make the task super easy though and in quiet, familiar areas.
