My husband and I, both retired and at home full time have a one year old female black lab. I recently had to be hospitalized for 3 weeks following a ruptured appendix with complications. My husband kept things going at home in my absence, but the situation obviously required a change in routine for our dog. She showed some signs of separation anxiety while I was in the hospital. When he left her at home to visit me one night, she completely destroyed her bed. She'd never even so much as chewed her bed when she was a puppy. Now that I am home and recuperating, she continues to show signs of anxiety. She refused to get into the car for my husband, most likely because I was staying in the house. If my husband leaves the house to run errands, while he is out she paces back and forth, running from window to window looking for him and whining even though I am in the same room with her. She's relaxed when we're both inside with her. Her behaviour has also regressed and become more puppy- like; jumping up, stealing things etc. Any suggestions on how we can make her less anxious?
Hi @jehalliday Im sorry I don't have any experience of separation anxiety but I found this article as a starting point for you. Hopefully it will help. http://www.thelabradorsite.com/does-my-labrador-have-separation-anxiety/ Wishing you the best of luck.
Hello and welcome. This has obviously been an upsetting and worrying time for all of you, and your dog, being a sensitive creature, has picked up on this. Now that you are back home, you will slowly have to make her realize it is ok when one of the 'pack' goes out for a short time. Build up her confidence by having one of you leave the room or go outside for a very short time, just a few seconds will do to begin with, and increase this bit by bit. Use an upbeat cue that you are going out, like "popping out, be right back!", and don't make it into a big deal. Maybe give her a small treat when you leave. The main thing is that she re-learns that if one or both of you leaves, it is ok - you come back again, she is not abandoned, and all is well. I hope you are completely better now.
