Re: [PyrNet-L] Kane update part 2

["Tracy Bassett" <espinay@dynamite.com.au>]

<<A Buster Cube is "special" kind of toy. It is one that he must "work" to
get the reward. You put food in it and as he rolls it around, the food drops
out a little at a time. I used this toy for a bitch I had that was a chronic
barker. It kept her busy, she didn't get bored and the incessant barking all
but ceased! Teach him how to use it before you leave him alone with it.
Also, try crating him for short periods of time, leave, then return. Start
with 10 minutes and work your way up. It is probably due to his early
upbringing but we often inadvertently encourage separation anxiety by making
too big a fuss when we leave and when we return. When I come home from work
the dogs all get really excited and start barking. I let them out but do not
acknowledge or pet them until I am home for 5 minutes or more. I leave
nonchalantly and return the same way.>> Barb Bowes

Some good advice from Barb here.  Another thing you can do to help with the
anxiety while you are gone - Get a large Kong toy and fill it with treats
(dry kibble, biscuits, dried liver etc - stuff that will come out fairly
easily and won't get too stuck) stop the end up with peanut butter or cream
cheese.  Give it to your dog just before you leave and slip quietly away -
he will spend his time licking and chewing the food out and won't notice you
going as much.

Another good one is to get a paper bag and put a few things in it such as
treats, toys (the filled kong), twist the top tightly closed and give it to
your dog when you leave - he will have fun ripping the bag to get at his
selection (only thing with this one is you have to clean up the bits of bag
later!).

Halley has a problem with anxiety sometimes when I leave.  she has a
'special' bear to help her :-D  I rub my scent on it with my hands etc
before I leave and leave it out for her - she holds it in her mouth when she
has a 'turn' and it helps her a lot.  this is something that has evolved
more or less by accident though and not by design - you may want to give him
a toy like this and try it, but I don't know whether it would work or not
(just make sure if you do give him one that it doesn't have eyes/noses etc
that could be dangerous if he decided to dismember it!)

Another thing to remember is that if you come home and find he has made a
big mess, dont scold or growl at him - just ignore it (sigh resignedly
:-) ).  Making a fuss over the mess can actually increase his anxiety and
make matters worse as he would begin to anticipate this unpleasant
experience (being growled at etc) with your return.

Realise too that anything you do is going to take time.  Be patient
persistent and consistent and you will get there eventually.  Your boy has
come to you with emotional and behavioural 'baggage' from a less than ideal
upbringing.  It may take a while to sort all this out.

Hope this helps - let us know how it goes.

Tracy Bassett
Canberra, Australia
espinay@dynamite.com.au
http://members.dynamite.com.au/espinay/index.htm