Separation Anxiety in Dogs – How do I stop my 1 year old whining and shaking?
by mel
(england)
Dog Separation Anxiety?
I have a one year old Jack Russell that I have had since 4 months old and he wont stop panting, whining and shaking when I put him in the kitchen in his bed he starts heavy panting shaking like crazy and whining and yelping I have tried everything ignoring him does not work as I’ve done this for the last 2 months he gets worse and if I ignore him he gets louder. I have tried everything including lots of exercise to make him tired and a few times I’ve stayed up all night keeping him awake thinking he will be so tried he will sleep the next day and not be so anxious. I have let him out a few times in night in case he wants a wee but he just sits there waiting to come in I’ve had him at the vets in case something is wrong they said he is fine. I don’t know what else to do I am so tired I can not sleep and this and its getting me down I am up now as he has been crying since 11 pm please somebody help thanks.
Our Response
Hi and thanks for your question as it helps to keep our site happy and healthy. I’m glad that you got him checked out by the vet as this is always the first step when a dog is exhibiting strange and unusual behavior. It is very difficult to answer this as i have not seen your dog but it sounds as if you should take him back to the vet. It might not be a medical problem but it does sound as if your dog is very anxious and may be exhibiting separation anxiety. This problem can happen when a dog or puppy is either isolated i.e. in a room on his/her own for periods of time or has been separated from an owner that he has become increasingly attached to i.e. you. There are a number of things that you can do to solve this problem – you could get a dog behavior expert in (this could be a good idea as your dog does seem to be experiencing intense anxiety), you could let your dog sleep with you in the room, you could leave items of clothing that has your scent on it in with your dog or move your dog to another room that is closer to you and will not have the negative association that your dog has with the current room.
As your dog seems to be very anxious – you could try using a crate as some dogs respond well to a nice cozy enclosed area – and as you have tried everything else i would advise that you go back to your vet’s and discuss the possibility of medication or a spray that is specifically prescribed for anxiety in dogs. You can get medication that is completely natural and has been proven to work. In fact I had a friend that had a dog that was experiencing your exact problem and an anti-anxiety spray cured the problem – so speak to your vet. I have also provided a link to the type of medication I am talking about.
Hope this helps.
