Dog/Dog Separation Anxiety

[MicheleMarie]

Can anyone offer some suggestions for helping me to relieve dog to dog separation anxiety? I adopted an Airedale/Lab last April and he's still pretty young - about a year and a half. He's bonded to everyone in the family, but especially our little Rotti girl. I alternate walking the dogs - one goes for a walk in the morning, the other goes in the evening. We have a very large backyard and both dogs get playtime with mom and their outdoor toys every evening. Whenever the Rotti and I leave, the AirLab gets very upset, whiny and just plain distressed. I thought that as time passed, his anxiety would ease, but it hasn't. After we return from our walk, I've tried to just ignore him and "act like normal" so that I don't reinforce his distress. I've tried giving him a treat before we go, but it appears he doesn't touch it until we walk back into the house. Sometimes, my husband is home when we're out walking and he says the dog isn't interested in anything but sitting at the front window. Am I maybe mistaking jealousy or envy for separation anxiety?

[sophie's-mom]

I dealt with a SEVERE case of separation anxiety between littermate Basenjis!! OH MY GOSH!!! It was TERRIBLE!!

Long story but we rescued SIX basenjis from a mini mill in South Georgia and these little girls (Rose and Petal) were TERRIBLE without each other!!

I took them to the vet in the same crate. Took Petal out of the crate and into the office...............Rose went BALLISTIC!! SCREAMING.........BITING at the crate........clawing at the floor trying to get out.......and we weren't even out of VIEW! These two dogs could NOT be fixed (or so I was told by the Basenji lady) so they HAD to be placed together.

Your case sounds like a MILDER version...........mostly pining when the other is gone? Maybe snap a leash on the AirLab and do something ELSE? Even with a treat, the thing on that dog's mind is.........the other dog. Maybe your husband could run commands with the AirLab???

Totally occupy her time, keep her busy, ya know?

[Judi W]

I think you are probably "over-thinking" the whole thing. When I take one out the other often has a few things to say about it, but it is not "oh dear what am I ever going to do without the other dog"........... what is being said is "hey stupid lady, you are taking the wrong dog!!!!"

and I say - "get over it"